[GPI]

My Little Secret With Rose Cuttings
By AJ Allen

I have always loved roses -- and of course taking cuttings is half the fun of growing them. Free plants! My strike rate is around 99%, which I put down to two things that I do slightly differently than the accepted "normal" methods.

When To Take Your Cuttings

This is my first "secret"--okay, perhaps it's not a secret, more something that a lot of people don't give a lot of thought to. I like to take them in autumn (or should that be the fall, for Americans?) once the sap has dried up a little. But WHEN exactly to take them? During a full moon. A day either side of a full moon is fine, but do this and your strike rate will increase, I guarantee it!

The second thing that I do, is use what i call willow water. Strip some bark off willow branches (any variety will do) and soak this in a tub with enough water to cover for a few days. Willow bark contains a strong root promoting hormone, as good or better than any you can buy.
Now when you take your cuttings, allow them to stand in a jar of the "willow water" for two or three days.



Planting Your Cuttings

I like to find a nice sunny spot in the garden--not too damp, and preferably sandy. If you like, you can mix a little river sand in (not salty beach sand!) which will help stimulate root growth. I don't find damaging the ends of the cuttings helps me at all with getting a good strike rate. I just make a nice clean cut. Each cutting should have 2-4 buds...remove the leaves from the cutting -- this will help with keeping the cutting alive over the winter.
And that's it! Come back in the spring to see how you did. Follow these simple steps and you will have more free roses than you know what to do with.

AJ is the owner of http://www.love-of-roses.com a site for everything to do with roses. Pictures, free wallpaper, tips, and rose books. More pictures are being added daily, with non copyrighted pictures that you can use for web sites, home computer etc.
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[seanboylan]

thats interesting. I have read about aspirin being used to promote rooting and of course aspirin is derived from the willow

[BlackBird]

Well if using willow water to root roses causes the rose cutting to root as quick as willows often do, then I'll certainly try it.

[crosseyedsheep]

That is an interesting article. I reckon the tips would be worth trying with other cuttings as well. By the way, the next full moon is on the 26th of October.
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[Joaney]

What an unusual idea , I must have a go on the next full moon.

[annie]

I realise this topic is a couple of months old but it is quite interesting and something I will definately be trying.
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I love my garden...so do the birds, the bugs and the weeds!!!

http://delights-in-my-garden.blogspot.com/

[Tom]

Would love to know how you get on when you try it annie.

[annie]

well as we are just into autumn now, I shall be trying it soon, there is an elderly lady down the road from me and she has gorgeous roses that I've admired often ... perhaps I will offer to prune them for her and take some cuttings at the same time.
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I love my garden...so do the birds, the bugs and the weeds!!!

http://delights-in-my-garden.blogspot.com/

[sal]

that sounds like something i`m going to try come next full moon,and also the willow water too,

[Sive]

Does anyone know if this works with other types of cuttings? I just don't have green fingers and cuttings never seem to work for me. Help please!