Lesson Learned on Burro's Tail Propagation: Wait for Calluses - February 2022

In late January, I tried a succulent propagation experiment with one variable:  cutting vs callus'd-over pieces of Burro's Tail.  I used rooting compound and went about planting two small containers of little pieces of succulent.  In the green, plastic container, I planted segments that I sliced in-to and then applied the rooting compound.  In the clay pot, I left the segments with their calluses and just rubbed rooting compound on the surface.  The little white post-it note says:  "Uncut = Clay".  (I keep an offline garden diary of sorts, too...)

Four-or-so-weeks later, here's what those two containers look like:

What has happened?  The cuttings on the left - the ones that I sliced into with a knife BEFORE applying the rooting compound have just melted away.  On the right - the ones that I left intact?  Many of them are still there and doing just fine.  

Lesson learned:  when propagating succulents, make sure they have completely callused over before attempting to plant.  

I've had luck before with this plant - here's a look at various versions in 2018. 

What happens next?  Well...first thing, they seem like they can use a drink.  Then, I'll replace the set in the plastic container with whole, uncut segments and see if I can get them to grow.  For the ones on the right, I'm going to wait a couple more weeks, then I'll pull one up to see if it has rooted at all.