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Soaking rose cuttings

ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
in Plants
I know the best success is with cuttings taken in late spring and early summer but, as I'm planning to prune my roses tomorrow and thought I may as well try some cuttings as not, I did a bit of local research. 

One article I read suggests soaking them for a few hours in a solution of:

1 tsp honey
2 tsp aloe juice
1 tsp wood ash
1.2 litres distilled water

and then putting them in the soil or pots of gritty compost and keep warm with a cloche on the soil or a plastic bag held up on sticks if in pots.  Keep moist by regular misting or oaccasional watering.  Rooting should take about 45 days.

Has anyone ever tried this?   

 



Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Plato

Posts

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Never heard of that but it does seem overly fussy for rose cuttings, Obelixx, what’s the mix supposed to do, act as a sort of rooting powder? I would be wary of putting a cloche or bag over them and likewise misting in case it caused fungal problems or cane rot. I would think a sheltered area against the house would be enough for potted cuttings.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I did wonder about the cloche bit @Nollie altho it can get so dry here they might help as long as they're not teeny and there's plenty of air in there.

    I might just try it and see, with and without cloches - nothing to lose as the prunings will otherwise just end up as compost.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • OliyaOliya Posts: 228
    I just put the prunings in random pots and flower beds around the garden. It’s the first time I’m trying this so I don’t know how successful it’ll be. I just felt bad putting nice cuttings into compost…
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    My Little Gardening Granny just used to make hardwood cuttings and put them in a slit trench with some fine grit and just leave them  alone for about 18 months … she raised loads of rose bushes …  she didn’t cosset plants, but she did have the greenest fingers I’ve ever come across. I’ve a feeling Wonky may have inherited them. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    That worked in Belgium but not here - different climate and soil, hence a search for a new approach.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    You could always double up on your cuttings and do half with that method and half the usual way as an experiment. Be interesting to hear how it goes, so do report back!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    i will @Nollie.  I've done one lot of plain cuttings in a terracotta pot today and put them in a plastic covered shelving unit I have in the polytunnel.

    No time for roses now till next week but by then I'll have organised a set of soaking pots and cuttings pots for the experiment and will report back.

    Just to illustrate the difficulties, last year I took a dozen cuttings of buddleia Masquerade and put them in a shady spot on the north side of the polytunnel but, thanks to the early and extended heatwaves and drought, only one became a new plant.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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