Plant success + Experiments with willow :)

I am just on fire recently, this will be my 4th post in 2 days (or something like that?) I don't even feel well today, but here I am blogging like a mad thing. Perhaps my brain is more active when I feel cruddy...
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So, I recently bought some commercial rooting agent, which is supposed to increase the likelihood that a cutting will successfully send out roots, & form a new plant. Little did I know at the time, that you can easily make your own, completely natural, & non-toxic rooting agent using willow (；￣Д￣）So I'm calling it quits on the commercial stuff (even though I have barely touched it yet >_>) & taking the natural approach instead.
Thankfully willow is quite a common species in many parts of the world, & in some it is even considered a pest, because it is so prolific. I'm no expert at identifying trees (unfortunately) however I do know a weeping willow when I see one, & just about everyone else in the world probably does too! Happily I also know that there's a lovely weeper not too far from my house, so I drove there, discretely pulled over, & snipped a couple small cuttings for myself.
Since then I have sorted through the braches I cut, I have kept some for cuttings for myself to (hopefully) grow some willow of my own, & chopped up the rest to make willow water rooting agent :D
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These are some of the cuttings I am keeping for myself, there are a couple more I have put directly into potting mix, just to try different things, & compare results, etc.

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This is what the willow water looks like so far. The best parts of the willow to use is the small green new growth. Larger, older growth is ok too, but may need some bruising/crushing to help the hormones seep out more effectively.

A natural growth hormone, along with an aspirin-like anti-bacterial occurs naturally in willow plants, & the water slowly becomes infused with these natural chemicals (like a tea) & you can use it to grow cuttings. Apparently willow water is also good for newly transplanted trees, shrubs, etc, as is helps support the roots, & ward of infection.

As you use the water, you can keep topping it up, & letting it infuse, to get several batches of willow water from one bunch of cuttings.

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& some feel-good plant success? Here they are -

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This is a Silver birch cutting, & until this morning I thought I had lost it (along with pretty much all my other cutting experiments ever) but then I noticed these little green nodules [:o It's early days, but with a bit of luck, & heaps of TLC, hopefully this tiny cutting will grow into a magnificent tree one day...

I used the commercial rooting agent for this cutting (boo~) but I'll still be super happy if it works :)
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And this is a brand new drumstick tree [XD]/<yesssss~ This one was grown from seed, just like my last one, which I loved & nurtured for months before SHE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED snapped it clean in half! ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ<sham-nam-it! So I will be even more extra specially protective of this one.

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Finally, here is my first real experiment using willow water -

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These are a mix of date seeds & almonds, which I have put in a dish along with a few layers of paper towel, & enough willow water to keep them well moist. I have high hopes for this experiment, I would love some beautiful date & almond trees!
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Here's a close up of one of the date seeds. they've only been in there for a matter of hours so far, but it looks like there might be some sprouting action starting already? It's hard to tell, but I will follow the progress of these seeds in later posts.

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So, if you've always wanted to play god & do some cloning, make yourself some willow water, collect up some cuttings, & get busy!

Willow is actually a really underrated plant, I plan to read up about it & see what other wondrous functions it can perform for me :D

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I'm a novice at this, but I will do my best to field any questions anyone may have.

All the best everyone~