I haven't tried that method, but I have started several with toothpicks and dixie cups of water, I currently have 2 that are about 2ft high, one that is under a foot, and another that is about a foot high, but it's got two trees coming from the same pit, I call it my twins, lol. And I have 2 more pits sitting in water, they've just cracked at the bottom, but it's been a few weeks so I'm thinking maybe it's a bit late in the year for them to finish.