How to Grow a Dog Rose

Pick dog rose hips from existing plants in early October. Open the hips and separate the seeds from the fleshy part of the fruit.

Pour a 1-inch layer of gravel into the bottom of a 4-inch pot. Mix 1/3 cup dog rose seeds with 1 cup of a mixture of one part compost and one part horticultural sand. Pour this into the pot and cover with 1 inch of sand.

Water the pot until the mixture is moist and place it in a shaded spot outside. Leave it for 18 months, watering whenever the mixture feels dry.

Prepare the planting site in early spring after the 18-month period has passed. Remove the weeds and loosen the soil with a shovel. Rake the soil flat. The site should get full to partial sun (meaning eight to six hours daily).

Broadcast the seeds over the prepared soil at a rate of one per inch. Pass a garden roller over the seeds to press them into the soil. Cover the seeds with 1/5 inch of grit. Water until the soil settles.

Continue watering frequently enough to keep the soil moist to the touch. Apply a general purpose granular fertilizer to the soil upon planting, and repeat the application every four weeks until mid-summer. Follow package directions for application.