The rose cuttings you will be trying to root are best taken from rose bush stems that have just bloomed and are about to die. If you have a rose that you really love, it is very tempting to take cuttings and if successful, you will have a series of new rose bushes from the mother plant. To grow rose bushes from cuttings, after the rose cuttings have been taken and delivered to the planting site, take out one cutting and remove only the lower leaves.
Under the right conditions, some of the rose cuttings taken should start rooting within a month or so after watering. Some cuttings root, but the success rate is usually around 20%, while you can achieve 80% success by propagating rose cuttings in the ground or by cuttings. Just remember that the plant is dormant and your cuttings will likely take longer to start rooting. Softwood cuttings should root within a few months, while hardwood cuttings will take longer, but after a year they should have developed a good root system and can be planted in their final location.
If you are rooting hardwood cuttings, it can take up to two months before roots begin to develop. After a year, the cuttings should have developed a root system and can be carefully picked up with a fork and planted in their final cut location. The only plant in the garden if your cuttings have had time to develop a good root system before they go dormant.
This keeps the cuttings moist while they develop roots and produces many healthy new plants. Removing helps your cuttings take root and allows the plant to direct all of its energy into growing roots rather than leaves. This “cutting” is placed in a medium that stimulates the formation of new roots and/or stems, thus forming a new independent plant.
A severed stem only needs to form new roots to become a mature, freestanding plant. Because the stem remains attached to the mother plant, it absorbs water and nutrients as new roots grow from where it was cut. The location also helps increase the planting rate of cuttings for rooting.
If the top of the stem is cut, the cytokinin stream flows down to the bottom of the stem, thereby promoting root formation. The piece of stem is then placed vertically to a depth of about 1/2 inch in a moist environment (Fig. 10). Then lay the stalk on a work surface or cutting board and cut 1/4 inch slits into the stalk, effectively cutting it into quarters. You can also make a 2″ cut along the center of the stem and insert a small piece of plastic straw to open the cut, as shown in the video tutorial above from Vuon & Nha.
Make sure you remove all the flowers and leaves, leaving only 2 leaves at the top, then cut the stem about 8 inches long. Cut the longest stem into pieces 6 to 8 inches long and make sure there are at least 3 knots in each cut where the leaf meets the stem. You should now have a stem just over eight inches long, with only a few sets of leaves at the top for spring cuttings, and one stem that has been cut at the top and the bottom leaves removed halfway for fall cuttings. Cut off the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle, then immediately dip the cut end into honey or rooting hormone and dip it into a firm, damp notched potato (make a hole in the firm thickness of the stem so you don’t strain the rose stem when inserting it into the potato! ).
Then dig a hole at least six inches wide and four inches deep and plant each cut with its roots. When the plant is dormant, dig it up and cut off strong root segments 2-3 inches long (replant the parent plant).
Remember, you’ll know the plant is rooted if you gently pull on the plant and keep the cut. After 6 to 8 weeks if you’re planting in the spring, or up to 12 weeks if you’re planting in the fall, hopefully, you’ll see new growth, if you pull the cutting a little, if it successfully takes root, it will hold. When cutting leaves, only leaves are used, so new roots and new stems have to be formed at the same time for new plants to form.
When the cuttings take root and grow into their own rose bushes, the new plants should be an exact copy of the parent plant. By the end of spring, the rose cuttings should have sprouts and leaf roots and are ready to be planted in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Important Note: Rooting rose cuttings is best for native species, not grafted plants. Now that you’ve taken your cuttings, continue the process of propagating your favorite cut roses.
Plan to plant the cuttings the same day you cut them, and be sure to return the cut stems back to a jar full of water following the instructions if you are working with multiple plants.
Immediately place the cuttings in a glass or tin container filled with water to retain moisture. To plant the cuttings, make a narrow slot and dig into the sand to improve drainage. The next step when growing roses from cuttings is to use a pencil or a metal probe and press it into the soil of the planting site to make a hole deep enough to plant the cutting about 50 percent of its total length.