How to Grow a Rose Plant from a Cutting

pink rose in bloom during daytime
By Danish

Growing rose plants from cuttings is a rewarding and exciting experience. The method enables you to propagate your favorite roses and create new plants with the same characteristics as the parents. Roses can be grown from cuttings by many plant lovers. Several methods are available for propagating roses, including rooting in soil or water, air layering, and even growing rose cuttings in potatoes! While some of these methods work very well, others don’t.

Here we will compare how to propagate roses from a plant, cut flowers, or even a bouquet. What if we had more roses in our gardens or as gifts for our friends?

A step-by-step guide to growing a rose from a cutting will be provided in this guide.

When is the best time to grow roses from cuttings? 2

What you need to know before you start 2

Tools and equipment 2

A materials list 2

Grow roses from cuttings by air layering 3

Grow roses from cuttings in soil or medium 8

Take Cuttings 8

Prepare the Stem for Rooting 9

Apply Rooting Hormone 10

Plant the Cutting 10

Make sure the cutting is covered 11

Monitor the Cutting 12

Is it possible to grow rose cuttings in potatoes? 12

FAQ 14

When is the best time to grow roses from cuttings?

Typically, the best time to grow roses from cuttings is in late spring or early summer. Softwood rose cuttings are recommended during this period. When you choose healthy stems, you can root softwood cuttings faster and easier. Softwood cuttings are also more likely to take root and produce more flowers than cuttings taken from more mature roses. Additionally, softwood cuttings are more likely to survive in colder climates.

What you need to know before you start

The following tools are essential before starting to grow roses from cuttings:

Tools and equipment

  • The pruning shears

A materials list

  • Rose plant for cuttings that are mature
  • Rooting hormone powder
  • Pot for plants
  • A mixture of sand and vermiculite or rose potting soil
  • Twine or plant ties
  • Bags or wraps made of plastic

Grow roses from cuttings by air layering 

Air layering has been used for thousands of years as a propagation method! There are several easy and inexpensive ways to layer your air such as these reusable air layering pods, or you can make your own with simple materials such as small water bottles or plastic bags.

To propagate roses (and many woody plants), air layering is the most effective method of propagation if the rose bush or vine you wish to multiply is already growing in your garden or the garden of a friend. You don’t have to use rooting powder with this method since it does not require it.

The best time of year for air layering roses is in the late spring or summer when the weather is warm and the rose bushes are in full bloom.

Choose a stem that is about the thickness of a pencil and at least a foot long. With a clean, sharp knife, locate the top tip of the stem at approximately 1 foot, remove all leaves and thorns near this area, and peel off about 1 inch of the green bark tissue to expose the white wood.

  • Choose a cane that is at least the thickness of a pencil. Getting close to this cane will require a lot of patience.
  • Remove about 8 inches of leaves and thorns from the area.
  • 1 inch below a leaf node, make a cut around the cane, and 1 inch below that, make another cut.
  • The bark should be removed between the two cuts to girdle the cane. The bark should be removed between the two cuts to girdle the cane.  

  • Wrap the clear plastic sheet in plastic. Slice the sides of a quart-sized plastic storage bag.
  • Pleat the plastic around the cane and secure it with a nylon cable tie (not too tight so you can still move it).
  • Apply rooting hormone (optional).
  • Squeeze a generous handful of wet sphagnum moss so that it remains moist but not dripping.
  • Pull the plastic bag up around the moss to create a neat package, pleating as you go. Wrap the moss completely around the girdled stem.

  • Make sure the plastic is air and watertight by pleating it around the cane and fastening it with ties.
  • Cable ties should be snug but not too tight so that the cane can expand slightly.
  • To further ensure air and water tightness, apply cable ties around the center of the package.
  • Keep it from swaying and breaking by covering it with aluminum foil.
  • Water and fertilize this plant extra.  

                                               

  • Propagation is almost 100% successful as a result!
  • Most rose plants show their white roots in three to five weeks.
  •  Once a good root system has developed with plenty of healthy roots, Remove the plastic cover, cut off the stem below the layer.
  • Removing ties and covers should be done gently. For the first couple of weeks, keep your new rose plants watered and protected from direct sunlight.

Grow roses from cuttings in soil or medium 

Take Cuttings

Take a 12-inch segment from a newly bloomed stem and cut it at a 45-degree angle from the plant. Ideally, the stem should be about as wide as a pencil. Instead of taking cuttings from the center of the bush, it’s best to take them from the sides.

Remove any flowers or flower buds along the cut stem. Flowers or buds on the cut branch will consume energy, and you want to Send out new roots to encourage the stem to refocus its survival energy. If you are taking multiple cuttings, keep them in a container of water until you are ready to propagate them to keep them hydrated.

Prepare the Stem for Rooting

Using sharp pruning shears, make a fresh cut on the bottom of the stem taking multiple cuttings, and keep them in a container of water until you are ready to propagate them to keep them hydrated up, splitting the stem into open quarters.

Apply Rooting Hormone

Although not absolutely necessary, applying a rooting hormone can help are taking multiple cuttings, keep them in a container of water until you are ready to propagate them to keep them hydrated the best success with the powder version when working with roses. To apply, slightly moisten the split end of the rose cutting, and then dip it into the powdered rooting hormone. Shake off any excess.

Plant the Cutting

Using a potting mix specifically formulated for cuttings, fill a small pot at least 6 inches deep with the potting mix. Keep the cuttings hydrated with rooting hormone until you’re ready to propagate them. Water well after packing the soil around the stem.

Make sure the cutting is covered

Cover the cutting loosely with a plastic bag or plastic wrap to help retain soil moisture. Make sure the plastic does not touch any Leaves remaining on stems that can remain wet and susceptible to fungal diseases. A tall stake can help keep the plastic away from the leaves. Additionally, the bag needs to be slightly vented, so condensation can escape. If the bag is too tightly sealed, the stem will rot.  Under grow lights or near a bright window, place the cutting.

Monitor the Cutting

It usually takes about two weeks for roots to form in moist soil. Roots are likely present if you feel resistance when tugging on the stem.

As soon as the roots become established or new leaf sprouts appear along the stem, your cutting can be transplanted into a pot or the ground. Before planting the new rose outside, harden it off by gradually exposing it to outdoor conditions.

Growing Rose Plant Cutting in Water

Growing rose plants directly in water is a common method for propagating new plants from cuttings, but it’s not a long-term solution for mature rose plants. The rooting of cuttings in water is an effective way to promote initial root development, but roses are ultimately better suited to soil for sustained growth and health because of the lack of nutrients in water.

Place the jar somewhere warm where it will be exposed to bright, indirect light, but not in direct sunlight. If you keep the cutting outside, avoid temperatures below 50°F and above 90°F if the temperature is below 50°F.   

How to take care of cuttings

After three or so weeks, roots begin to form, and they become large enough to transplant into soil after another few weeks.

Meanwhile, your job is to change the liquid every single day. If your water is stagnant, fungal and bacterial issues can arise, putting an end to your propagation efforts.

In the event you’ve ever successfully started a cutting in water, only to find that it fails once it’s moved into soil, it’s not your fault. Likely, you didn’t do anything wrong.

A cutting that is rooted in water tends to develop weaker roots than one that is rooted in soil.

You will need to move the cuttings from the water base to a light soilless potting medium for a few weeks before planting them permanently.

Is it possible to grow rose cuttings in potatoes?

There is a real possibility of growing rose cuttings in a potato. It is a myth that rose cuttings can be grown in potatoes (or, at the very least, an unnecessary extra step), but the truth is that potatoes have a high water content, so keeping the cutting moist will improve the chances of it growing and flourishing in your garden.

Step 1

Carve out a hole slightly smaller than your cutting on the potato. It is helpful if you have a drill for this step, but you can also use a corkscrew. Don’t go all the way through the potato.

Step 2

Trim 10mm off the end of a rose cutting by cutting diagonally. 

Step 3

Put the end in a hormone gel or dust. Honey (or Vegemite) will also work. The end of the potato should be inserted into the hole.

Step 4

With at least three inches of good soil covering the potato and rose clipping, plant them.

FAQ

What is the rooting time for rose cuttings?

In about two months, a substantial number of roots should have formed on the rose cutting. It can take two to three growing seasons for the cutting to produce substantial growth and establish itself.

Can I transplant rooted rose cuttings to a permanent location when they are rooted?

When the rose cuttings have several inches of new growth, wait until they have developed a strong root system before transplanting. It may take several months for this to happen.

Can you tell me how long it takes for rose cuttings to root?

For rose cuttings to root, it can take several weeks to a few months. Environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity, can affect rooting time, so patience is key.

Is it possible to root rose cuttings in water?

Just water is not enough to propagate rose cuttings.  It is possible to propagate rose cuttings in soil medium or by layering, but the success rate is usually about 20%.

What is the best way to keep rose cuttings alive?

Indoors, place the pot in bright, indirect light. Make sure the medium is evenly moist, but not soggy or wet. To keep the cuttings moist, place a tented plastic bag or liter bottle with the top cut off over them. Keeping the cutting moist prevents it from drying out.

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