Here’s the scenario: you have the ‘perfect’ rose in your garden, you want a second, but it is no longer available in the trade. What to do now? If you’re absolutely set on having ‘your’ rose, there may be only one option for you, propagating your own.

You don’t have to be an award winning rose grower or a person with oodles of time on your hands to dabble in the art of propagation. There are several techniques used these days for propagating plants. Most common are from cuttings (softwood shoots cut off a plant to grow their own roots, layering (creating a new plant that is still attached), and grafting (a growth bud from the parent plant is inserted into a form of rootstock). Some techniques are fairly simple while others, I admit, are best left to the professionals.

In this article I’ll address the most commonly used technique for at-home rose propagation, softwood cuttings, where a soft new shoot is removed from the original rose bush to create a second plant. Generally the time of year to take cuttings is in late summer or early fall, but many people have found in our climate, cuttings can be successfully rooted almost any time.

Now before you go snipping off new shoots from your rose bushes, there are a few guidelines and tips to be aware of. First, propagation should only be done on healthy plants. Sick or diseased plants are less vigorous and less likely to root. If you have a plant that is generally in good health then you can proceed. The next step is to figure out whether your rose is ‘own-root’ or ‘grafted’. In general old garden, shrub, species and miniature roses are grown on their own roots. Hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora roses are grafted. If you no longer have the original tag on your rose, you’ll need to inspect it for a graft union. On older roses the graft area becomes a large gnarly mass. You may not be able to see it if the plant has become buried by years of mulching or was originally planted deeply. Another graft indicator is if it has sent out ‘suckers’, shoots from of the rootstock. They usually have a different leaf and flower than the desired rose. If your rose was grafted, you may not have luck with rooting. The reason these roses were grafted to begin with is because they did not have strong enough root systems to sustain the plant and were less hardy and vigorous. Even if you are able to root a cutting from a grafted plant, many times the ‘new’ rose plant does not match the original.

If your rose meets the criteria of ‘best chances for propagating’ then you’ll need a few tools. Always use a clean sharp pair of pruners. Also, a fresh container of rooting hormones, such as ‘Rootone’ is suggested for faster initiation of roots. You’ll need a good size pot (terra cotta or plastic) with a drain hole, filled with loose sterile soil (seed starting mixes work great). You can put more than one cutting in a pot; just make sure that the pot is at least six inches wide and deep. Finally a little trick I have found; take an empty clean two-liter soda bottle (with cap, this is important) and cut the bottom off. This will be used as a mini-greenhouse. Make sure you have the bottle cap. Now you’re ready to take your cuttings.

Select soft new shoots or stems that hold flowers. Each cutting should be four to six inches long with at least two sets of leaves still attached. If flowers still remain, remove them. Make sure your cuts are clean and with minimal smashing or shredding of the stem. Remove any leaves on the lower end of the cutting and gently scrape the surface of the stem. This lower part of your cutting is what will be submerged in soil. Cut all the remaining leaves in half. This helps distinguish the old leaves from the new ones and diminish transpiration or water loss through the leaves. Cutting the leaves in half also lessens the burden on the newly developing roots; less foliage means less effort sustaining the young plant. Take your cutting and dip the bottom two inches into your rooting hormone powder. Try not to disturb the layer of powder as you place your cutting into the soil. I use a pencil and make half-inch wide holes in the soil before taking cuttings, this way I can place my cuttings into the soil without bumping off the powder. Gently push surrounding soil into the hole and around the cutting, stabilizing it in the pot. Repeat this process with any other cuttings you may have taken. If you’re doing more than one cutting, make sure you have them close enough to fit under your soda bottle. Once you have finished placing your cuttings into the soil, water them in well; making sure the soil is well saturated and draining quickly. Take the soda bottle and place it over the cutting(s) sinking it into the soil about and one and a half inches. Place the cap on the bottle, but do not tighten it. You’ll remove the cap after ten days. I suggest putting it somewhere you’ll remember so you can use it again the next time you propagate.

It is extremely important to keep cuttings moist during the rooting process. Keep a spray bottle (with mist setting) next to the pot. You’ll need to mist the plants a few times a day. After a few hours of the initial ‘planting’ there should be some condensation on the inside of the bottle, this is a good thing, if not add some more water to the soil and check back again later. Place the pot in bright but not direct sunlight. This can be done inside or out. In summer you should keep cuttings in a bright shady spot so the cuttings do not burn. Continue to check on the plants daily.

In the springtime many varieties will root in a matter of 10 to 14 days. Some less vigorous varieties take three to four weeks. In the winter the rooting process can take up to eight weeks. After about three to four weeks, gently tug the cutting upward to check for roots. If the plant does not move easily it is probably rooted. If it pulls up quickly or out of the soil altogether it needs more time. Gently push the soil around the cutting again and wait and additional week or two.

When the plant is rooted and ready to transplant remove the soda bottle and let it get acclimated to natural conditions for a few days. This is best done in a shaded cool part of the yard. After the plant has had time to ‘harden off’ you can transplant it into a larger pot with regular organic potting soil. I suggest leaving it in the shade so it can further develop good roots. Wait a month or two before moving it into brighter light.

Once the plants are large enough (approx. 18 inches tall) they can be planted directly into the garden. Make sure it is being regularly watered. The first season is critical for a newly propagated plant. Inconsistent watering can weaken the plant allowing it to become ravaged by diseases. After a full season you can treat it like any other rose.

In the May/June issue I will go through the basics of layering, another technique of propagation. As always, feel free to call, write, or email me with your questions and suggestions. Best of Luck.

–Cheri