When is the best time to propagate roses by cuttings for a high survival rate?

There is no doubt that roses are extremely popular, in no way inferior to peonies and rose flowers. Gardeners who want more rose plants often choose cuttings to get more roses. Today we share how to propagate roses from cuttings.

In theory, roses can be propagated by cuttings in all four seasons, and cutting methods are divided into hardwood cuttings and softwood cuttings. Temperature has a great influence on the survival rate of cuttings. Keeping the temperature at 18-25°C during cutting gives the highest survival rate.

Hardwood cuttings are taken during the dormant period, in winter or in early spring before budbreak. At this time the branches store abundant nutrients, so cuttings root easily. However, because winter temperatures are relatively low, rooting takes longer.

Softwood cuttings are taken from young shoots of the current year, and the best time is April-May and September-October, though this varies slightly from place to place. At this time the new shoots are not fully lignified, neither old nor tender, and the survival rate of cuttings is high. Stems that are completely unlignified or completely lignified are both unsuitable for cuttings.

If the cutting temperature is too low, the rose stays dormant, the wound will not heal or root, and over a long time it easily becomes diseased and dies. If the temperature is too high, bacteria multiply and the stem easily turns black; also, high temperatures tend to make leaves grow before roots, which is not good for the survival of cuttings.