Hi Rick,
I live in WV and I have successfully started several
new rose cuttings using the mason jar method. I remove
the leaves from the bottom of the 2 leaf nodes and put
rooting hormone on the end and put the cutting in the
ground, then just cover it with the jar. By spring I
have a brand new rose.

Thanks, Sheila, I was wondering about leaving the jar in place until Spring arrives. Sounds like its the best thing to do, or at least won't hurt the cutting.

Rick

I have a related question. I have several cuttings I have done in small pots with a mason jar rather than in the ground. Any one have an idea what I should do with them for the winter (in Michigan)? I don't want to plant them since I give them to other people.

Rick, The only way I could successfully root a rose is with the mason jar method and I left the jar on through the winter and had success until I needed to dig them up and move them this spring. So this year I did it the way mahew did it and had greater success.

mahew, I am also in MI and now wonder what to do with them. My neighbor (who is big into roses) says to put them in my unheated garage and make sure they stay moist, not soggy. But being me and being very forgetful I moved mine into an unheated entry porch that has all south facing windows with undirect sunlight and I can remember to keep an eye on my new babies. Hopefully this works.

Mindy

Hi Mindy,

Thanks for sharing your observations! It seems there is no requirement that they need to be dug up in the early spring, so I may just take off the jar after the danger of frost is past, and let the rooted roses stay put a bit longer in the ground before transplanting them to their final destination. I have had great success transplanting all kinds of plants by first root-pruning them with a spade several weeks ahead of time, making the roots form a more dense ball before transplanting.

Rick

Can I ask a few questions ??

About how many canes do you usually root under one mason jar?? I was wondering if I tried to put 4 or 5 cuttings in there if it would make it a fuller bush or is this thought goofy??

Do I use certain canes as in older versus younger or ones that have just had blooms on them or does it even matter??

Sorry but I am so new to roses period and I would love to cut some of my most favorite just for fun. Thanks a bunch, Judy

I'm no expert, but I do put multiple cuttings under a single Mason jar since some may not "take," not because I aim for a fuller bush. I try to space cuttings under a jar so I have a chance to separate individual roses' root systems, which limits the number under a single jar. (No one has told me the minimum recommended spacing between cuttings, so in my ignorance I settled on 1-1/2 inches apart or so.) If more than one makes it, I plan to try to move the extras to allow healthy root expansion. I get more cuttings, and taller ones, under a "sun tea" jar than a canning jar.

When I first started using Mason jars, I found they overheated and killed the cuttings unless they were in either natural shade (north side of an existing bush) or protected from direct sun by a strategically-placed piece of lumber. I started by relying on natural shade, which meant I rooted some cuttings in spots where I don't want mature plants, so they will need to be transplanted later. But if I shade the jar with something so it does not get too much direct sun, I can try rooting right where I want the mature plants to grow.

From my reading, to get an apparently bushier rose one should choose a variety that has a relatively compact growth habit (at least in mature width, if not height, which can be controlled by pruning) - not a climber or sprawler. David Austin recommends planting his roses in groups of 3 or 5, with individual plants spaced not closer than about 1-1/2 feet apart.

Hope this helps, from one learner to another.

Rick

Thanks Rick, I think I will give it a try. It sounds like fun. Thanks for your help. Judy

hi i am new to rose cuttings but this year i started taking cuttings with some sucess but i lost a few with mason jars because of heat so i bought a plastic container and put my cuttings in 16 oz plastic cups i have several that did well two even had roses but i need advice on over winter cuttings i have in garden now december 13 th help