Tricks to Rooting Rose Cuttings Successfully | Why are the Roses Stems Turning Black and Dying, by Mike Kincaid on YouTube. 18 min 42 s.
- Video length
- 18 min 42 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes plus 6 to 8 weeks r
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Pick a healthy stem from this season's growth. Choose one that is firm, green and free of spots or disease, and cut it in the morning when the plant is well watered.
Cut the stem into pieces about 6 to 8 inches long. Make a straight cut at the bottom and a slanted cut at the top so you can tell which end goes down.
Remove the leaves from the lower half of each cutting. Leave one or two small leaves at the top to help the cutting make food.
Dip the bottom cut end into rooting hormone powder or gel. Tap off the excess so the powder does not clump.
Treat the cuttings with a fungicide such as Daconil, following the label dose. This is the key step that stops stems turning black and dying.
Fill small pots or a tray with clean coarse sand. Water it until it drains, then poke a hole in the sand with a pencil for each cutting.
Push each cutting into the hole so about half its length is buried, then firm the sand around it. Space cuttings so they do not touch.
Cover the tray with a clear dome or a plastic bag to hold humidity. Keep it in bright, indirect light and out of direct sun.
Keep the sand moist but not soaked and check for black stems every few days. Remove any cutting that turns black so it does not spread.
After 6 to 8 weeks, tug gently on a cutting. If it resists, roots have formed and you can pot it into soil.
Tips and common mistakes
Wear gloves and wash your hands after handling fungicide, and keep it away from pets and children.
Use clean sand rather than garden soil, because soil can carry the fungi that blacken rose stems.
Do not overwater. Soggy sand is the most common reason cuttings rot before they root.
Sterilise your shears with rubbing alcohol between cuts to avoid spreading disease.
Questions
Why do my rose cuttings turn black at the bottom?
It is usually a fungal disease, not a lack of water. Treating the cuttings with a fungicide and rooting them in clean sand greatly reduces black stems.
How long before rose cuttings grow roots?
Most rose cuttings root in about 6 to 8 weeks. A gentle tug that meets resistance is the simplest sign that roots have formed.
Can I root rose cuttings in water instead?
You can, but water rooting often leads to rot and weak roots. Sand with a fungicide and a humidity cover gives a much better success rate.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
