How to Propagate Hardy Rose Bushes

Select a vigorous new growth cane on a blooming rose bush. Find a green thorn on the stem and gently push it sideways with your thumb. If it bends and then shoots out cleanly with a tiny "pop," you have found a suitable cane; if the thorn doesn't release easily, the cane will not root well because the new growth is either too green or it's too woody.

Make a 45-degree cut through the stem just above the topmost bump with a sharp utility knife. Remove the cutting from the stem with another 45-degree cut placed near the closest side branch junction. Trim the top of the cutting down to a length of about 6 inches with at least four leaf buds showing.

Carefully scrape off about an inch of bark from the bottom of the cutting. Press the tip of a utility knife into the top of the bark-free section and make a shallow downward cut to the base on both sides of the cutting. Place the cutting in slightly warm water immediately.

Fill a small cup-sized pot made of compressed peat with a sterile potting mixture. Stand the pot in a basin of warm water. Remove the pot after it stops bubbling and allow it to drain completely.

Press a hole down the center of the moist potting mixture with a wooden dowel. Lift the cutting out of the water and dip the bottom into some hormone rooting powder. Tap the side of the cutting to shake off excess powder.

Insert the base of the cutting into the hole so that the bottom one-third of the cutting is buried. Tamp the soil around the cutting down so that it stands upright.

Punch a drain hole through the bottom of a plastic cup. Tape a strip of masking tape to the cup and label the cutting by recording the parent plant species and date of the cutting with an indelible felt pen.

Place the cutting indoors on a heating pad set to 72 degrees Fahrenheit to promote fast rooting. Situate the pot in a brightly lit area away from direct sunlight. Water and mist daily with warm water.

Monitor the cutting for signs of new growth along the stem. With luck, you should see new roots penetrating through the sides and bottom of the peat pot after three to four weeks. Once the cutting is well established, remove the peat pot from the plastic cup for transplanting.

Cover the bottom of an 8- to 10-inch diameter pot with a thick layer of organic potting soil and label the pot with a strip of masking tape and an indelible felt pen. Place the peat pot containing the rooted and growing cutting into the pot. Bury the peat pot completely with organic potting soil and sprinkle half a spoonful of balanced slow-release fertilizer over the soil before watering lightly.

Place the new rose plant in a well-lit sheltered area. Water lightly every morning and slowly move the pot into an area with partial morning sunlight. Gradually move the plant outside into full sunlight over a period of about 10 days. The new rose is now ready for transplanting into its own bed.