Q&A for How to Take Rose Cuttings

After taking a cutting from a bush, dip the root in rooting powder. Place the cutting in a moist perlite potting soil mixture. Cover the cutting with plastic to contain the moisture.

You select a leaf bud that is not too soft, but not too hard either. Typically, these can be mostly found in the mid-section of the plant.

Cut a stem that's 6-12 inches in length. Remove all the flowers or fruit and trim the stem to just below the bottom leaf. Once this is done, cut off half the leaf.

Generally, you want to take a cutting from a relatively young or fresh part of the plant. Ideally, your cutting should have at least 2 nodes that will be above ground, for the leaves to grow out of, and 2 below ground, where the roots can sprout from.

It can take about 4-8 weeks for the cutting to fully take root and start to put out new leaves.

Mist the cuttings every day to keep the leaves moist until the roots take hold. If the weather is hot, you may need to mist them multiple times a day to keep them moist.

Yes, honey works well to help promote rooting, in part because it has antimicrobial properties that protect the cutting from infection while the roots are starting to grow.

Most common causes for what you describe are inadequate sunlight and fertilizer and root competition from trees close by. By applying two inches (5 cm) of compost and working it into the soil, and applying fertilizers in spring, and making sure they are kept watered well, this will promote formation of basal breaks and rejuvenate the bush. You can cut back the long canes by half when the bush has produced new base breaks.