Rose cutting calloused.

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

My husband gave me a dozen "Cherry Brandy" roses. I enjoyed them thoroughly and tried to root them. All of the ones so tried in water rotted but the one I stuck in sand has formed callouses. I know that because it hasn't lost its top leaves and the recent hard rain knocked the glass over and I saw it when I stuck it again.

Here's my question: should I leave it where it's at (north side of the house next to wall, wet and cool) or is it OK to pot it up? I have potting soil or I could use the dirt it's in since it's very sandy.

* edit to clarify-I stuck it in the sand in the ground. I covered it with a glass, actually a big green plastic tumbler.

Featured Answer

SoFL Rose z10

9 years ago

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it beeeeee. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be (a la The Beatles).

When it still has leaves and is forming roots, that means its happy. (Calloused aka forming-roots). You do not want to do anything just yet. I find I always get a little trigger happy and start moving them and planting them and stuff and that just stresses them out and causes them to fail.

Give it another few weeks and check for roots by looking through the bottom of the container (not by pulling at it or yanking it out). Once you see roots poking out of the drain holes (and i do hope there are drain holes) then you can pot it up in some nice potting soil (and in a one gallon pot). And give it a nice shot of "quick start" root simulator (miracle gro makes one that's readily available at home depot, etc). You'll want to keep it in the shade still until you start to see plenty of new growth, then you can start putting it in partial sun and then finally in full sun.

After you see roots coming out of the bottom of one gallon container move it up to a 5 gallon pot (or bigger if you want to grow it in a pot long term).

PS you don't need the "quick start" fertilizer, but I find it helps speed things up and get it off to a good start. :)

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Comments (7)

SoFL Rose z10
9 years ago
Oh, and one more thing. If it never manages to set roots, don't beat yourself up. Its not always easy to get cuttings to root. However, getting them to callous is usually the hardest part, so you are well on your way :). Good luck!!!
suncoastflowers thanked SoFL Rose z10
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suncoastflowers
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you! In this case it's in the ground (I reread my post and see how I wasn't clear about the glass) so I can't really check for roots, however, I can just leave it there and wait for new buds. That's how I knew my neighbor's cutting rooted. This has been sitting there since December though! LOL.
suncoastflowers
Original Author
9 years ago
Oh and great tip about the root stimulator. I've never heard of it.
SoFL Rose z10
9 years ago
Oh ok. Well, keep in mind, even if it does send out new growth, it does not mean it has grown roots. Roses store energy in their stems and can store enough of it to send out new leaves before roots have formed so give it more time even if the first few buds leaf out.

Is it in a spot where you plan on letting it grow indefinitely? or do you plan on moving it?

If you do plan on moving it, I would wait until you see some new shoots forming (a sign that roots have formed) and then (very very carefully) move it. Otherwise just let it be :)
suncoastflowers thanked SoFL Rose z10
bethnorcal9
9 years ago
Hah! I am in the process of rooting some CHERRY BRANDYs myself! I have tried for the last couple of yrs to root florist roses and they are notoriously difficult to root. But if you've got callouses, you're doin' great! I was trying to root in sand, in plastic cups inside my husband's old reptile terrarium, but they always rotted. This yr, I'm going back to my old ways of rooting, sort of. I always used to put several stems in a gallon pot just in regular ol' potting soil with a cut-off 2litre bottle on top for a greenhouse effect, and put them outside in a sheltered area. But now, I'm placing the pots inside those big Hefty 2.5gal zip-lock baggies, and leaving them outside in the weather... as is. So far, it's working great!! I've got several varieties of roses rooting, some since before Xmas. All are doing wonderfully well, even out there in temps as low as 32 degrees!! I managed to get GELATO to root, I'm pretty sure! I just potted up the CHERRY BRANDYs a couple weeks ago. I had that rose in my garden about a decade ago, but it died. It's actually even prettier in the garden, I think, than at the florist. The colors were more intense outdoors as I recall.

Here's hoping we both have success!!
suncoastflowers thanked bethnorcal9
suncoastflowers
Original Author
9 years ago
SoFL : it will have to be moved. It is on the east facing wall and is a nice mix of peat and sand. It's dark and cool. Apparently good for rooting but not for growing roses. I nearly killed my poor First Crush there. I moved him to the South side of the hour and he is recovering.

Beth: that's great! I'm so glad you're having success! Hopefully mine continues to try to root. I stuck it in the ground end of December so it's been 5 or 6 weeks.

Knock on wood we'll both have them in the garden. If it's even more beautiful grown in the garden I will be in heaven!