Keep in mind that cuttings are pretty easy. Most just use a screw driver or similar object to jam a hole in the ground and slip in the cutting. I wanted to experiment and learn the first year I played with them. I got my first cuttings from John and BigRock. I tried starting them indoor in 18s. I tried to force things to fast and got poor results. Big8 was kind enough to send me a bunch of cuttings for a re-try that same winter. This time I kept the tops cool and not under lights to slow them breaking dormancy and put heating pads under the 18s to warm the soil and encourage rooting. After a few weeks I then bring them into a warmer area and put them under lights. This worked pretty well and I had a good success rate.
Since I've learned that if you want to give cuttings an early start indoors, 5" roottrapper bags work the best. Buds are so far apart (you want a pair under the medium and a pair above the medium) that in 18s, they stick up a lot. A slight bump with a wand or watering can may rip young roots. With a 5" bag, they don't stick up as high and there is more under the medium for rooting. 18 are great for pruning a tap root but cuttings don't have tap roots so the roottrapper bags are ideal.
Elderberries respond very well to root pruning and really take off when planted in the spring if started indoors under lights. I still do this with yellow twig dogwood (I think this is just a color variation of ROD) because I've had less success putting cuttings directly in the ground outside. My success rate with elderberry cuttings directly in the ground outdoors is good enough that I don't bother starting them indoors any more.
Thanks,
Jack
