Placing Cuttings

So here's how I'm placing the cuttings in the propagation media. I have a 2 inch gauge marked at 2 inch intervals that I place against the previous column of cuttings.  With a piece of flashing I cut down through the media and simply pull it away to expose a trench the length of my gauge.  I place the cuttings on my layout and simply backfill the trench with the flashing.