Roses are gorgeous. The good thing is that you can just grow them at home. It’s not that complicated. One way to grow roses is from rose cuttings.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to grow roses from cuttings.
Why Should You Grow Roses?
The rose is the most popular flower in the world. When people are asked to think of a flower, the rose is the first thing that comes to mind.
To be fair, it’s well-deserved.
Here are a few reasons why you should grow roses:
They are beautiful & they beautify
The rose’s beauty alone is enough reason to grow the plant. If you just plant roses in the garden, it’s fine.
You see, there are over 300 species of roses. There are also thousands of rose cultivars around.
In other words
Even if you are just growing one type of plant, you could grow a variety of roses with different colors.
There are at least two dozen shades of roses in the market.
Look
Roses are beautiful as it is. Now, when you put it anywhere, that place would be upgraded aesthetically.
You could put roses in vases and decorate the house.
If you have parties
Roses are great decorations, too. You could put them on walls, or have them hanging from the ceiling.
They could easily transform the most basic of spaces.
They smell great
When you decorate your house with roses, you are basically putting out natural air fresheners as well.
Each variety of rose has a different scent. However, they won’t clash in case you plan on growing different varieties.
Here’s the deal
If you are fond of cooking but you don’t want the house–or the kitchen and dining room–to smell like food, you could mask the smell with the roses.
You could make money from them
Everybody loves roses!
If you have a garden with roses, you can easily sell them off. You will have a lot of clients, that’s for sure.
Picture this:
A wedding.
That event alone will need so many flowers. Obviously the bride needs a bouquet. Then the flower girl needs petals to be strewn all over the bride’s path.
Flowers are also needed on the tables and as decorations for the wedding venue.
In just one event
You could earn a lot!
Of course, there are so many events in the world. You can’t just limit sales to weddings. Almost all events need flowers.
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Even simple events would want roses. The roses could be the centerpiece on every table–the event won’t need anything else.
There’s more!
Roses can be used in perfumes and scented oils. You could make money selling your roses to manufacturing companies.
Rose hip, on the other hand, can be used in food. It’s a popular component for jams and marmalade, and it could be used as an ingredient for various dishes.
You know what else?
Tea! There is such a thing as rose tea. Or the rose could be blended to make another flavor of tea.
It’s romantic
You can use roses for your own romantic endeavors or that of your family and friends. It can be given as a bouquet to a significant other.
On the other hand, a person who wants to propose to their partner could scatter roses all over the area–just like you see in movies.
Endless options!
In a way, roses are very versatile.
With roses having so many uses in life, it would be quite practical to just grow them in your backyard.
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How to Grow Roses from Cuttings
Growing roses through cuttings is a popular way to do it. You choose the type of rose you want to grow and get cuttings from that variety.
Before preparing to grow roses, you should know that there is a best time to get a cutting from the plant.
When is it?
Autumn or the cooler months would be the best time to get some rose cuttings. September or the following months would be a good time.
Here is a step-by-step guide to growing roses from cuttings:
1. Get some rose cuttings
Now that you have found your type of rose, it’s time to make a cut.
There are so many stems to choose from, so which would make the best cut? Find a stem where the flower is about to be deadheaded.
Why?
This would grow the best roots.
The cutting should be around six to eight inches, which is measured from the base of the bloom down to the stem.
By the way
Make sure you have a sharp knife or pruner for a clean cut. Also, the cut should be done in a 45-degree angle.
Remove the flower because it will compete with the stem when it comes to getting nutrients during growth.
Remove most of the leaves, too. You can leave a couple on the stem.
2. Put cuttings in water
Take a jar and put water in it. Prepare this before you make the cut so that you can directly put the cuttings in the water to keep it fresh.
3. Prepare the planting site
Here’s something you should know about the roses: they need both shade and sunlight. So, find a place where the rose can have the best of both worlds.
The thing is, roses need the morning sun. They should be able to bask in the morning sun but should be protected from the afternoon sun.
How is that possible?
It’s the position. You can plant the rose near a large plant or a tree in order to get shade in the afternoon.
Check out the direction of the sun’s morning rays so that you can put the rose directly in that angle.
As for the soil
The rose isn’t too picky but the area should have proper drainage.
You can plant roses directly on the ground or through containers.
4. Prepare the cuttings for planting
Using a sharp knife, slit two sides of the bottom of the cutting. Don’t make a cut, just a slit that would penetrate the outer layer of the stem.
The slit should be around half an inch.
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After that
Dip the bottom part of the cutting, the one with the slits, into a rooting hormone powder. This substance will help the rose grow roots faster.
You can moisten the tip before dipping it into the powder. Shake off excess substance.
5. Plant the cuttings
It’s best if you plant more than one cuttings. Not all of them are going to be successful–just so you know.
This is not to discourage you but just to give you a more realistic outlook.
Here’s how you do it
Use a pencil or stick to push down into the area where you want to plant the cutting. We mentioned that the cutting should be six to eight inches, you want half of the entire length to be in the ground.
Put the cutting in the hole. Push the soil surrounding it to ensure that it is quite compact.
Next
Plant the cuttings at least eight inches apart from each other.
6. Cover the cuttings
You can use a jar or a water bottle to cover the cuttings. The goal is to prevent soil moisture from evaporating since it is important in the process of developing roots.
Once you see that the rose is starting to grow, then you can remove the cover.
7. Water every other day
Soil moisture is important for the growing roots. However, make sure that there is no puddle forming because it would not be good for root growth.
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Summary
Roses are beautiful and fragrant. Wouldn’t it be nice if you have a supply of roses every day without spending too much money? That’s why you should grow your own roses.
How to grow roses from cuttings? It’s not that hard actually. Check out this step-by-step guide into growing roses from cuttings. Plant multiple cuttings because there is no guarantee that all of them will grow successfully.
Planting roses from cuttings is more complex than growing any plant from seeds. There are steps in this guide that should be followed religiously.
Useful Resources
- The History of Roses – University of Illinois Extension
- Starting a Rose Garden: Caring for Rose Bushes – Gardening Know How
- 15 Varieties of Roses to Consider for Your Garden – The Spruce
The slits on the side of the stem is a good idea. Likewise, covering the newly planted cutting while it begins to grow roots.
Thanks!
Our pleasure Robert! Glad this was helpful.