A few species, such as willows, do not require rooting hormone, but the success rate for most species will improve dramatically with it, and many species will not root without it. Garden soil will work fine, but you may want to add vermiculite, perlite, or well-composted sawdust to help retain water and avoid soil compaction. Cuttings can stay outside over the winter, but they should be protected from freezing, wind, and full sunlight. Cuttings from needle and broadleaf evergreens need to be kept under plastic and misted at least once a day to keep them from losing too much moisture through their leaves. By the end of their first growing season, most cuttings should be well-established and ready to plant.
Live stakes are long hardwood cuttings that are planted outdoors without rooting hormone.
Live stakes can only be used if the soil is fairly wet at the time of planting, and the stakes need to be long enough to reach the moisture. As with other hardwood cuttings, cut the lower end of the stake at an angle, and the upper end flat across. Live stakes can be planted in late fall through early spring. If they are going to be stored before planting, bundle them in groups 50-100 and place in plastic bags. However, if the stakes have been sitting around for a while and have developed roots, they need to be kept just above freezing, since freezing will kill the roots.