Cutting Roses Back

[kHT]

President Day week is the time we are to cut them back but I never get the time. I watch when they start to take off instead and I can't believe how much they have taken off this year already, it's like mid March growth!! So yesterday I decided it was time, my roses have been in the ground some 15 years and the canes were the size of a quarter around!! I lost count of the stalks I put back into the ground, more roses in my life!!

[LucyGoose]

Did you seal the ends? We got more snow last night....not that much......

[eastwood2007]

Karma, I'm not sure if I am reading your post right...are you saying you can just stick the cut ends of what you have pruned into the ground?

[caliloo]

Hey KHT - good for you for being able to prune this time of year... .the old addage for those of us with "real" winter is to prune when the forsythias are in bloom. I won't touch mine here in balmy zone 7 for several weeks or a month.

That said, propagating roses is really quite easy! I like to use a cutting from a recently bloomed cane (I usually do this in June), scrape the cut end just a bit, dip in rooting hormone, stick it in damp soil and then cover it with a cloche, bell or soda bottle with the bottom cut off to act as a mini green house.

I have many many cuttings that I have planted or sold at yard sales..... they are EASY!

Alexa

[John]

Alexa, rooting rose cuttings is not difficult for me, it is impossible! I even gave up hybridizing them, as I could not propagate my seedlings... You must have a green thumb...

[kHT]

eastwood2007, I just cut and stick right into the soil, no dippin' here!! I have some cuttings that are 4 feet and so I'm going to try one of those tree roses.
LG no sealing the ends either, we were in the high 50s again today. I had both G-house wide open and had 4 B. Candidas in bloom!
caliloo, why do you cover yours? Wouldn't you fry them in June? By June here they are starting to bloom.
Come on out John, I'll teach ya!

[caliloo]

I leave only the last 2 leaflets on the end of the cutting (I should have mentioned that) and I start them in a spot that is shady from mid-day on. THe cloche keeps them from drying out in the first couple of weeks while they grow roots and I can gradually prop them up to allow for air circulation. Last year I used Wilt-Pruf with some success, but I found it was easier just to cover them with a soda bottle or something.

I have noticed that some varieties do not seem to do as well here "own root" in my heavy clay soil... I guess that is why they were grafted to begin with!

Alexa

[kHT]

Thanks caliloo for the added information, might have to try that as I get a lot of requests for roses.

[Old earth dog]

Plastic milk cartons make the best cloche. The opaque white keeps the sun from burning and the screw on top allows excess heat from building up.