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How to plant roses from stems


How to Propagate Roses From Stem Cuttings

By

Marie Iannotti

Marie Iannotti

Marie Iannotti is a life-long gardener and a veteran Master Gardener with nearly three decades of experience. She's also an author of three gardening books, a plant photographer, public speaker, and a former Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator. Marie's garden writing has been featured in newspapers and magazines nationwide and she has been interviewed for Martha Stewart Radio, National Public Radio, and numerous articles.

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Updated on 10/18/22

Reviewed by

Julie Thompson-Adolf

Reviewed by Julie Thompson-Adolf

Julie Thompson-Adolf is a master gardener and author. She has 13+ years of experience with year-round organic gardening; seed starting and saving; growing heirloom plants, perennials, and annuals; and sustainable and urban farming.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

The Spruce / Claire Cohen

In This Article

Project Overview

Propagating herbaceous plants is often done by rooting green stem cuttings, but the process can also be successful with woody-stemmed plants, including some roses. Rooting stem cuttings of roses and other woody plants works best with so-called "wild" or "native" pure species, rather than hybrid shrubs. That's because many hybrids are created through a grafting process in which branches from showy but delicate species are melded onto rootstock from a sturdier species.

The result of grafting can be a spectacular plant with exceptional root hardiness. But if you propagate a new plant from a branch clipping, it will lack the parent plant's root hardiness. Thus, it's best to use stem clippings only to propagate non-grafted roses, which include many so-called shrub roses.

The stem clipping method is a bit tricky with woody plants, and you should expect that several attempts will end in failure. Take extra cuttings to ensure you have at least a few viable prospects. Still, if you take your cuttings from a healthy rose plant and follow the proper steps to root them, your odds of developing new plants will be high.

What Is a Shrub Rose?

The term "shrub rose" is defined by the American Rose Society (ARS) as “a class of hardy, easy-care plants that encompass bushy roses that do not fit in any other category of rose bush.” Many people use the term to refer to any type of non-hybrid rose, but there are several types of hybrid roses that do fit into the ARS's definition of shrub roses, including Moyesi hybrids, hybrid musk roses, Kordesii roses, English roses, and Knock Out roses. These join the many native rose species to form the category of shrub roses. However, any of these hybrid roses described as an "own-root" rose rather than a grafted rose may lend itself to successful propagation from stem cuttings.

When to Propagate a Rose by Stem Cuttings

Rooting a stem cutting can be done almost any time, but cuttings taken from new growth that has recently flowered (rather than old, hardened wood) are more likely to root successfully. Spring or fall is the best time to take softwood stem cuttings. Select them in the early morning hours when the plant is well hydrated. Moreover, avoid taking cuttings when your plant is heavily blooming. At this time, the plant is putting most of its energy into flower production rather than root development, so cuttings won't readily root.

Before Getting Started

Sharp pruners are necessary when taking rose cuttings. Dull tools can crush the rose's woody stems instead of forming a clean slice, which can make the cutting susceptible to fungal rot. Furthermore, make sure to clean your pruners before and after each cutting to avoid transmitting any diseases. 

Be patient when growing roses from cuttings. It can take several years for your new rose to produce flowers.

Click Play to Learn How to Grow Roses From Cuttings

Equipment / Tools

Materials

The Spruce / Michela Buttignol

  1. Take Cuttings

    Start by taking a 12-inch segment of a new stem that has recently bloomed, cutting it from the plant at a 45-degree angle. The stem should be about the width of a pencil. The best cuttings for rooting usually come from the sides of the bush, rather than the center.

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

    The Spruce / Claire Cohen

  2. Remove Most Leaves

    Remove all but the top two sets of leaves on the stem. Then, cut off the remaining portion of the stem just above this top set of leaves. Removing the excess leaves will help the cutting divert its energy to root production.

  3. Prepare the Stem for Rooting

    Using sharp pruning shears, make a fresh cut on the bottom of the stem just below a stem node (a bump where new growth typically forms). Then, slice into the bottom of the stem about a 1/4 inch up, splitting the stem into open quarters.

    Apply Rooting Hormone

    Although not absolutely necessary, applying a rooting hormone can help spur your rose plant into developing new roots. Rooting hormones can be found in powder, liquid, and gel form—you'll have 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.

  4. Plant the Cutting

    Fill a small pot with at least 6 inches of a potting mix formulated especially for roses. Poke a hole in the potting medium, and then insert the stem sliced-side down, taking care not to rub off the rooting hormone. Gently pack the soil around the stem, and water well. 

    The Spruce / Claire Cohen

  5. Cover the Cutting

    Loosely cover the cutting, pot and all, with a plastic bag or plastic wrap to help retain soil moisture. Be sure not to let the plastic touch any remaining leaves on the stem, which can cause them to remain wet and susceptible to fungal disease. Putting a tall stake into the pot can help hold the plastic away from the leaves. The bag also needs to be slightly vented, so condensation can escape—if you seal the bag too tightly, the stem can rot.  Place the cutting under grow lights or near a bright window.

  6. Monitor the Cutting

    Keep the soil moist until roots begin to form, which usually takes about two weeks. Check for roots by gently tugging on the stem—if there's resistance, roots are probably present.

    Your cutting can be transplanted into a pot or the ground as soon as the roots are firmly established or when new leaf sprouts begin to appear along the stem. Make sure to harden off the new rose—i.e., gradually expose it to outdoor conditions—before planting outside.

    The Spruce / Claire Cohen

How to Prepare for Rose Bloom Season

Grow Roses from Cuttings: 2 Best Ways to Propagate!

How to grow roses from cuttings easily! Compare the BEST & worst ways to propagate in water or soil, using potatoes, & root by air layering.

Maybe it’s a beautiful rose plant in the garden that you want to multiply, or a Valentines rose bouquet that you want to grow into more roses, it’s easy to want more colorful and gorgeous rose bushes and vines in our homes and gardens.

Many plant lovers have tried to grow roses from cuttings. There are many rose propagation methods such as rooting in soil or water, air layering, and some even try to grow rose cuttings in potatoes! Some of these methods are great, some actually don’t work very well.

Today we are going to compare which ways are the best and easiest to propagate roses from either a plant, cut flowers or even a bouquet. Wouldn’t it be nice to have more roses in our gardens or as gifts to share with friends? 🙂

Can you propagate patented roses?

* Some resources in article are affiliate links. Full disclosure here .

A plant patent lasts for 20 years, after which the plant is allowed to be propagated. 

If the roses are patented within the last 20 years, it is illegal to propagate the rose without the consent of the patent holder. ( Source )

However, there are endless varieties of roses you CAN propagate. For example, the famous “New Dawn” and “Charlotte Armstrong” roses were patented over 50 years ago, and old-fashioned heirloom roses often root easier than modern hybrids.

Now you know which roses not to propagate, let’s look at the best and easiest methods to root rose cuttings! ( Source )

Best time to grow roses from cuttings 

The best time to grow roses from cuttings is from spring through summer, when flexible new stems (current year’s growth) are actively growing. They are called softwood cuttings, who are the fastest and easiest to root when you select healthy stems.

Look at all the beautiful rooted rose cuttings by Vuon & Nha on YouTube! Video tutorial below:

The next best are semi-hardwood cuttings, taken in late summer and early fall, when new stems have partially matured.

Hardwood cuttings are most difficult type of cutting to root. They are taken in late fall or early winter, when the rose stems have matured and entered dormancy.

Grow roses from cuttings by air layering 

Air layering is a fascinating propagation method being used for thousands of years! Nowadays there are easy products like these reusable air layering pods you can get, or make your own with simple materials such as small water bottles or plastic bags.

Air layering is the BEST way to propagate roses (and many woody plants) if the rose bush or vine that you want to multiply is already growing in your garden or in a friend’s garden. You don’t even have to use rooting powder with this method.

The best time for air layering roses is in late spring or summer when the weather is warm and the rose bushes are actively growing. ( Air layering rose video tutorial below. )

Select a stem that is about the thickness of a pencil and longer than a foot. Take a clean sharp knife, find a spot at about 1 foot for the top tip of the stem, remove leaves and  thorns around this area, peel off about a 1 inch section of the green bark tissue to get to white wood.  

You can also make a 2” long cut along the middle of the stem, and insert a little piece of plastic straw to prop the cut open, like shown in the above video tutorial by Vuon & Nha.

Don’t cut too deeply into the stem or it could break. 

Dust the cut area with rooting hormone. You can skip this, but rooting hormone does help speeding up the process. 

Next, make a 3” to 4” size pouch using either plastic wrap or a small plastic bottle filled with moist peat moss, coir, or potting soil. Coco coir is a great medium to root rose cuttings. It is sustainable and clean, which is important for propagation.

The cut area should be completely covered with enough room for roots to develop. Video tutorial below by Vuon & Nha.

Secure top and bottom with strings or twist-tie (Not too tight so the plant can grow and expand).   You can also use these reusable air layering pods. 

Because the stem is still attached to the mother plant, it is receiving water and nutrients as the new roots are growing from the cut area. This greatly increases the propagation success rate to nearly 100%!

Most rose plants show their white roots in 3 – 5 weeks. When you see good root system develops with lots of healthy roots, clip the stem off below the layer.

Gently remove ties and covers. Carefully plant your new rose plants and keep them well watered and protected from direct sunlight for a couple of weeks so it can adapt.

Grow roses from cuttings in soil or medium 

Fill some clean pots or containers rooting mix and water well so it’s moist and fully hydrated. You can use clean potting soil or a soil-less mix such as clean sand, peat moss, perlite, or Coco coir.  ( Photo by Hedgerow Rose)

IMPORTANT: The containers should have drainage holes  and never sit in water for too long. ( Photo by Grownups )

Coco coir is a great medium to root rose cuttings. It is sustainable and clean, which is important for propagation.

Take rose cuttings only from healthy plants that are well watered. Choose fresh healthy rose stems newly grown from the woody base, with at least 3-5 leaf nodes on the stem. Cut near the base at a 45-degree angle. Put cut stems in water immediately.

Video tutorial by Vuon & Nha on YouTube. How to propagate rose cuttings in coco coir!

Cut longer stem into 6 inch to 8 inch long, and make sure each cutting have at least 3 nodes – where leaf meets stem. Remove all flower buds and leaves except for one set of leaves at the top of each cutting.  

Dip the cutting’s bottom half in the rooting hormone powder or gel. Use a pencil to make a planting hole 3 to 4 inches deep in your rooting mix. Plant the rose cutting into the hole so at least two nodes are covered. 

 Keep the cuttings in a warm and bright place away from direct sun. Water when the rooting mix start to feel dry on the top inch.  Pamela at Flower Patch farm used recycled coffee cups (above) and large jars (below ) as humidity tent. Such great ideas!

You can also use a propped- up plastic bag or a mini greenhouse. Here are 45 best DIY greenhouses you can make from tiny to big!

If you live in a warm humid climate with a shaded outdoor area, you can skip the humidity cover. ( Photo below by Hartwood Roses )

Most softwood rose cuttings will root within 2 to 6 weeks. If you see healthy leaves growing, and feel some resistance when you very gently tug on the cuttings (don’t do this too soon!) , it’s likely they have rooted.

Here’s a YouTube tutorial by Mike on how to use a humidity cover made from plastic bottles.

Now you can remove the humidity tent and let them grow for a couple more weeks before transplanting the cuttings. Below is another propagation example by Lilisim.

Can you root rose cuttings in water?

Rose cuttings do not propagate well in just water.  Some cuttings will root, but the success rate is usually about 20%, while you can get 80% success by propagating rose cuttings in soil medium or by layering. 

The rose cuttings tend to take a long time to root in water, and is prone to rotting.

However, some favorite plants can root very easily in water! Here are a couple of tutorials on how to propagate Fiddle Leaf Fig or Hydrangea cuttings in soil or water with almost 100% success!

Hydrangeas are some of the easiest flowers to propagate! Tutorial here!

Can you grow rose cuttings using potatoes? 

There are many viral images of rose cuttings in potatoes, but I have not seen any scientific or real life evidence of potatoes or dipping in honey making rose cuttings grow more quickly or successfully.  

On the contrary, there are many reports of failures from gardeners who actually tried to grow rose cuttings in potatoes. 

The potatoes may grow roots, which will not magically become rose roots. The rose cuttings need a medium that holds moisture and air, which isn’t really what a potato does. 

That’s it! Use the first 2 methods, and happy gardening! 🙂

How to grow a rose from cuttings from a bouquet and get a luxuriously blooming bush

No one will argue that roses are very elegant and beautiful, so every grower tries to plant at least a few bushes of these beautiful plants on the plot. Often the passion for this flower turns into a mania - I want to collect all the known varieties on the site, be the first to purchase varietal novelties, and having received a bouquet of exquisite roses as a gift, I feel like rooting the cuttings. By the way, if you do it right, you can get young plants for the garden from a bouquet of roses. Rose propagation is the topic of this article.

Growing roses from cuttings: planting agrotechnics

A beautiful bouquet, which fascinates with its unusual color or elegant shape, may well serve as planting material for obtaining new plants for the garden. And even a beginner can root a rose cutting from a bouquet.

The algorithm for planting cuttings is quite simple, but the preparation of the material for planting is of great importance. You should not choose flowers with a completely lignified or weak stem, you must choose strong cuttings for planting that have living leaves and buds that have begun to form a young bark.

If the bouquet has stood in a vase for several days and the water has not been changed during this time, such cuttings are not suitable for rooting, because pathogenic microbes have already climbed high up the stem. It is best not to delay the procedure by cutting the petioles from a fresh bouquet. Cut off flower heads can be placed in a low vase with water, which will prolong the freshness of the petals for a while and allow you to admire the gift longer.

Huge, magical, imported roses are not suitable for cuttings, because before being sent to the distribution network, these flowers are treated with chemicals to preserve freshness. The best option is to cut local fresh roses from a bouquet that has not been in a vase.

Fresh flowers should be soaked overnight in cold water before cutting. The lower cuttings are cut to 1.2-2 cm. This procedure will allow you to nourish the flowers with moisture, improve the turgor of the leaves.

Important! The best results are achieved when cutting roses with red and pink flowers. Worse cuttings are yellow and white roses.

Bouquet roses can be rooted from the first days of summer until September. It is best to perform the operation in natural conditions. In winter, it is also possible to root bouquet roses, but in this case there are many complications: cuttings of fresh flowers easily freeze, during the rooting period, the rooting material should be highlighted.

Roses from cuttings from a bouquet: preparation for planting

Roses selected for propagation should be properly prepared for planting:

  1. Remove buds and flowers.
  2. Cut cuttings from the middle part of the stem (length from 15 cm, but not more than 30 cm).
  3. Remove lower leaves completely, cut upper leaves in half.
  4. Remove spikes.

Important! Cuttings are left with 2-3 buds, the lower part is cut at 45 degrees under the lower bud (indentation - 1 cm). The upper cut is straight, directly above the kidney.

It is useful to soak the lower sections in a solution of biostimulants, for which they use epin, honey, aloe or potato juice, after which the cuttings are planted in water, soil or grown in another way.

Ways of rooting pink cuttings

Method

Description

In potato tuber

Potato tubers of medium size are disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, after drying, a hole is made in each, into which cuttings are inserted, previously treated with Kornevin.

Dig a groove in the garden (up to 15 cm deep) and cover the bottom with sand. Potatoes with cuttings are placed on a layer of sand, after which the grooves are covered with fresh soil. Landings are covered with individual transparent containers or arrange a general film shelter. Rooting can last from 2 to 3 weeks, during this period the covering film is not removed, but short-term daily ventilation is carried out.

In water

The lower parts of the cuttings are immersed in a container with clean water, a complete water change is carried out once every 2 days. If putrefactive processes occur, the container is washed, scalded with boiling water and treated with potassium permanganate, after which the cuttings are placed there again. Rooting lasts 15-20 days, the cuttings are transplanted into the ground when a visible callus is formed.

In the ground

Choose a fertile garden bed in a quiet, windless place. A trench is prepared, which is covered with sand by 5 cm. The cuttings are placed in the sand and sprinkled with soil, covered with a jar on top or arrange a common greenhouse. Some amateurs leave young plants under a jar for the whole winter, carrying out additional warming, in this case, in the spring, the seedlings are carefully accustomed to fresh air. With this cultivation of young rose bushes from bouquet flowers, planting in the fall is possible, but you should not delay the procedure until frost.

Young overwintered plants are planted in a permanent place with the onset of stable heat. In the middle lane, this time falls on April-early May. In the first year, young roses can give one or two flowers, but to strengthen the bushes, it is better not to bloom, and to cut off the buds.

Planting young plants in the spring has its advantages - during the season the bushes will gain strength, get stronger and prepare themselves for wintering.

What to do if a bouquet of charming roses was given in cold weather, but you really want to get such a variety? It doesn't matter, you can prepare cuttings and save them until better times.

How to keep rose cuttings until spring? The answer is simple - you can use a simple method of storage in the ground.

  1. Dig a deep hole (up to 70 cm) in a dry spot in the garden.
  2. Transfer the cuttings with a dry cloth.
  3. Fill the hole with leaf litter, insulate with foam, boards, insulation films and fill with soil.
  4. In winter, you can additionally cover this place with snow.

Under room conditions, cuttings are stored at a temperature of +3+5C in a cellar or refrigerator, they are placed in peat or moss. Humidity must be maintained at about 70-75%.

If everything is done correctly, in a year new roses will thrive in your garden, giving their fragrant graceful flowers. The queen of flowers grown from a bouquet is a reality that will help you get exclusive plants of high decorativeness for mere pennies.

Published: 11 Aug 2020

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This fate befalls all freshly cut flowers. But, fortunately, you can save the memory of roses not only in photographs, you can breathe new life into a bouquet of roses, and then the flowers will delight you with their beauty and fragrance for a very long time. And for this, roses need to be rooted correctly and on time. If you want to order the Queen of Flowers in Vinnitsa, take a look at our catalog and you will definitely have plenty to choose from. Spectacular roses will not leave anyone indifferent.

Which cuttings are best to root

Surprise your beloved!

Growing roses is very popular today. A rare summer resident will miss the opportunity to plant a beautiful bush on his site. Moreover, roses are universal holiday flowers. They are given for any reason and without it. As a rule, roses at home are propagated by cuttings (the part of the leaf that connects it to the stem). But in order for everything to work out, you need to know which cuttings are most likely to take root. So, the most important rule is that the fresher they are, the higher your chances of growing new plants, from which then original bouquets will turn out. Secondly, the variety of roses is important. All imported flowers root very poorly, because they undergo multi-stage processing with various chemicals that increase their shelf life. Therefore, you can not try to root a cut rose of Dutch origin. But with local varieties, things are much better. The period of the year when the flower was grown is also important. So, most likely, the summer stalk will take root, then the spring, autumn, and lastly the winter.

How to properly prepare a cutting for planting

Bouquet of roses "Charm"

Planting roses is a delicate matter, and you need to approach it responsibly. So, first of all, take roses that already have formed shoots. Next, carefully cut off the leaves, buds and thorns from them. Now you can cut off the cutting itself (about 10-15 cm will be enough) and immerse it in water. Important: the cut on the handle should be as even as possible. So arm yourself with the sharpest knife. Cut the stem at an angle of 45 degrees, taking into account that the distance from the kidney should be about 1 cm. It is in this part of the stem that a large accumulation of nutrients is located. They then stimulate the growth of a new flower. It will be a huge plus if you treat the cuttings with a special hormone that stimulates the growth of shoots. You can find such a tool in any gardening store, where you will certainly be advised.

How to grow cuttings in a pot with earth

Bouquet "For my Queen"

First, hold the cuttings in a container of water for about a day. Then plant the lower cut into the ground vertically (it is important that the upper buds are above the soil surface). Water the soil generously with water and place the pot on a windowsill that faces south. The optimum temperature regime is up to 20 degrees above zero. You can insert wooden chopsticks into the pot (unnecessary pencils or Japanese chopsticks will do). In the future, they will become a support for the process on the stem. Then stretch a film or bag over the sticks to create a kind of greenhouse for the cuttings. And that's it. Now we wait about a month and check if the flowers have rooted. It is very simple to do this: slightly pull the stem with your fingers, if there is some resistance, then everything is going according to plan and the stalk has taken root.

Method of growing cuttings in potatoes

Bouquet "Gift for a Beloved"

The method of growing roses in potatoes is the most popular and very effective. But it is advisable to use it only in the spring. The meaning of the method lies in the fact that a young potato tuber will create a moist environment for the stem and nourish it with useful microelements. Keep in mind that the length of the handle should be no more than 20 cm, and the potato itself should be medium in size and without “eyes”. We make a hole for the stem, plant the potatoes in the ground, pour water and cover with any unnecessary jar. In this form, the stalk will not only receive everything necessary for rapid growth, but will also be protected from pests. Do not forget to periodically moisten the soil (but do not flood), and moisten the cutting itself with water a couple of times a day. Once every five days, it is a good idea to water the shoot with sweetened water (2 teaspoons of sugar per glass of water).

Method for growing cuttings in greenhouse conditions

15 red roses

In greenhouses, mature lignified shoots that have survived the winter indoors are usually rooted. So, take a container and add to it a mixture of fertilizers that are usually used in normal planting in open ground. Plant a prepared cutting there and follow some simple recommendations. So, the temperature regime in the greenhouse should be in the range of 24-25 ° C, the humidity should be high (above 90%), and access to sunlight is limited. The leaves of the cuttings should be regularly moistened, which is why watering will have to be done 10 times a day. When growing roses on a large scale, it is better to get sprinklers for this purpose. After 3 weeks, you can reduce watering, remove shading and start airing the greenhouse (the so-called hardening of cuttings).

Method of growing cuttings in water

Bouquet "Our happiness!"

Growing rose cuttings in water is the easiest method. Carefully cut the stems and place them in a container of boiled water at a temperature of 20-25 ° C. Place the tank in a place with good shade. Change water daily. After three weeks, at the end of the cutting, you can see the beginnings of roots.

Method for growing rose cuttings in a bag

25 red roses with hearts

This method is also called “burrito”. Now you will understand why. All you need is unnecessary newspapers and a bag. Prepare the cuttings (preferably treated with growth stimulants), lay them on a newspaper and wrap. Now moisten the bundle liberally and place it in the bag. In this form, the cuttings should be stored in a dark place at a temperature of about 20 ° C. About once every ten days, unroll the bundle, inspect the stems, remove the rotten ones, change the newspaper for a new one, treat it with water and put it back in place. After 3 weeks, the root system should germinate on the cuttings.

Useful tips on how to plant a rose

Basket "In love with you"

In conclusion, we want to tell you some secrets of cuttings so that growing roses at home is as effective as possible.