Homemade rooting gel?

I read that there's a variety of methods out there to extract growth hormone - from boiling weeping willow chunks to dissolving aspirin in water.

Then I saw some products, esp Gel-2-Root, that are said to induce rooting in gel form. I am wondering if anyone has attempted to make their own rooting gel of sort. If so, what active ingredients are involved? Say, growth hormone, agar/gelatin?

 

Most retail products are based on IBA or NAA, the antique methods consider ASA as a rooting compound. I have talked to some old timers about it and they say that farmers used to take willow shoots and steep them in water in a big pickle jar or some such vessel, they would dip cutting in to that or irrigate them for the first watering with it. Find yourself an old gardening book and you may find some recipes. The ones I have dont list any in particular.

 

Some where I heard honey (pure) can also be used. Not sure if this is all types of cuttings.

Liz

 

I found out what IBA is. But what about NAA and ASA? What is the full name of it?

 

naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1-Naphthaleneacetic_acid and http://books.google.ca/books?id=bdp...Ot2YQ3&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result are some starter points I found via some Googleing.