Fall and Winter Cuttings: Cool Season Plant Propagation, by Fraser Valley Rose Farm on YouTube. 15 min 16 s.
- Video length
- 15 min 16 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick stems from healthy rose bushes. Choose firm, woody growth from this season that is about pencil thick, and avoid soft tips or stems with disease.
Cut each stem into sections about 20 to 25 cm long. Make a straight cut at the bottom and a slanted cut at the top so you know which end is up.
Strip off the lower leaves and any thorns on the bottom half. Leave one or two leaf nodes near the top of each cutting.
Fill clean pots with free-draining potting mix or a mix of compost and sharp sand. Push each cutting into the mix so about two-thirds of it sits below the surface.
Water the pots well and let them drain. Label each pot with the rose name and the date.
Place the pots in a sheltered, cool spot outdoors or in an unheated shed. Keep the mix slightly damp but never soggy through winter.
For semi-hardwood cuttings, take stems with active green growth and pot them the same way. Keep them under grow lights indoors at around 18 to 21 C.
Check the cuttings every few weeks. Pull gently on a stem after about 8 to 12 weeks. If it holds firm, roots have formed.
Tips and common mistakes
Take more cuttings than you need, since not every stem will root.
Use clean pruners and wipe the blade between bushes to avoid spreading disease.
Keep winter cuttings out of standing water, which rots stems fast.
Label pots clearly, because bare cuttings all look alike by spring.
Questions
When should I take hardwood rose cuttings?
Take them after the plant goes dormant in late fall or early winter. The stems should be firm and woody, not soft and green.
How long do rose cuttings take to root?
Hardwood cuttings usually root in 8 to 12 weeks, though some take until spring. Check by tugging gently rather than pulling the cutting out.
Can I root rose cuttings indoors under lights?
Yes. Semi-hardwood cuttings with active growth root well under grow lights at around 18 to 21 C, as long as the mix stays damp but not wet.
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.
