i have been experiencing problems with my cuttings lately. most recently i tried using 50/50 verm/perlite, dip 'n grow, tray and humidity dome. i have been careful with temps and relative humidity levels. i have washed my hands and used clean scissors and new razor blade for making my cuts.
what's going on here is that the cuttings look fine above the medium, but after a couple weeks of no roots showing, i open them up and find that the stem is rotten from the very end working its way up the stem. if the rot gets to the top, of course they tumble over.
i think what i'm seeing and trying to describe could be called "stem rot". because it starts at the very end of the cut, i first thought it might be embolisms, but i always stand the fresh cutting in some water immediately after the cut to prevent an embolism.
some history: have recently battled fungus gnats. i know these are vectors for various plant diseases such as FUSARIUM. i'm wondering if my mother plants are infected with something from the gnats and are passing it on in their cuttings, even after the gnats are history.
does "damping off" disease also effect cuttings? all i could find on damping off had to do with seedlings only.
i have on hand: SM-90, Hydroguard (now Aquashield).....
fungus gnats were finally defeated using GNATROL and DIATOMACEOUS EARTH.
i grow in a peat based soiless mix in black containers, pure blend pro, liquid karma, cal/mag+iron, guanos, etc....
I agree sounds like too wet.
I keep mine moist for 3 to 5 days then let them dry out.\
Almost to the point of wilting. Then water lightly. repeat.
The drying is what causes roots to grow and look for water.
It seems like a heat and air circ problem. Are you opening the vents on the domes at all throughout the cloning process? The only time I have come across stem rot on my clones. Is when they are too moist, the stem was broken upon entry of the medium and didnt know.
I was having similar problems a few months ago ------- I started planting directly into my soil and placing those cuts under the dome ------ worked wonders for me. Hope that helps --- on my very first attempt at this method I had 20 out of 23 survive!