One thing that has puzzled me

Taking cuttings, put one into water (just water) and it grows roots and lives
put another into compost and to much water and it dies ie waterlogged ???

My question is Why

 

Voodoo

Hope that helps ...

 

Roots need to develop root hairs to take water from soil and so although the water is there it isn't as accessible to the plant in the soil

 

That is a puzzle. Maybe a hydroponics book would give a reason, i'm thinking it may have something to do with available oxygen? Perhaps there is more available in water than sodden soil? Maybe soil microbes absorb it then anerobic bacteria attact the roots?

 

With the exception of Willow cuttings (which don't count because they just grow anyway) I have very little luck with cuttings.

I've tried numerous times with numerous species to do it by the book, and had no look. I've also tried several times with several different species going against the accepted way, usually sticking the cuttings in compost which I've deliberately kept waterlogged, and they have sometimes worked. Certainly its worked more times than when I do it by the book, so the whole thing is a puzzle to me too.

 

Thank you for all the replys

Looks it's voo doo then

Some live, some die

 

Very likely there will some movement in the water however small (thermal current,windage etc) which will aid gas exchange at the surface. You wont get that in waterlogged soil.

westwales, taproots are generally associated with water. Root hairs are the quickest and most economical method for a plant to increase its root area.