Rose bush cuttings

[BrokenDown2]

Hi there, I’m hoping to get some advice on how to make rose bush cuttings grow roots most successfully.
And also where on the “bush” is the best place to cut?
My grandad used to love gardening and had big beautiful rose bushes in his garden. My grandparents have passed away now and the new owner of the house said I was able to come along and take some cuttings. They sent me a photo of it and it’s looking pretty sad, there’s only one left.
I have attached a photo of what it looks like currently. Could anybody advise me on where to cut and if it looks like it would be successful or not.
I took a cutting years ago and it survived well for 5 years then a family member were adamant they wanted it in their garden and within 6 months it was dead.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Here's two video; (skip forward to 2 minutes in) and They both say pretty much the same thing. I think the important thing is that you don't make one cutting and hope that it takes - you need several. They also didn't mention (because they are on home turf) that it is usually advised that you deal with your cuttings ASAP - if you don't do anything with the cuttings for a few hours then you reduce your chances. The usual advice is to store in a ziplock bag until you can attend to them.

The rose in the picture is a pretty poor specimen. Does the owner really want it? Could you persuade them to let you take the whole plant? You could nurture it and then take cuttings when it is a bit more robust.
You could even promise a reverse: that you keep the original and they get the new plant(s) that you create.

Good luck!

Hi @BrokenDown2 one of the keys to success in cuttings is to take them from a healthy plant, sadly that doesn't look very healthy.

I know 🥺 I guess I'll take as much as I can and see what it's like when I see it in person. I know my chances of success with the cuttings will be pretty slim

Thanks for posting this, and for the responses. I have a similar query about cuttings from my Dad's roses so I'll have a look at the video.
Do you know the names of the roses or where your Grandad used to buy them from? My Dad bought many of his from David Austin so I plan to buy some "new" ones from there if my cuttings don't take. My reasoning is that they'd be from the same "family tree", IYSWIM. Problem is that my Dad didn't leave many of the labels or tags on them and isn't around to ask anymore. I only have sketchy ideas about what they actually are but some names in their catalogue do look familiar.

I'm really sorry but I don't. If my grandad was here he would have been able to tell me straight away but like your dad, he didn't leave any tags on the bushes either.
Do you know if any plant id apps would help at all? Sometimes they only know basic things about the rose, I'll check tomorrow when I go along.

www.instagram.com/reel/CuuTxdYqMAM/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This is a tutorial for rose propagation. I hope you find it useful

The lady gave me the whole bush. But looks like she cut off all the long roots 😩 so I'm not sure what I can do?
Do I risk putting the whole thing in a pot for now or should I start taking some cuttings?

Oh my goodness.
I'll wait for better rose experts then me but I think your first port of call is to plunge it in a bucket of water.

I'd do both, put it in the ground ASAP and show it lots of TLC, but take lots of cuttings too. If you haven't already planted the rose some Mycorrhizal fungi in the planting hole might help as well. Given the time of year make sure you water the newly planted rose lots.

Try watering it into the pot with a big bucket of liquid seaweed fertiliser, not too strong. As it is not too strong and has lost some roots, try to avoid any other fertiliser for now. Keep well watered as PP suggested, in an open, sunny spot.

I’d suggest leaving it at least one or two of its best-looking branches when you take your cuttings.

If it survives until early spring (I’d give it at least until next summer even if it looks very sickly) you could then give it some well rotted cow manure around the edge of the pot, kept well away from the base of the bush, and continue to fertilise with rose food as normal from there.

I took some cuttings. Should I leave this as it is for now and put it in the ground or should I take some cuttings from this?
I looked closer and it looks like there's no roots on the bottom at all. They've hacked at it to get it out the ground. It's all wooden looking at the bottom

It's hard to tell from pick but most of the branches are green apart from the bottom

If it helps, most of the roses from David Austin will be grafts taken from their stock plants and grafted onto roots so the majority of plants in anyone's garden will all be taken from the same original stock plants. So if you have any photos of the originals, it is likely that David Austin could identify them and send you new plants of the same variety and it will be just the same as taking cuttings from your grandparents' garden.

I looked closer and it looks like there's no roots on the bottom at all.
How annoying. They could have left it for you to take out, carefully.

If you think that you have sufficient cuttings then stick the rest in the ground after dipping it in rooting hormone ... you never know what might come back (but don't hold your breath).
There's a lot of height in proportion to root so secure it some way so that it doesn't get wind rock.

Oh that is a shame. I agree with @senua - treat it as a giant cutting and hope for the best.

Hi, just thought I'd put a little update and also asking for advice on what I should do with the cuttings over the winter?

The first pic is a few weeks after a chopped it right down and the second pic is how it currently is.
I also have small cuttings and 4 out of 6 are growing well. The other 2 might not be successful.

I'm scared to leave them outside over winter but the only other option is the shed and they won't get any light that way. I did read roses can go dormant over winter but I wasn't sure if that was the case for cuttings or not.
Any advice would be great, thank you!

I leave mine outside without problem, but a relatively sheltered spot in the south west

That's brilliant news. Well done!
Carry on as you are (it's obviously working!) and leave them be over the winter. Find somewhere relatively sheltered so they don't get "wind rock". Maybe take out any buds now as they are an unnecessary drain on energy.
Check the pots in spring and when you can see roots coming out of the bottomt hen move them on to the next stage (?their permanent position?)
You must be so pleased.

All my cuttings go into a cold frame or a sheltered spot for the winter.

DM used to strike all her cuttings, including roses, by sticking them in a row in the vegetable garden. So clearly they were able to cope with winter. (Her enthusiasm for striking cuttings was greater than her energy for planting out, so she ended with an exotic hedge across the veg garden)

Oh well done! I really was not hopeful for you after the previous picture. You clearly have quite the green thumb :)

Hey, me again 🤦🏻‍♀️. I've noticed the soil the cuttings are in are constantly wet. They're in quite a sheltered area but clearly still getting the rain. I've lost 1 of the cuttings and I think it's because of it constantly being wet. Is it a risk to repot with new soil and then maybe put them somewhere even more sheltered if possible.
I had to put them in the shed whilst we had that terrible wind and rain in the uk but it doesn't look like that affected them. But the fact one was rotten and another was a bit mouldy but still alive makes me worry the constant wet soil is going to cause root rot and kill them

Yes, not good to be that wet. By all means move them to new soil, but be very gentle in case they have got roots coming. It’s a no-lose situation - you may knock the new roots iff and put paid to them, but if you leave them in soggy soil they’ll likely rot off anyway

If they were OK in the shed before, why can't you put them in there again?

I just worried if they weren't getting much sunlight, it might become a problem? Or does it not matter until spring time comes in?