How to Propagate Roses From Cuttings in 6 Easy Steps

Once you have a rose bush, it’s easy to make more through propagation. Cuttings will take six to eight weeks to develop roots, and a mature bush can be expected to flower in two to three years.

There are two types of cuttings for roses: softwood cuttings and semi-hardwood cuttings. To make this process successful, timing is the most important factor in choosing which process to use.

Softwood cuttings are the fastest and easiest to root, taken in late spring and early summer. As the name says, the cuttings are the new growth with plenty of flexibility in the stems. Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken when the new stems are fully matured but not the old stems of the previous year. These cuttings are taken a bit later in later summer and early fall.

You can propagate roses from hardwood cuttings in winter, but the process will take a lot longer. You will have more success by propagating earlier in the growing season.

What You’ll Need

Before you start propagating roses, gather these essential items.

Rose

You will need a healthy rose bush to take cuttings from. Avoid any plant that has diseases or is plagued with pests. The stems must be strong, and the leaves must be healthy.

Pruning Shears

Propagating success starts with ensuring your pruning shears are sharp and clean. You can go one step further and sterilize the pruners by wiping or dipping them in disinfectant or rubbing alcohol. This will prevent the possible spread of disease.

Soil Medium

Many soil types will work for cuttings. The most important characteristic is drainage. The soil must drain well, or the cuttings may rot before they can set roots. To increase drainage, use a mixture of horticultural grit or potting soil with added materials like coarse sand, perlite, or vermiculite.

Pots or Trays

To keep your cuttings protected, use individual pots. These are deep enough to hold the cuttings (any size from three inches upwards). A six-inch diameter pot can hold two to three cuttings in one pot. You can also use trays if they are at least four inches deep.

In the garden, you can also create a soil bed at least four to six inches deep or use any other container that can hold enough soil medium.

Hormone Rooting Stimulators

Although not necessary to root cuttings, these auxin-based powders, liquids, or gels are easy to use and give the cuttings the best start to rooting quickly. The most popular ones come in powder form, and some even have different formulations for various cuttings – softwood, semi-hardwood, and hardwood.

How to Propagate Roses from Cuttings

Once you’re prepped and ready, follow these steps to propagate roses from cuttings.

Step 1: Take Cuttings

Take cuttings in the early morning to ensure the stems are hydrated. Using a sharp pair of pruning shears, take softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings from a healthy plant, depending on the season. Make the cutting six to eight inches long.

Cut above the set of leaves at a 45° angle. Make sure your cuttings have some leaves on them, and place the cuttings immediately in a glass of room-temperature water. Take several cuttings at a time to increase your chances of success.

Step 2: Prepare the Soil Medium

Mix potting soil or horticultural grit with drainage amendments, such as perlite, coarse sand, or vermiculite, to make a well-draining medium. Fill the pot with this mixture.

Water the mixture well, but don’t over soak it. You are looking for damp soil rather than mud. Tamp down the soil gently in the pots and make the surface level.

Step 3: Prepare the Cuttings

To begin planting, recut the stems on the cuttings at a node at a 45° angle, giving more stem surface for roots to grow. Nodes are where roots will sprout from. Cut off all of the leaves except the top two sets. You can also snap off the thorns to make it easier to plant.

Step 4: Dip and Plant

Decant the rooting powder into a small dish. The powder must be discarded after use on a specific plant to prevent bacterial transfer, so it’s best to use only as much as you need.

Dip the ends of the cuttings into water and then into the powder. Use a pencil or dowel to make holes in the soil medium and plant the cuttings into the soil three to four inches deep. Press them in. Space the cuttings out if you’re planting more than one in a pot.

Step 5: Care

Water the cuttings well and place them in a protected, warm position to grow. Keep the cuttings watered, and don’t allow the soil to dry out. In warm weather, they may need watering every day.

To keep the soil moist, you can cover the pots with a large plastic bag, ensuring that the bag doesn’t touch the cuttings. Tie the plastic around the pot with a rubber band. Although this will keep moisture and create a mini ecosystem, it must be checked regularly.

Step 6: Growing On

After a few weeks, test whether the cuttings have taken root by gently pulling on them. If you find resistance, roots are establishing. You will start to see new growth appearing as they mature.

Leave them in their propagating containers until the next spring or summer before planting them out in the garden. You can move them into bigger pots should they become overcrowded, but try not to disturb the roots. Feed in spring with a general-purpose fertilizer or a formula specifically for roses. Feed again in mid-summer if not in the ground or their permanent pots.