Vickie, here is my method for dormant cuttings. It may still work for this year. If you plan to prune anyway, there is nothing to loose by trying. If the soil is loose and in good shape you can skip a lot of preparation.

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WINTER/DORMANT ROSE CUTTINGS MADE FIRST WEEK DECEMBER ZONE 6

Materials needed:

Well prepared bed
Clean, sharp, pruning shears
Rooting hormone
2 liter soda bottles to cover
Gallon pots, if using
mulching materials
shade cloth, if needed

For rooting directly in the ground, have a good bed prepared that can be left undisturbed for a season. Add lots of compost, sand, peat, fine pine bark, composted cotton burs, or whatever is needed to keep it loose. ( Do not add fertilizer as it might burn the new roots) Holes may be punched in the soil with a broom handle and filled with fine sand. Make another hole with a pencil for the cutting.

Another option is sticking them in gallon pots filled with a good grade of potting soil mixed with perlite, and burying the pots to the rim in the garden. Soda bottles fit over them very nicely leaving room for watering around the edge. They can be lifted when rooted without damage to the new roots. Especially good if you are rooting them for someone else. Mulch these, also.

Cuttings with 4 buds/nodes, of current years growth, cut ½ inch below bottom bud and ½ inch above top bud. (Make sure you can tell the difference between top and bottom later) Drop them in a pail of water while collecting.

Prepare each cutting by taking a very thin one inch slice off each side of the node at the bottom of the cutting, leaving the node intact. Dip in powdered rooting hormone and knock off all excess. Stick in holes in sand, or in prepared holes in pots, having two nodes underground, and the 3rd at soil level. Firm up around the cutting. When all are done, water the bed or pots. Place a bottomless 2 liter soda bottle over them...working it into the soil a bit. Leave the labels on for some relief from winter sun and the caps off for ventilation. Place about 4 inches of mulch (wood chips or old hay) around the soda bottles.

DonÂt let them dry out over winter, but no need to keep them excessively wet. Watch for growth earlier than normal because of the cover. DonÂt remove until you are sure the growth is strong enough to indicate that roots are in place. Some shade may have to be supplied when you first uncover them.

Labeling may be done on soda bottle covers, or better still use a stick label in each pot or row if done in-ground. If done in rows in ground, make a chart with North and South clearly marked. Labels can fade out over winter.

Thanks Millie, could'nt ask for better instructions. am going to try some Monday after rounding up cola bottles and rooting powder. wish me luck. :)
Vickie

Hey Vickie~

Let me know if you are successful with yours. I have been tried few times with different methods. It is NOT works for me! Have a fun to try it.. Kat