How to Grow a Rose from a Cutting

Roses have always held a special place in my heart. Learning how to grow a rose from a cutting was one of the most rewarding experiences of my gardening life – watching the transformation of a simple stem into a gorgeous flower. 

In this guide, I’ll share the steps and secrets I’ve learned on my rose-growing journey. Let’s get started!

Why Grow a Rose from a Cutting?

Growing roses from a cutting is incredibly rewarding, and comes with many benefits. Here are some of the best reasons to give it a try:

• Personal Connection: Taking a cutting from a rose that has sentimental value, like one from a family member’s garden or a special event, allows you to cultivate and nurture a piece of that memory.
• Economical: Buying mature plants or even seeds can be expensive. By propagating roses from cuttings, you can generate multiple plants from a single rose at a minimal cost.
• Preservation: If you have a rare or old rose variety, propagating from cuttings ensures that you can preserve that particular type and keep it alive for future generations.
• Speed: Roses grown from cuttings can establish faster than those grown from seeds, allowing you to enjoy blooms sooner.
• Genetic Clone: Growing a rose from a cutting guarantees you’ll get a plant genetically identical to the parent plant. There’s no variation as you might get from seeds.
• Learning Experience: It’s a fantastic way to delve deeper into horticulture. The propagation process can teach patience, observation, and the joys of watching something grow from a small cutting into a thriving plant.
• Customization: If you have multiple rose varieties, you can propagate several from cuttings and design your garden or rose hedge exactly how you envision it.
• Sense of Achievement: There’s a deep sense of satisfaction in successfully nurturing a cutting into a full-grown, flowering plant.

If you’re considering giving it a try, remember that while there’s always a learning curve involved, the rewards in terms of beauty, memories, and personal satisfaction are well worth the effort!

Don’t have an existing rose plant to take a cutting? Check out my guide on growing roses from seeds.

How to Grow a Rose from a Cutting – A Step-by-Step Guide

Tools You’ll Need

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

To increase your chances of success when preparing to grow a rose from a cutting, you should gather the right tools first:

• Sharp, clean pruning shears or garden scissors 
• A small, sharp knife
• Disinfectant for your cutting tools
• Rooting hormone powder
• Potting mix
• A clear plastic bag
• A water spray bottle
• A clean, 6-inch deep pot with drainage holes
• A pencil or dibber stick

Selecting the Perfect Cutting

Choosing a robust, healthy stem cutting gives you the best chance of success. Here are some top tips for selecting prime cuttings:

• When to Take Cuttings: The best time to take a cutting is spring through early fall, when roses are in an active growth phase. Take cuttings first thing in the morning when plants are most hydrated and vigorous. Try to avoid hot mid-day conditions.
• Choosing the Right Stem: Look for pencil-width stems with three to five leaf nodes. The stem should be green, pliable, and display robust growth. Select stems with a diameter between ¼ and ½ inch. Thinner stems often fail to root well.
• Where to Cut: Take cuttings from extended lateral stems, not the main crown, that have flowered recently. Target areas six to twelve inches down from the tip of new growth.
• Nutrition Levels: Well-fed roses root the best. Apply balanced fertilizer regularly the season before taking cuttings.
• Hydration Status: Cut stems early when fully turgid. Wilted or stressed stems often fail.
• Node Assessment: Inspect stem nodes closely. Choose stems with plump, green nodes versus dried or discolored ones.

Follow these guidelines to select the best candidates for your rose cuttings. Prime stem selection is crucial for success.

Preparing the Cutting

After selecting the perfect cutting, here’s how to properly prepare and take a plant cutting for propagation:

1. Water the parent plant well the day before you plan to take the cutting.
2. On the day, before making the cutting, make sure you disinfect your cutting tool(s).
3. Identify a robust stem and cut a five- to six-inch segment right below a bloom node at a 45-degree angle using ultra-sharp pruners. Make the cut quickly and cleanly.
4. Carefully strip off the lower leaves using pruners or your fingers, avoiding damaging the nodes. Retain just the top two leaf sets.
5. Snip off any blooms, flower buds, thorns or side shoots using sanitized pruning snips. A clean stem is important.
6. Split the stem’s bottom 1 to 2 inches with a sharp sterile knife to expose the cambium layer. Make 4 shallow downward slices.
7. Dip the split end 1/2 inch deep into rooting hormone powder. 
8. Gently tap off any excess powder before planting.

Planting the Cutting

After preparing your cutting, here’s how to plant your cutting:

1. Fill 3/4 of the pot with a sterilized moist potting mix made for roses.
2. Use a pencil or dibble stick to make a one- to two-inch deep hole in the center of the potting mix.
3. Carefully insert the cutting right-side up, burying it 1/2 to 2/3 deep. 
4. Gently tap the soil to eliminate air pockets.
5. Water thoroughly until the soil is moist but not soaked. 
6. Allow excess water to drain fully. Never let sit in water.
7. Mist the leaves with water. 
8. Cover the pot with a clear, ventilated plastic bag secured so it doesn’t touch leaves.
9. Place the pot in a spot with a consistent 60 to 70F degree temperature range and bright indirect sunlight.

Ongoing Care for the Cutting

After planting your cutting, here’s how to care your cutting ongoing:

1. Check soil moisture daily. Water lightly when the top inch is dry. Keep evenly moist but not saturated.
2. Remove the bag once the leaves begin to push against the bag and roots form. 
3. Transplant into a garden or larger pot once a strong healthy root system develops – this will usually take three weeks to a couple of months after planting. Make sure you harden off the plant before transplanting, by following these tips
   • Initial Exposure: About 7 to 10 days before you plan to transplant, begin exposing your roses to the outdoors. On the first day, place them outside in a sheltered location for 1 to 2 hours, ideally during the milder parts of the day, such as morning or late afternoon.
   • Increase Sunlight Gradually: Roses love sunlight, but their tender growth can be sensitive. Over the next few days, extend their exposure to sunlight, starting with dappled sunlight or morning sun. Each day, increase the time they spend in the sun by 1-2 hours, being cautious of the harsher midday rays.
   • Introduce Breezy Conditions Slowly: Roses can be vulnerable to wind damage. Over a week, place them in gradually windier locations, ensuring that they aren’t exposed to strong gusts that could break their stems.
   • Monitor Water Needs: While outside, the soil of your rose plants may dry out more quickly. Roses prefer deep, infrequent watering. Ensure the soil is moist, but not waterlogged, and always ensure good drainage.
   • Nighttime Acclimation: After 5 to 7 days, start leaving the roses outside overnight, unless there’s a frost forecast. Roses, especially young ones, are sensitive to frost.

Common Challenges When You Grow A Rose From A Cutting and How to Overcome Them

While propagating roses from cuttings is straightforward, you may encounter some challenges. Being prepared with solutions will help you quickly address any issues.

Pest Issues

Pests like spider mites, aphids, and thrips can infest rose cuttings, sucking nutrients and damaging growth. It is critical to monitor cuttings closely each day, checking the undersides of leaves for any signs of pests. 

Immediately isolate those cuttings at the first indication of an infestation to prevent spreading. Heavily infested cuttings should be discarded. 

For remaining healthy cuttings, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap as an effective organic pest treatment. 

Keeping the area around your cuttings very clean and weed-free also helps deter pests from invading in the first place. Always closely inspect new cuttings before bringing them into your propagation area.

Diseases

Fungal diseases like black spots, powdery mildew, and botrytis are common cutting afflictions. These are all caused by excess moisture and humidity. Tips to avoid disease include:

• Improve airflow so leaves dry rapidly after watering. 
• Water at the base and avoid wetting foliage. 
• Remove any yellowing or spotted leaves promptly. 
• Cut away any black or mushy stem sections. 
• Disinfect tools between cuttings. 
• Water early in the day, so the leaves can fully dry during the day. 
• Purchase disease-resistant rose varieties.

Poor Drainage

Excess moisture can cause issues for rose cuttings. Overwatering and using dense, compacted potting soil can cause excess moisture. This excess moisture can quickly lead to root rot in cuttings. 

To improve drainage, you can modify the potting mix by adding coarse sand, perlite or vermiculite to the mix. This creates more air pockets in the soil which will provide better drainage, by allowing excess water to drain out of the soil easily. 

The pots and trays used should have ample drainage holes on the bottom of the pots and trays. This allows excess water to drain out easily. 

Check the soil moisture daily and only water when the top inch is slightly dry. After watering, allow all excess water to drain out completely. 

Watch Your Rose Cuttings Bloom

With proper care, propagated roses will bloom wonderfully, but you’ll need to be patient:

• For the first six to twelve months your rose plant will be in its ​​growth phase and will focus its energy on developing a strong stem and leaves. This vegetative phase is crucial for the overall health and future blooming potential of the plant.
• Once your rose plant has developed a strong system of roots, stem and leaves, you will start to see more impressive blooms in the second year.

Don’t forget to prune your roses yearly, typically during later winter to early spring, depending on the type of rose plant. To find out more, check out our post on when to prune your roses.

Final Thoughts – How to Grow a Rose from a Cutting

My journey with roses has been one filled with discovery, patience, and immense joy. I hope this guide has ignited the same passion in you, that I have long felt for roses.

Let’s continue to cherish every moment with these fabulous flowers.

Please share your experience or any tips below, in our comments section.

Happy gardening!

Frequently Asked Questions – How to Grow a Rose from a Cutting

What are the key benefits of growing a rose from a cutting?

Growing a rose from a cutting is rewarding, economical, and allows for preservation of rare or sentimental rose varieties. It’s also faster than growing from seeds and ensures a genetic clone of the parent plant, offering a hands-on horticulture experience and therapeutic gardening activity.

What are the essential steps and tools needed to grow a rose from a cutting?

Necessary tools include clean pruning shears, a sharp knife, disinfectant, rooting hormone, a clear plastic bag, a spray bottle, and a pot with drainage holes. Key steps involve selecting a healthy stem, preparing and planting the cutting in a moist potting mix, maintaining proper moisture levels, and providing consistent temperature and indirect sunlight.

How can common challenges like pests, diseases, and poor drainage be addressed when growing a rose from a cutting?

For pests, monitor cuttings daily, isolate infested ones, and use organic treatments like neem oil. Combat fungal diseases by improving airflow, watering at the base, and disinfecting tools. Address poor drainage by adjusting the potting mix with additives like sand or perlite, ensuring proper drainage holes, and checking soil moisture daily to avoid over-watering.