Growing Roses from Cuttings
Growing roses from cuttings is a useful trick to get you started faster if you’re serious about you establishing your own rose garden.
You can start off with rose seeds and wait out several weeks for your first rose to grow, but if you wish to grow roses almost immediately, then growing roses from cuttings is your best bet.
Almost all kinds of roses can be propagated in this way, though the process is not economical, especially for commercial nurseries, but if you want your roses to grow on their own roots, this technique is relatively easy to master.
Propagating roses is probably one of the more popular and common forms of reproducing roses.
But, even if you are given optimal conditions, growing just a fraction of the cuttings is considered to be a success, especially if it is your first time doing so.
The reason why this technique can be tricky is because cuttings don’t have a root system and you would have to sustain the cuttings until they grown their own roots to survive all by themselves.
The trick for growing roses from cuttings is not the “what,” but the “when” to do the cutting.
That “when” is when the plants are growing dynamically, often during early summer. The desirable stems to cut are those that are not new or fully mature, and usually have fading flowers.
Stems with flower buds without color are considered too young.
To start growing roses from cuttings, begin by finding a quality growing mix. For best results, this should be light and fast draining, but have enough organic material in them to remain moist.
Fill up a clean container with this potting mix. Good potting mix can be store bought or you can create your own by mixing perlite, vermiculite and peat moss.
Make sure the mix is moist, but not soggy.
When choosing your cuttings, be sure you pick the ones that are healthy and representative of the plant.
Choose cutting from the upper part of the plant and those in the side. Cuttings from the middle of the plant, oddly, do not grow as well.
Pick a stem about four or six inches long, and has about two or three leaves.
Leaves are important since they make the necessary sugars needed via photosynthesis as well as hormones that are essential to rooting.
With a sharp blade or pruning shears, slice the stem cleanly at about a 45-degree angle. Slicing just below a leaf node is best.
Cut the flowers & buds from the stem and lower leaves, while cutting the remaining leaves in half to reduce moisture loss.
This forces the stem to focus expending energy on growing roots rather than maintaining its leaves or buds.
Dip two inches of your cutting into a cloning solution. To place the stem into your potting mix, use a pencil to make a small hole and tamp the stem into place.
Then, cover the stem with a jar, or cover the whole container with a plastic bag to maintain high humidity levels, sort of like a miniature greenhouse.
Place the container in a window and if possible, create bottom heat by placing a heating mat under the container. Be sure to not overheat your plants.
Keep your potting mix moist at all times, and wait for the stems to grow roots. This usually takes two to four weeks.
When roots appear, harden off the plant by slowly exposing them to the wind, sun and rain to toughen it up in preparation for transplanting.
When it is ready, gently remove the cutting and transplant it outside.
So there you have it, growing roses from cuttings is not really that difficult. All it takes is a little patience and tender, loving care.
Do this right and gradually, little by little, plant by plant your rose garden will flourish.
