Fraser Pacific Rose Society |
|
|
◄ Back Starting a New Rose A favourite summer time activity ( in my spare time ) is propagating a few roses, especially some of the ones I know I will not be able to replace. Either they are no longer readily available, or they are ones that were imported from Europe many years ago and I live in fear of losing. If you’re looking for a particular rose that you don’t have in your own garden, you will usually find that one of your fellow Rose Society members willing to part with a few stems of the rose you are interested in. Another reason to take advantage of the open gardens members provide. Before you embark on this enjoyable and mostly rewarding activity, I should tell you that some roses do not root as successfully as others. The ones you will have the most success with are the Shrubs, Ramblers, Old Garden Roses and miniature roses. Hybrid Tea, Grandiflora and Floribunda roses with some exceptions seem to take longer and are harder to root without the special misting equipment some large nurseries use. Hybrid Tea & Floribunda roses sometimes lack the vigour they would otherwise have on a vigorous root stock.
Starting
a new Rose from Taking cuttings from roses can be an economical and rewarding way of expanding your collection of roses. Duplicating roses in this way is fairly easy to do, and it’s fascinating watching the new plant emerge and develop. All one needs to do is follow a few basic techniques and understand just what the plant actually needs. One of the most important things to remember is the cuttings need for moisture. Once the cutting is severed from the mother plant, it no longer has roots to provide moisture, therefore the air immediately surrounding the cutting must be kept humid and moist at all times. This can be accomplished by placing a clear jar, plastic container or even a plastic bag over the cutting to mimic a mini greenhouse. The next important item for successful rooting is the rooting media. Ordinary garden soil is too heavy and not sterile, therefore should not be used. The media needs to be loose, well aerated, moisture retentive and sterile. You can mix your own using one part perlite and one part peat moss, or buy one of the commercially prepared mixes. Most of these cutting mixes do not contain any nutrients, making it necessary to fertilize after the cutting has rooted. The time of year can also play an important part in your rooting success. Cuttings taken in July or August will root quicker than fall cuttings, but because of high temperatures, it can be difficult to maintain moisture levels. Early fall cuttings also root well and because of cooler temperatures, home gardeners may find it easier to root at this time. Generally, the end of October is about the limit for high rooting success. Many commercial growers provide bottom heat for their cuttings. This has two main advantages, as it heats the soil, thereby speeding the rooting process while allowing the tops of the plants to remain cool. Bottom heat is not essential for the home gardener, but it can increase your rooting percentage. Soil heating cables can be purchased from many garden stores and are relatively inexpensive. Choosing and preparation of cuttings.
When choosing cutting material, select shoots that have just
finished blooming. Use a piece about four inches long for miniature roses
and six to eight inches long for larger roses. The stock plants should be
in excellent health and well watered before the cutting is taken. Make a cut just above and below a leaf node; your cutting will have at least two nodes. Strip off all but two sets of leaves and dip the base of the cutting into #2 or #3 rooting powder. The rooting powder contains a hormone which induces and speeds the rooting process. You can omit this step, but your success will be better with rooting powder. Shake off any excess powder, then stick your cutting into pre-moistened potting mix. Three mini cuttings will fit nicely into a four inch pot. Lightly water the cuttings and cover with a plastic or glass container or plastic bag. After your cuttings have rooted, carefully repot them into separate four inch pots. ( If you want to watch roots form on the cuttings, clear plastic drinking cups with holes punched in the bottom for drainage will give you a view of what’s happening once the roots start to form. ) When you think your cuttings may be forming roots, don’t pull on them to confirm you suspicion as the tiny roots are very fragile and you will break them Prepare the container you will be using to house the cuttings before you begin to take your cuttings. Step by Step Plan for successful cuttings.
This is just one of the many ways there is to root cuttings. Some rose growers might even consider the outline technique to be complicated and unnecessary, but I assure you that with a little extra care, even the beginner can successfully root cuttings. Note: In Canada, it is legal to take cuttings of roses for your own use. However, many newer varieties may have trademarked names. These roses cannot be sold under the trademarked name without paying royalties to the trademark holder.
|
