Green, leafy softwood to semihardwood shoots can be collected from field-grown trees and shrubs or forced from shoot tips or large stem segments in controlled environments. These soft, green shoots are often used for vegetative propagation because they can be much more rootable as cuttings and easier to disinfest and establish in vitro than hardwood cuttings. In temperate climates softwood shoots from field-grown woody plants are available during limited times of the year and may be difficult or impossible to disinfest for micropropagation. Shoots can be forced in controlled environments and yield good quality explants for micropropagation or rooting. Shoot tips can be harvested during the dormant season and will elongate using forcing solution technology. This includes the ability to add plant growth regulators to the forcing solutions. Large branch or main stem (trunk) segments of many woody species can be forced by drip irrigation, fog, hand watering, or intermittent mist. Large stem segments can be collected from the juvenile portions of woody plants and resulting softwood shoots have shown juvenile traits, such as increased rooting. When forcing under mist or fog, weekly or twice weekly drenches with 0.18% H₂O₂ (1 Zerotol : 150 water, by volume) will help control softwood shoot necrosis or black rot on susceptible species.