Hi! I am a total newbie to roses and need advice on two items.
I made some rose cuttings from a wild bush I have had in my yard for years. I did use root hormone, now just waiting. I see a few tiny buds on the sides of the stems after almost 2 months. I think they are alive How do I tell if the roots are actually growing, though?
Meawhile, the tree cutters I hired have cut my rose bush I took these from down to the ground! Its so late in the year. I am in zone 5, Wyoming. It should snow this weekend. Is there anything I should do to help this wild rose out before spring? I have researched it and this is a Harrisonâs Rose some call Yellowstone.
Thanks for help!!
Lisa - I canât help with the rose cuttings as I seldom try this and when I have I havenât had much luck. Although if you are seeing new buds on the canes I would say that is a good sign that your cuttings have indeed taken root.
With regard to your wild rose being cut down. While it is not clear exactly what you mean when you say âcut to the groundâ Iâm guessing that the canes were cut very close perhaps 2 to 3 inches to the ground. If the rose Harrisonâs Yellow has been there for some time it would be my thinking that it is very well established with a good root system. Also this is a very hardy rose. While unfortunate that they cut your rose back, I think that it will come through winter and flourish come spring. I would place a layer of mulch over the rose - say 3 or 4 inches could be thicker as this will further help protect the root system from winterâs freeze and thaw cycles. Roses are quite tough. Iâm in Michigan and have had to cut back my roses, HTâs and all back to mear stubs in the spring and by June they are happily blooming. Best wishes for a good winter and wonderful blooms in spring. Let us know how things turn out
Hi, Harrisonâs Rose is beautiful and pretty hardy. The roots are protected in the ground. On both questions, I would wait until spring and see what develops. I had 50-50 luck with doing cuttings. Let us know how yours do!
âHarrisonâs Yellowâ is a vigorous rose when it has been in the ground a few years. If it was so large that it needed a haircut, it must have been in the ground many years. If you are in an area with near or below zero temps expected, you could cover it with Christmas tree branches and let the snow gather. It should grow then bloom by next July.
One thing that others havenât mentioned is that your rose is a spring blooming rose, which means that you probably wonât have blooms on the hard pruned rose next year. Donât worry if that happens. the rose should vigorously grow canes and be ready to bloom profusely the following year. You will want to fertilize well with a balanced fertilizer. I would also recommend adding mono potassium phosphate (MPK) to help strengthen the new canes. Follow the package instructions. if you are spraying the MPK on to the leaves 1/2 tsp per gallon is recommended, otherwise 1 tsp per gallon works for soul watering.
Regarding your propagations/cuttings, if they are showing new growth after 2 months, they likely have the smallest of roots. If youâre willing to dig one up, you can brush the dirt free gently and check them out!
However, I hope you planted them in pots as they may not survive outdoors at such a tender stage. Propagations are essentially seedlings and need to be treated like other baby plants!
How do I tell if the roots are actually growing, though?