How to Get a Start Off of a Rose Bush

Early American settlers traveled across the country with "starts" from their roses back home. These little pieces of stem, usually carried in mason jars, were used to grow new roses when the settlers reached the West. Growing roses from "starts" is still popular with gardeners today, and the technique is practically free.

Things You'll Need

• Very sharp scissors or knife
• Rooting hormone powder
• Willow tree branches
• Organic matter for soil
• Glass or plastic jar/bottle
• Ziploc bags

Instructions

1. Root a "start" is spring or early fall. Tender new rose cuttings won't endure extremely hot summers or cold winters.

2. Cut about ten 6 to 8-inch sections of stem off of your rose bush (or bushes), using very sharp scissors and cutting at a 45-degree angle. Cutting more than one "start" means you'll have a greater chance that they'll take root. Choose healthy stems that have just finished blooming and still have the withered rose attached. Remove the old flowers, as well as the leaves on the lower halves of the cuttings. Keep all the leaves on the cuttings' upper halves; they provide sugars that help with photosynthesis.

3. "Wound" the bottom of your cuttings. That is, make a few vertical cuts at the bottom of the stems with a sharp knife. This encourages further rooting.

4. Dip the bottom of the stems in dry powder rooting hormone. Tap the cuttings gently to get rid of loose powder. A rooting hormone isn't necessary, but it increases the chances that your cuttings will develop root systems.

5. If you prefer organic gardening, you can make your own rooting tonic using willow tree branches. Chop up fresh willow branches (about 2 cups of willow to every gallon of water) and cover with boiling water. Let this mixture stand overnight. Soak your cuttings in the willow-water for a few hours. Willow trees contain a naturally-occurring chemical (indolebutyric acid) that induces rooting.

6. Find a sunny location to plant your roses. They will grow best with bright, but not direct sunlight. Make sure the soil is well-drained. Mix a layer of organic matter (compost, manure, peat moss, etc.) into the soil. Then, poke holes into the soil with a pencil--about half the length of the cuttings--and insert the cuttings. Pat down the soil around the plants.

7. Cover each cutting with a glass jar or a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off. This will lock in humidity, and ensures that the cutting doesn't lose a lot of water through its leaves. Or, put soil in the bottom of a large Ziploc bag, insert the cutting, close the bag, and hang it from a clothesline. You'll be able to see the roots as they grow.

8. Keep the soil around your cuttings constantly moist. Your cuttings should begin to root in about 4 to 8 weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• If you've covered your "starts" with glass jars, make sure that the sun doesn't beat down on the jar and overheat the rose.