Can I Re-root a Branch That Came Off My Rose Bush?

Types of Roses

• Some roses are easier to grow from cuttings than others. Hardy, old-fashioned floribunda and old garden roses are easy to grow from cuttings. Their blooms are not as large as hybrid teas but are colorful and abundant. Miniature roses also grow successfully from cuttings. Hybrid teas are different because they are one flowering plant grafted onto a hardy rootstock. This enables the less-hardy but better-blooming rose to survive harsher climates. Even if a cutting were grown successfully, it might not survive your climate.

Cuttings

• The most likely part of a rose to take root is the tip of a branch, especially if it has just finished blooming. A cutting taken from a healthy, 2-foot branch cut with sharp shears just above a leaf junction, preferably in the early morning in late fall, has a good chance of re-rooting. Divide it into six pieces, cutting each at a 45-degree angle just above a leaf junction, to increase your chances of success. Even a broken branch can be a cutting if it is healthy and fresh. Recut the bottom at a 45-degree angle and cut it into 6-inch pieces.

Preparation

• Remove bottom foliage from each cutting, leaving two leaf clusters at the top.

  Dip the freshly cut base in rooting hormone to prevent rot and promote the formation of roots. Commercial rooting powders are sold in garden centers, but you can make your own by boiling 1-inch pieces of willow and steeping overnight. The hormone should look like weak tea. Remove the willow and add the rose cuttings, which should be freshly cut or re-cut. Soak for several hours.

Planting

• In milder climates, plant the cuttings in spring or fall in well-prepared rose beds in bright but not full sun. Make a hole in the soil with a pencil and place the cutting into it halfway. Firm the soil and water thoroughly. In cool zones, cover each cutting with a 1-qt. Mason jar or 2-liter plastic pop bottle with the bottom cut off. Water the soil around the jar for the two months it takes to root.

  In cold zones, plant cuttings in rich potting soil in containers indoors. Bury them in the dirt with 2 to 3 inches above the soil line. Mist them with water and cover with plastic. Or plant trimmed rose cuttings with potting soil inside a zip-lock bag and hang on a clothesline in bright shade. The roots will be visible within six to eight weeks. Keep cuttings moist and cover them to protect them from cold when necessary.