Contents
For true lovers of roses, the question of replenishing the assortment in the garden is sometimes an edge. Buying ready-made rooted seedlings is expensive, and sometimes the purchased material does not match the attached photo. Most rose growers prefer to grow their favorite varieties on their own. Of all the breeding methods, cutting roses in the fall is the most affordable and easiest. Therefore, it is very popular with flower growers. All you need is a pruner, the original bush and the desire to turn your garden into a piece of paradise.
What roses can be grown by cuttings
Before proceeding with cutting cuttings, it is important to decide which roses can be grown from cuttings in the fall, and which ones cannot.
It is worth noting that each variety has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the percentage of survival rate of cuttings of roses can fluctuate significantly both up and down.
Cuttings of the following types and varieties take root perfectly:
- Semi-climbing varieties;
- Miniature and polyanthus varieties of roses;
- Varieties Excelsa, Flammentanz, Iceberg, Rosalind.
Hybrid tea varieties also reproduce well by cuttings, but their root system is very weak. Therefore, rose experts advise them to be grown by grafting.
Remontant, climbing and park varieties are more difficult to propagate by cuttings – the percentage of rooting is too low, less than 30-40%.
Before propagating a particular variety, it is necessary to collect as much information as possible about the merits and features of growing this plant.
Compared to other methods of growing rose bushes, such as grafting or propagating from seeds, cutting roses in the fall is the cheapest and does not require special knowledge and skills.
How and when to cut rose cuttings
Roses can be propagated from cuttings both in spring and autumn. However, experienced gardeners still prefer autumn cuttings. Why? The main reason is that the cutting process can be combined with autumn pruning of rose bushes and rose care work in the garden. Secondly, in autumn the bushes are abundantly covered with flowers, and it is very difficult to confuse which variety you want to propagate. Thirdly, a good hostess never loses anything. Having cut off the extra shoots, you can cut them into cuttings of the desired length and plant them. With the advent of spring, the rooted stalk will give the first shoots.
On average, the survival rate of cuttings cut from a bush is approximately 75-80% of the total number of planted material. At this point, it is important to give future bushes maximum attention and care, following the recommendations of rose experts. After all, even minor deviations from the rules will nullify all your efforts.
- pruned shoots should be carefully inspected for damage or pests. For cuttings, only healthy material should be left;
- the thickness of the branches should be at least 4-5 mm and no more than the thickness of a pencil;
- each shoot can be divided into several cuttings. Their length should be at least 15-18 cm, and on each cutting – at least 3-5 developed and healthy buds;
- from the lower edge of the cutting, the cut must be made at a distance of 1-2 mm from the extreme kidney, and in the upper part – 5-7 mm. In order not to get confused when planting, where the handle has the top and where the bottom is, make the lower cut oblique and the upper cut straight;
- at the lower leaves, you need to cut off the leaf plates, and leave the petioles. But at the upper buds it is not recommended to cut the leaves completely – the process of photosynthesis goes on in them almost until the very last warm day. Cut them in half – the remaining leaf plate will be enough for the cutting to develop.
You can plant the cuttings prepared for breeding immediately in the prepared soil, or you can plant them in boxes or containers for rooting. Wherever you decide to plant the cuttings, before planting, it is advisable to treat their lower part with a solution that stimulates the formation and growth of roots.
Rules for planting rose cuttings in the ground
Before planting roses with cuttings in the fall, you should thoroughly prepare the place for planting.
Rose is a very delicate and finicky flower. And she reacts very sharply to the lack of any elements or nutrients. A lot of novice lovers complain that even if all the rules for planting roses in autumn are followed, only 1-2 shoots out of 10 take root. And the problem can be very simple – the land for planting is not well prepared or the place for future rose bushes is not chosen correctly.
To prevent this from happening, let’s figure out how to choose a suitable place in the garden and properly prepare the soil.
Choosing a place and preparing soil for planting roses
Before locating the future rose garden, it is important to know what the queen of the garden loves and what she should be protected from.
Like many flowers, the rose is very light and thermophilic. Therefore, the place should be a match for her – well lit at any time of the day. But cold and piercing winds are very harmful to her. Therefore, many flower growers choose areas along walls or fences for growing roses.
It is also important to take into account that the groundwater at the site of the future flower garden should not be located too close (less than 1 m) to the surface of the earth. Otherwise, there is a danger that the root system will constantly rot, which will immediately affect both the flowering of the bush and its condition.
Do not plant rose cuttings under trees – they will cover the sun’s rays with their branches. This will immediately affect flowering – there will be few buds on the bushes, the flowers will be faded and small.
Soil composition is equally important for roses. Therefore, cuttings should be planted in loose, fertile soil. If the soils in your area are scarce, fertilize and dig up the place for the future flower garden in advance.
Planting rose cuttings
Cuttings are planted in open ground in two ways: immediately to a permanent place or in a “cutting plant” – a specially prepared bed for rooting planting material.
On the one hand, planting rose cuttings in a permanent place is preferable – in the future you will not have the hassle of transplanting. The distance between the holes in this case will be from 0,6 m to 1,5 m, depending on the type and variety of roses.
On the other hand, plantings must be covered for the winter. In this case, it is easier and easier to cover the cuttings. With the advent of spring, opening the greenhouse, you will immediately see which cuttings have taken root and which have not. When planting rose cuttings in the garden, it should be borne in mind that the distance between them should be at least 10-12 cm.
Rose cuttings almost immediately after cutting are ready for planting in the ground. Immediately before planting the material, it is necessary to process the upper cut of the cutting to prevent the penetration of pathogens. To do this, the cut can be treated with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate or dipped in melted wax.
Holes need to be dug deeper, at least 25-30 cm deep. A layer of cut grass should be laid at the bottom of the planting hole, about a third or half filling the hole. Lay a layer of rotted manure or compost on top of the grass, water the hole abundantly. In the middle, place the cutting at a slight angle and sprinkle with earth. The soil must be compacted.
In autumn, for successful rooting, rose cuttings need high humidity – at least 80-90%. Therefore, after planting, experienced gardeners and rose experts cover the cuttings with glass jars or cut plastic bottles. Under them, an ideal microclimate is created that contributes to the preservation and germination of seedlings. It is desirable to choose a transparent container. Banks are removed only in the spring.
Planted material must be mulched with dry foliage or peat.
It will be possible to transplant seedlings to another place only next autumn.
It is important to remember that cuttings of roses in the fall must be completed at least two weeks before the expected frost.
Shelter planted cuttings of roses for the winter
After planting the cuttings in open ground, it is important to provide them with good protection – to securely cover the plantings in anticipation of the coming winter.
The cuttings are covered by constructing a miniature greenhouse over it. Most often, avid flower growers use improvised material. Above the bed, several arcs of metal rods are installed and placed at a distance of 50-60 cm from each other. Any waterproofing material is laid on them. Excellent for this purpose are suitable: plastic film, agrofibre, lutrasil.
Covering material must be fixed along the edges of the mini-greenhouse to prevent cold air from entering inside. Boards, bricks or stones are laid on the edges of the material along the perimeter. On top of the greenhouse, additionally throw dry foliage or spruce branches, and at the first snowfall, throw more snow on it. Now your future flowers are not afraid of the most severe frosts.
If you decide in the fall to plant roses with cuttings immediately in a permanent place, then a kind of tent should be built over each future bush. The rest of the actions and material are identical with the above described method of sheltering the cuttings.
In the spring, planting should be opened gradually, layer by layer. First, as soon as the thaw begins, throw away the snow. Then you will need to remove the spruce. The greenhouse also needs to be opened gradually. If you have done all the work with diligence, then in a couple of weeks you will see the first green sprouts.
As you can see, growing a rose by cuttings is not so difficult. It is important to follow all the recommendations of rosologists.
The author of the video will tell you how to properly cut roses:
Rooting rose cuttings in containers
Not all gardeners plant rose cuttings in the fall immediately in open ground. Some prefer to root them both in containers and in boxes or buckets, and are planted in the garden in the spring.
Planted cuttings in containers in cases where the time for planting in a flower garden has already been lost or there is no way to get to the summer cottage, and it is necessary to save valuable planting material.
The capacity for rooting cuttings of roses should be deep and spacious. Plastic buckets are ideal for this purpose.
- Lay a drainage layer 5-6 cm thick at the bottom of the tank. River pebbles or expanded clay are excellent for these purposes.
- Fill a bucket or container with soil. You can mix the earth with a mixture for rooting and growing roses in a ratio of 1: 1. For long-term moisture retention and better rooting, professionals advise adding Agroperlite or Vermiculite to the soil in an amount of 15-20% of the total volume.
- Lightly moisten the soil. The best way to do this is with a spray bottle.
- Make small vertical holes with a stick, slightly larger in diameter than the rose cuttings. The distance between the holes should be at least 8-10 cm.
- Dip the lower cut of the cutting first in water, and then in Kornevin and immediately insert it into the prepared holes. “Kornevin” is an excellent stimulant for the formation and active growth of the root system. It is important that the bottom cut is completely in the ground, without touching the drainage layer.
- Firm the soil well around the planted cuttings.
A box or bucket with planted cuttings must be wrapped with a transparent plastic wrap and secured with a rope or stapler, preventing air from entering. On top of the film, you can make a small hole, which should be immediately closed with a regular clothespin. By removing and putting on the clip, you can easily adjust the air temperature in the greenhouse in the spring.
A container with planted cuttings of roses should be taken out to the loggia, glazed balcony or veranda. It is important to take into account that the temperature in the room can only slightly differ from the street temperature.
In severe frosts, plantings must be covered with an old jacket or blanket, or brought into the room for a short period.
Rooted seedlings can be planted in open ground in the usual way as soon as the earth warms up. When transplanting, it is important to carefully remove the accustomed cuttings from the soil when transplanting, so as not to damage the delicate roots.
How to keep cuttings until spring
Sometimes circumstances develop in such a way that it is not possible to plant cuttings of roses immediately in the ground for rooting in autumn, and it is necessary to save excellent material for planting until spring. There are at least two ways to save cuttings.
How to save cuttings in the basement
This method of preserving rose cuttings was used by our grandparents. They wrapped the lower edge of the cut cuttings in 3-4 layers with a piece of burlap soaked in water, wrapped them in a plastic bag and sent them to the cellar until spring. The temperature in the room should not exceed +2˚С +3˚С, and the humidity should not exceed 70-75%.
At least 2-3 times a month, you need to check the condition of the material for moisture. If the burlap begins to dry out, dampen it with a spray bottle. In the absence of burlap, you can use any cotton rag. Synthetics cannot be used in this case.
In the spring, carefully remove the rose cuttings from the basement and carefully remove the burlap. If you did everything correctly, then at the end of the cuttings you will see small roots. Now seedlings can be planted in open ground in the usual way.
How to keep cuttings in the garden
There can be many reasons for saving rose cuttings until spring. The place for planting is not ready, the planting material was purchased or cut late, the weather is bad. What to do in such a situation? In any case, you can dig cuttings in a remote place in the garden, and plant them in the spring in accordance with all the rules.
- Dig a small trench, the width of which should exceed the length of the rose cuttings by 5-7 cm, and the depth should be about 20-30 cm. Its length depends on the amount of material. Keep in mind that the distance between the branches should be at least 7-9 cm.
- The bottom of the trench must be laid with straw or peat.
- Lay the planting material across. Do not forget to cut off all the leaves from the cuttings before this.
- From above, cover them with any covering material: lutrasil or agrofibre.
- Fill the trench with soil and mulch with spruce or pine branches, dry leaves.
- Do not forget to mark the boundaries of the trench with pegs so that with the advent of spring you do not waste time and effort searching for planting material.
As soon as the snow falls, cover the garden bed with a natural blanket. In the spring, such cuttings of roses should be planted in a cuttings or in a permanent place immediately after being removed from the ground. Take this into account when planning your work on the site and, if possible, prepare the site in advance.
How to save rose cuttings in autumn and plant them in spring, you will learn from the video plot:
Conclusion
Perhaps the propagation of roses using cuttings will seem too complicated and troublesome to you. Cutting is a really difficult process, requiring experience and skill. And experience, as you know, comes with time. But all your efforts will be more than paid for when the buds begin to bloom in the rose garden, emitting a delicate, divine aroma.