Propagating roses: when and how do you do it?

Do you already have a beautiful rose variety in your garden and want to grow more? Then cutting roses is a great option. And bonus: cutting roses is easy! Get started right away with these 4 steps.

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You can take rose cuttings at various times. For example, take flexible, softwood rose cuttings in late spring or early summer, when plants are developing new growth. These varieties root quickly and easily. Take semi-hardwood rose cuttings in late summer or early fall, starting with firmer, new stems. Take hardwood cuttings in winter from mature stems. These cuttings are the most difficult and slowest to root. Later in this article, you'll find some helpful tips for taking rose cuttings in late summer to early fall .

Tip! Standard roses often consist of two types: the flowers you see and the stem they're grafted onto. So take cuttings from the top of your plant, not from the stems growing out of the ground (unless you want a surprise, of course!).

Although taking cuttings from a rose bush and a climbing rose (or rambler) is similar, there are a few things you should know. For rose bushes, you can use the different cutting methods mentioned above (summer cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, and winter cuttings). For climbing roses and ramblers, semi-ripe cuttings are the best approach. You handle the stems of a rambler or climbing rose slightly differently than those of a shrub rose. That's why we've included a special step-by-step guide for taking cuttings from climbing roses and ramblers .

When cutting roses, sharp, clean pruning shears are your best friend. However, there are other supplies you'll need as well:

Pots (with good drainage)

Propagating roses doesn't have to be difficult! With these four steps, you can easily grow multiple plants from one plant.

Decide which rose you want to cut. This can be any type of rose. Then, select long, strong, healthy stems. Note: this is growth from this season, not older wood.

Take cuttings about 25 cm long. Cut them so that there's a (leaf) bud at the top and a bud at the bottom. New growth will then emerge from these buds. Leave one stem with a leaf at the top and remove all the lower leaves.

You can use mycorrhizal fungi to help your cutting get started, or you can dip the bottom of your cutting in rooting powder, but neither is necessary. Place your cuttings in a large pot with sandy potting soil or in a narrow furrow filled with grit .

Next, water your rose cuttings thoroughly. Then place the pots in a shady spot and leave them there until the cuttings have taken root. Keep the soil moist.

Repot roses when they are well-rooted. This will likely be next summer. If you're growing the cuttings in a ditch, carefully remove them so as not to damage the roots, and plant them in their final location.

Tip! Refresh your soil if you're planting roses in a spot where roses have previously grown. This reduces the risk of soil-borne rose diseases. Simply dig soil from another part of your garden and bring the old rose soil there.

Propagating climbing and rambler roses is similar to taking shrub roses, but there are a few things that are slightly different. For example, it's important to take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer or autumn to ensure the best chance of survival. Here's how to proceed:

Cut or trim a piece of a sturdy but flexible stem from your climbing or rambler rose. Climbing roses generally have shorter side shoots, while rambler roses have longer ones. For both plants, choose flexible, shorter stems rather than long, spreading ones (these may not retain enough moisture to establish well).

Cut or trim the stem into pieces of about 15 cm. Cut directly below a leaf node for the base of your cutting, and finish neatly just above a leaf node at the top. Always use a sharp knife or pruning shears to make clean cuts.

Remove the lower leaves from your cuttings so that each one has a small piece of bare stem at the bottom. If you're using material from the top of a shoot, pinch out the tip (with the many leaves). If it's a cutting with a heel, trim the end neatly with a sharp knife.

Fill a pot with clay-based potting soil mixed with sand or perlite. Insert the cuttings into the soil along the edge of the pot, up to the first leaf.

Water your cuttings well. It can take six to eight weeks for the cuttings to develop roots.

For those who want to propagate roses in late summer, we have some specific tips:

September is a good month for taking cuttings of roses.
Look for a green stem about the size of a pencil, not too brown or woody. Cut that stem off.
Then cut the bottom of your cutting straight across, just below a leaf bud, and cut the top diagonally. This will make it easier to keep the sides apart.
Damage leaf buds on the part of your cutting that will be planted in the ground, for example, by making a small snip with your pruning shears. This will stimulate new growth and hopefully help your plant develop a strong, healthy root system.

Many plant species can be propagated successfully in water. While rose cuttings may be able to develop roots in water, these are ultimately not ideal conditions for your new plant, and it means your rose will need to adjust to the transition to potting soil. You can also root rose cuttings directly in potting soil.

There are many methods for cuttings, but whether they're all good for a particular plant is debatable. The same applies to cutting roses from potatoes or bananas. We haven't tried these methods ourselves, and while there's something to be said for the nutrients in bananas or potatoes that can benefit a mature rose, the question remains whether you should expose young rose cuttings to a dark, damp environment that will rot. You can always try the methods and compare how cuttings in potting soil and those from potatoes or bananas perform.