how can i root a rose?

Question

can i cut a rose and will it root

Answer 1

The absolute BEST way to take a cutting from a rose plant is not that complicated really. It is called "layering" It just takes some time to accomplish. But this is the best way to have success nearly every time. Find a healthy stem on your rose plant that is fairly long... the longer the better, but at least a 9 inch branch. Take another pot of dirt and set it next to your rose plant at the same height of yours or a little lower. Gently bend a lower branch from your plant and bury at LEAST two inches of the stem (WHILE it's still connected to your plant!) under about 2-3 inches of dirt in the new pot. Water this new pot just like you water your regular roses. Put a small weight over the branch (if it wont stay down) to make sure it stays put underneath dirt in your new pot. Just when fall starts turning leaves colors, the new plant will have rooted suffieciently so you can cut the new plant from its' mother plant and you have an exact clone of the mother plant. You can really do this trick with as many of your branches from your rose bush you want. It's only limited by the number of pots that will fit around your main pot and the number of branches on your mother plant.

Answer 2

Cut the top 6 inches off of a healthy stem. The sharper the angle the more room for roots to grow. Remove the bottom leaves. Wet the bottom of the stem and dip into a rooting compound. Plant in a small pot (4-6 inches) with a light mixture of potting mix. Such as potting soil mixed with peat moss and vermiculite. Water. Place four sticks or the likes into the corners. Cover with a clear plastic bag. Leave one corner of the bag up enough so the plant will get plenty of air. This creates a mini greenhouse and assures the soil will not dry out to quickly. Place where it will get plenty of light but not direct sunlight. Check it everyday to make sure it is still moist. Last but not least, wait. It takes up to a month for the cutting to grow a root system. It doesn't work every time, but most of the time. By the way, do not use a stem with the flower on it. And only use a fresh cutting.

Answer 3

The best canes are ones that have blooms on them. The blooms can be from the early stages of just opening, to those that have already started to wilt or drop petals. These are "softwood" cuttings, and are best for rooting. It's important not to take cuttings that are TOO new (haven't yet produced flower buds) because this growth is too fragile and will wilt. You can take softwood cuttings as long as your roses are blooming; whether it is early spring or late fall.

Make your cuttings about 4-8 inches long or long enough to include about four or more leaf nodes. The leaves near the bottom of the cutting will be stripped off, while two sets of leaves will be left at the top to support the cutting while it is rooting.

Take your cuttings about 1/4 of an inch beneath a leaf node. The lower nodes will be buried beneath the soil line. This will encourage roots to grow from these nodes.

Choose cuttings that are healthy, with no disease. They can be thin, or as large around as a pencil. Any larger and they will be harder to root, as the "skin" is thicker and the wood is harder.

Roses have their own hormones that reside in their growing tips that urge the rose to produce more growth. A rooting hormone gives an extra stimulus to the plant cutting to begin sending out new roots from the stem node. The hormone is not always necessary for the cutting to root, but it does give an advantage.

It can take anywhere from ten days to four months for a cutting to root, depending on the method you use, the time of year, and the quality and variety of cuttings.

A misting system is the quickest method for rooting. Baggies will take a little longer and will generally produce roots in about three to eight weeks. A sweater box with a clear lid can also make a small green house. A soil-less mix drains better than garden soil and achieves a moist, but not wet quality. Coir is shredded coconut fiber and is the medium that professional rose growers use. It can be found in the pet stores (sold as lizard bedding), or some garden nurseries.

Remove the coir brick from its package and soak in really hot tap water. It doesn't have to be hot, but the hotter it is, the faster it will be absorbed by the coir. I've had hot water absorbed in as little as an hour, whereas cold water has taken as long as over night...

If the cuttings are inside, placing them on a source of heat such as your computer or on top of the refrigerator will encourage roots to grow faster. Air layering will take longer, possibly several months.

The type of cuttings will also effect this. Miniature roses are notoriously easy and quick to root, while Hybrid Teas are more difficult and sometimes take longer. Some Old Garden Roses will root readily and speedily, while others may seem nearly impossible to successfully propagate.

Many a cutting has been lost due to an eager gardener checking for roots. New growth on the cutting does not necessarily mean that the cutting has rooted. Cuttings can put out new growth and even attempt to bloom, before rooting. The only way to know for sure is to see some roots, or feel some resistance from roots in the soil.

Answer 4

Hello Jessica,
You can root a rose cutting.!! Examine the stem, and cut it
below a large node on the stem, or below a fork where a
branch comes off the main stem.
Buy some "RooTone" at your local garden store and be sure
you follow the instructions exactly. While you're at the garden
store, pick up some "starter soil" and a bag of "potting soil".
Personally, I always buy Miracle Grow products, because they
generally give me good results.
[..note--if your cutting is from a hybrid rose, your new growth
might revert to it's original form..]