Beginner: Do cuttings from grafted roses (David Austin) do well?

8 years ago

Hi,

I want to grow a rose over my kitchen wall.

I took a cutting from a branch of my David Austin Generous Gardener climber last year, which is now 30cm high, has roots and has made a new flower bud this spring.

If I plant this rose, will it do relatively as well as if I buy a new Generous Gardener from a plant shop, or (as Generous Gardeners are grafted onto different root stocks), will it be less disease resistant and not grow as quickly or as high?

I’ve never taken rose cuttings before and am not sure what exact difference the grafted rootstem has on the final rose. I don’t want to regret my decision in 3 years time!

thank you for your help :-)

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Sean (Zone 9a, The Netherlands)

7 years ago

Rosy lady, it is as Sultry experienced: barely a bloom! And it is a MAGNET for powdery mildew! It received a lot of love but I mostly got leaves and tough stems.

Sultry, I took the cuttings when pruning them for autumn. About 8 inch lengths from the current year's growth- those canes that shoot straight up are best. I cut the lengths, bottom just below a bud and at an angle, and put them to stand in a jar of water while I prepare the rest. I use a mix of half loose potting compost and half perlite or vermiculite. You can also use sand. I use Clonex rooting gel but I'm pretty sure that ordinary rooting powder could work as well. I lightly scrape the bottom ends and dip them in the rooting medium. Then use a pencil to make holes about 4 inches deep and insert the cuttings, bottom first. I then put them in a closed greenhouse for the winter. I do this in the autumn.

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Comments (7)

SoFL Rose z10
8 years ago
Typically an own root rose takes about three seasons to catch up to a grafted rose. Some roses are weak on their own roots but others do just fine. Does DA offer the generous gardener in its own roots? If so chances are it will do fine. Many Austin’s do well on their own roots so you’ll probably be fine. Just expect it to mature slower that your grafted one.
Moses, Pitt PA, cold W & hot-humid S, z6
8 years ago
Sebwin,

Part of the difference between how well a grafted rose does as compared to an own root rose of the same variety, depends on your growing zone.

In colder zones the extra boost of vigor and winter survivability a good rootstock gives the top graft bestows many grafted roses an edge. This is seen very dramatically with miniature roses, which are not usually available commercially as grafted bushes. Almost all miniature roses are sold own root, but when grafted they grow unbelievably vigorously, considerably larger, and with far more abundant flowers than own root minis produce.

There are plenty of roses that grow very well own root in northern climes, but my experience has taught me, when grafted, a rose will do better up north than an own root.

I have no experience growing roses in warm zones, but I believe the own roots do very well there, and when grafted may turn into monster roses.

Moses
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mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
8 years ago
I am one of those own root folks in a warmer climate. All of my roses, but one bush I have (in a pot), are own root. I have used cuttings from my rose bushes to start new ones (shhhhh, don't tell the breeders). It is true what Moses stated. All of them have done well, but they do take some time to come into their own.

Sebwin, I don't know what zone you are in so I can't comment on own root vs grafted for your area. I also don't grow Generous Gardener, so I can't comment on that either. My Brother Cadfael does great on its own root as do my other DA roses (Pretty Jessica, Munstead Wood, Mary Magdalene, and Alnwick. The Brother is easy to grow on its own root and gets to be about 10 feet tall in my climate. His scent is to die for. Flowers are gorgeous! One of my favorites!
Sean (Zone 9a, The Netherlands)
7 years ago
In my exoerienceexperience, so far, so good. I have found Brother Cadfael VERY easy to root and Shropshire Lad is very enthusiastic (though I am not at all keen on that rose). I also had good

success with Boscobel. I have rooted Falstaff and now have 3 plants growing happily into year 2- they even flowered at the end of their fristfirst year! I tried to remove the buds through to keep the energy inon growth but they just went for it! After seeing some lanky growth, I did prune it up lightly and even noticed a shoot burst up from below the soil level:
Rosylady (PNW zone 8)
7 years ago
Sean...this is off topic, but why aren't you keen on Shropshire Lad? I planted one last year, so I haven't had it a full season yet.
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I had Shropshire Lad, own root, for 3 yrs. I think I got one bloom then it dwindled and died. I think it might like more cold than I have here. If I found it grafted on Fortuniana cheap (not likely lol) I might try again. It also had a lot of black spot.

Sean, how do you root your rose cuttings?