Propagating roses: an overview of the best methods

Propagating Roses by Sowing

Propagation by seed is the most natural method, but it does require patience. Roses produce rose hips in which the seeds ripen. These need to go through a cold period before they can germinate.

Advantages

• High genetic diversity – every rose is unique
• Inexpensive method as no special tools are needed

Disadvantages

• Long wait for first flowers (often several years)
• No guarantee that the offspring will have the characteristics of the parent plant

Instructions:

1. Harvest ripe hips in autumn and remove seeds.
2. Place seeds in moist sand and store in the fridge for 6-8 weeks (stratification).
3. Sow seeds in spring in seed starting mix and keep moist.
4. After germination thin out the strongest seedlings and plant them in larger pots or in the garden bed.

Propagating roses from hardwood cuttings

This method is particularly suitable for ramblers, climbers, ground covers and shrub roses. The cuttings are lignified shoots taken in autumn or winter. As the success rate is not very high, you should take several cuttings and plant them 10 centimetres apart in the desired spot in the garden.

Advantages:

• An easy method with little effort
• No special equipment needed

Disadvantages:

• Does not work with all rose varieties
• Success rate can vary

Instructions:

1. Cut lignified shoots about 20cm long in autumn.
2. Remove all leaves and plant two-thirds of the cuttings in loose soil.
3. Keep the soil moist and protect the cuttings from hard frost.
4. The first roots will form in the spring – then you can plant the young roses in their final location.

Propagating roses from cuttings

Cuttings are particularly suitable for bedding and climbing roses. Use young, semi-ripe shoots. The best time to propagate from cuttings is between June and August, when this year’s shoots are well ripened. You can tell when this is the case if at least one flower has opened at the end of the stem.

Advantages:

• Faster than sowing
• High success rate with many rose varieties

Disadvantages:

• Slightly more work as high humidity is required
• Not all varieties root well

Instructions:

1. Cut semi-lignified shoots about 15 cm long in summer.
2. Remove all but the top leaves and buds and dip the bottom end in rooting hormone (optional).
3. Place the cuttings in a pot with potting soil and keep them moist.
4. Place the cutting in a warm, shady spot. Cover the cutting with plastic wrap to keep the humidity high.
5. After a few weeks, roots will have formed. When the cutting starts to sprout, it can be transplanted to a larger pot.

Roses propagated by layering

Propagation by layering is a simple and reliable method that is particularly suitable for shrub, rambler and climbing roses. It involves bending a shoot from the parent plant into the ground until it forms its own roots.

Advantages:

• High success rate
• Plant remains attached to the parent plant during rooting

Disadvantages:

• Takes several months to separate from parent plant
• Does not work with all rose varieties

Instructions:

1. Select a healthy, flexible stem and remove the lower leaves.
2. Carefully bend the stem downwards and make a small groove in the ground. Carefully score the bark of the rose stem where it touches the ground.
3. Place the shoot in the groove, secure with a wire or stone and cover with soil.
4. Keep the soil moist and wait a few months for roots to form.
5. When the new plant is strong enough, you can separate it from the mother plant and plant it in its final location.

Rose grafting: the professional way

Grafting is a technique used mainly in rose nurseries. It involves grafting a cultivar onto a sturdy wild rose rootstock.

Advantages:

• Robust plants with guaranteed characteristics of the variety
• More resistant to disease

Disadvantages:

• Requires some practice and skill
• Special tools and rootstocks required

Instructions:

1. Select a healthy wild rose rootstock and make a T-shaped cut in the bark.
2. Cut an eye (bud) from the desired rose variety.
3. Insert the eye into the T-cut and secure with raffia or a special grafting rubber.
4. Keep the plant moist and wait for the eye to sprout.