Roses for the making

Who wouldn't like more roses? so why not take your own cuttings. Most advice on this subject suggests taking softwood cuttings in early to mid summer, or hardwood cuttings in the fall, and I would not disagree.

But why waste your Spring rose prunings? I have considerable success striking pruned stems like the one below which is pencil thickness and ten inches long.

At the base of the cut stem, you will find a bud, with the leaf scar just below (l) or a bud eye with leaf scar. (r) 

Cut just below, or through the leaf scar

Find a bud six to eight inches above the base

and make a sloping cut just above the bud.

Dip the cutting in rooting powder

and insert into a neutral potting medium, I use a sand and perlite mix.

Label, and keep moist in a warm shady area. Is this method as reliable as softwood cuttings in the summer, or hardwood cuttings in the fall, probably not.

but you have the material from all the Spring prunings, what have you to lose other than a little time, and look what you have to gain.