Propagation using Cuttings; How much and what should I use as cuttings?

What I have found success with basil propagation is simple:

1. Clean all cutting equipment with disinfecting wipes ( You wouldn't want someone use a dirty blade to operate on you so same disinfection rules apply to essentially severing a plant limb).

2. Perform cutting on a section with sufficient plant material to ensure high success rates: 

   • You need to ensure the continuous stem running down the whole cutting is long enough lengthwise to reach the water or nutrient solution

   • The cutting is not diseased

   • The cutting has leaves and the nodes have buds or apical bud (top most bud) that are developed enough to form tiny leaves

3. If possible, grow the cutting in cool (24degC) controlled room temperatures without high winds (this affects evaporation rates which might require you to remove large leaves that will cause the plant to wilt since they have no roots to take in sufficient water but removing said large leaves would cause you to ) that are preferably sealed away from pests and have a 16hr min continuous light source and 8hr dark cycle.

4. Your nursery system ideally should have circulating water flow and an opaque planter box to encourage root growth.

For basil, rooting takes place around 2 weeks. 

You don't have to follow all 4 rules, 1 & 2 are good enough in ensuring you have a higher success rate. Next would be 4 and you can pare down 3 with just a good light source, if you have an area with good sun then you're in luck but remember to monitor and shade the plants accordingly.

I am sure the rules above can apply to most non-woody herbs like Mint so do try them out and let me know if the rules work for you!

Update: I have had considerable success with clean water and a repurposed plastic water bottle and following rules 1-3. Typically they would root within 2 weeks as well and you can try using liquid ferts to speed up the process to 1 week but do note that 1) the roots will be weaker and 2) ferts can encourage the growth of fungi and bacteria.