A Detailed Guide to Autumn Rose Cutting Propagation Techniques and Management Methods

Roses can be propagated from cuttings in all four seasons, but the autumn cutting method is simple, easy to manage once winter arrives, and after being divided and potted the following year, they can bloom in that same year. September to October, with temperatures of 20°C to 25°C, is the best time for rose cuttings, with a survival rate as high as over 95%.

Seedbed Preparation

For cutting propagation and seedling raising, it is advisable to choose a neutral sandy loam with good water and fertility conditions (pH 6.5 to 7). If the soil is heavy and clayey, an appropriate amount of fine sand can be mixed in during soil preparation. If the soil has a high sand content and low fertility, an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer can be applied during soil preparation; combined with soil preparation, apply 0.5 kg of isofenphos-methyl per mu to prevent underground pests from damaging the seedlings. For home propagation, a shallow clay pot or shallow wooden box can be used, with a soil mix that is loose, well-drained and well-aerated, and free of root-knot disease pathogens, such as 7 parts loose garden soil plus 3 parts rice husk ash or perlite. Before use, it is best to spread the above substrate on a concrete surface and expose it to sunlight, or disinfect it with a chemical solution, to kill pathogens in the soil, then fill it into the pot or box for cuttings.

Selection and Pruning of Cuttings

In the cutting orchard, select robust, pest- and disease-free plants of good quality as mother plants. From the mother plants, choose branches that are thick and strong, have short internodes, a good degree of lignification, and fully developed leaves, either after flowering has finished or before flowering, as cuttings. Leave 4 internodes on each cutting (that is, 3 compound leaves), with the cutting about 10 cm long being suitable. The top leaf should be 1 cm from the upper cut, which is made as a flat cut. The lower end is cut off below the third compound leaf, and a slanted (horse-ear) cut is made at the lower part opposite the compound leaf. The first and second compound leaves must be robust and fully developed; keep 2 small leaflets on each compound leaf and cut off the rest together with the petiole. The lower cut of the cutting should be made as a slanted (horse-ear) cut at the base of the stem behind the bud eye of the third compound leaf, so as to make full use of the favorable factor of abundant nutrient storage in the internodes, making it easier for the cutting to callus, root and survive.