How to Bud Roses

Budding, or grafting, roses can seem like an extremely difficult task for new gardeners or those new to working with roses. However, with some basic information and practice, budding roses can become second nature as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort. Midsummer is the best time to bud roses, according to the Love of Roses website, because the sap is at full flow, which gives the graft the greatest chance of success.

Craft knife or razor blade
Towel or paper towels
Strong ribbon or grafting tape

Instructions

- 1
  Choose new shoots from recent growth. Take your buds from these shoots, making the cutting with a razor blade or craft knife. Ideally, you should do your budding in the late afternoon so that the buds can settle overnight instead of being hit by a full day's sun.
- 2
  Soak the cuttings in a large glass or vase of clean water. After two hours have passed, remove the cuttings and place them on a clean towel or paper towel to air-dry for 30 minutes.
- 3
  Using a craft knife or sharp razor blade, slice a ½-inch-long bud off each rose cutting. Make sure the slice is deep enough to take some of the harder wood inside the stem, along with the bud.
- 4
  Turn the bud over and remove the hard section of wood with your knife or razor blade. Do not cut the rest of the bud; simply remove the harder wood section.
- 5
  Make a T-shaped cut in the rose that is to be budded. The top of the capital T shape should be approximately 1 inch long. Make sure you do not cut into the cambium layer of the rose stem, which can be identified by its light green color and wet, almost slimy feel.
- 6
  Place the bud into the gap that you just cut into the stem. Pull the top layer of the stem back in place over the bud gently with your fingers.
- 7
  Tie a piece of strong ribbon around the stem or secure the bud in place with grafting tape. Make sure the bud and stem are firmly secured together.

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