soaked in very lite clonex solution, then squeezed excess out, might even have to snip off bottom of rooter. A lil heat from somewhere underneath, i use old heating pad on low, old one, new ones shut themselves off. Or a seed heating pad, lol. Used to do the paper towel trick after cracked, then using baggies, blow into them and seal up quick, also on low heat. get long tails quick, but gotta watch drying out. Dome way eliminates extra step of handling, which I like. I've never had good luck just plantin.