| Examine the dormant axillary buds on the stems of opening or newly opened blooms and let that be your guide as to what the buds should look like on a good cutting. They'll be barely visible on some cultivars and fairly prominent on others. And of course, you want healthy leaves on healthy stems that are about average in thickness for the bloom bearing stems of the rose you are working with. And make sure the plant is well hydrated, and that the cuttings aren't exposed to dry air any longer than necessary during handling. When I start cuttings from my own roses I water them well at least 6 hours before (usually the evening before), and then drop the cuttings into a bucket of water as I collect them. Some people trim and wound the stems under water. I don't do that, but I do try to work quickly. There's a discussion of trimming and wounding, complete with photos, at the link below. The very best cuttings - those with the highest probability of rooting - are collected when the bloom bud is showing color, just before it would otherwise open. It's rarely necessary to sacrifice the bloom by cutting that early, though, unless the cultivar is unusually difficult to root. With most roses you'll see little or no difference in the success rate if you enjoy the bloom and then wait until it has passed its prime before you cut. Just don't wait too long. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Is this how you scrape the cuttings for rooting?
