Simple ways to save rose cuttings until spring and plant them correctly

Lush rose gardens add flavor to any garden. Even a small flowering bush near the steps will make your porch look more sophisticated.

The rose garden begins with the preparation of cuttings for planting in the spring. Seedlings with a ready-made root system are bought in a flower shop or harvested independently. We will tell you how to preserve cuttings of roses until spring, check them for safety and plant them.

Selection and preparation of cuttings of roses for storage until spring

Cuttings - the easiest and most reliable way to propagate roses. In order for the flowers to grow quickly in spring, it is important to properly prepare the material in late summer or autumn. Before pruning, the bush is carefully examined, only thick and healthy shoots are selected. This ensures that the plants will quickly take root in the soil after planting.

The stems should be green, firm, without young shoots and leaves, traces diseases and insect damage. It is recommended to cut off the shoots from the middle of the branch. The optimal shoot thickness is 4-5 mm, the length is from 20 cm.

They use a sharply sharpened secateurs or a knife, disinfected in alcohol or boiling water. The lower cut is made at an angle of 45 ° below the last kidney. The upper cut is made straight, 2-3 cm above the kidney. Movements must be precise and sharp. The branches are stripped of leaves and the sections are dipped in liquid paraffin to prevent germination and evaporation of moisture.

Reference. In a temperate climate, rose bushes are cut at the end of September, leaving 3-4 shoots 30-50 cm long.

Cuttings of roses that were planted in the summer are recommended to be dug up and stored, since their root system is not yet sufficiently developed and will not survive the winter. This is a prerequisite for growing roses in regions where the air temperature in winter drops below -35 ° C.

What conditions are required for cuttings to preserve

For safety, cuttings of roses are kept in a cellar or basement until spring. The material is tied in bundles of 10 pieces, put in boxes and covered with sand. The room temperature should be in the range of –4… + 7 ° С. At higher values, the cuttings will begin to germinate ahead of time, at lower values ​​they will freeze.

The optimum air humidity is 65–70%. At higher rates, the planting material will begin to rot, and in an excessively dry room it will dry out.

Some put the cuttings upright in a mixture of turf, peat and perlite (4: 2: 1). The container is wrapped in dense black polyethylene to block access to sunlight. Once a month, the film is removed to air the cuttings. Each of them is carefully inspected for the presence of rot, the soil mixture is watered if necessary.

Storage methods for rose cuttings

In addition to basement storage, there are several ways to overexpose cuttings until spring: on the balcony, in the ground, in the refrigerator, in moss or potatoes, under rose bushes and snow.

Storage for the winter in the ground

The method of storing cuttings in the ground is suitable for regions with a warm climate, if the grower does not have the opportunity to place the planting material in the cellar... Depending on the number of cuttings, they dig a trench or pit 20–50 cm deep. The bottom is lined with spruce branches, dry branches, boards, straw or agrofibre.

Cuttings are laid out on top so that they do not touch.Next, put another layer of covering material and cover everything with soil. To find a storage location, the trench is marked with posts or wooden pegs.

Some growers store planting material in a special cuticle, which looks like a bed with a homemade shelter from frost. The cuttings are poked into the soil at a 45 ° angle and each is covered with a glass jar or cut-bottomed plastic bottle. As soon as a positive air temperature is established, the shelter is removed, and the cuttings are left to grow in the same place until autumn.

On the balcony

This method is suitable for city dwellers who leave for the country only with the arrival of spring. With the onset of the first autumn frosts, cuttings are cut off, leaving 2-3 buds. A thick layer of expanded clay is poured into a plastic bucket, and on top - sod from the garden, mixed with perlite (4: 1). The prepared soil mixture is abundantly watered with settled water.

Each cutting is dipped in slices into water, then into a growth stimulant solution. The material is placed in small recesses and wrapped in polyethylene. The container is wrapped in a thick blanket or blanket and taken out to the balcony. If the floor is cement, place boards or foam under the bucket.

In sunny weather, the shelter is removed, and the cuttings are sprayed with Epin solution. After complete drying, the planting material is wrapped again. If the air temperature at night drops below -20 ° C, the container is brought into the room.

Under rose bushes

This is one of the simplest storage methods that does not require much effort on the part of the grower. It is used for the simultaneous cultivation of several varieties of roses.

Petioles are added dropwise under a bush of the corresponding variety in the following sequence:

• the hole is made up to 15 cm deep;
• cover the bottom with cotton cloth;
• fill the pits with cuttings in the amount of 10-15 pieces;
• a layer of fabric is placed on top of the planting material and everything is sprinkled with earth.

In the snow

On the garden plot, holes are dug 15–20 cm deep. The bottom is covered with agrofibre, cuttings without leaves are placed on top, everything is covered with cloth and covered with soil. In winter, snow is thrown on top and small mounds are formed. In this form, the cuttings are stored until spring. In the first decade of March, they are dug up and examined for callus (growths in the root area), and then planted in prepared holes.

In a refrigerator

If it is not possible to store cuttings in the cellar, a refrigerator is perfect for this purpose. Optimum humidity in the refrigerating chamber should be 90–95%, temperature should not exceed + 5 ° С.

Prepared cuttings are wrapped in cellophane so that air penetrates inside. The bundles are placed in the bottom drawer tightly to each other. Once a month, the wrapper is removed, and the cuttings are carefully examined for rot and mold. If the sections are dry, they are sprayed with clean water from a spray bottle. The mold is removed with a soft brush or damp cloth, the rotten cuttings are discarded.

Using moss

Sphagnum moss is used for storing rose cuttings.... The prepared material is wrapped in moss, pre-soaked in a solution of "Fitosporin". The sections are soaked for 20-30 minutes in a growth stimulator. The cuttings are placed in a tight bag and taken to storage in a cellar or basement. It is allowed to keep them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The bag is periodically opened and aired, the branches are carefully examined, and the moss is sprayed with clean water.

Reference. Sphagnum has antibacterial properties and retains moisture, so rose cuttings are perfectly stored until spring.

In early March, they start rooting cuttings. The moss wrap is removed, the thorns are cut off. The bottom of a cardboard or plastic box is lined with fresh sphagnum, and 3 cm of river sand washed under a tap is poured on top. Cuttings are planted so that 1-2 buds remain above the sand layer. The seedlings are covered with polyethylene and several holes are made in it for fresh air.

The box is placed in a warm, well-lit room.It is important to constantly monitor the moisture content of the soil and water it as the top layer dries.

Rooting in potatoes

Florists often practice rooting rose cuttings in potato tubers. Thanks to the starch and nutrients contained in the vegetable, cuttings grow rapidly in spring and multiply.

The tubers should be of medium size, without external damage. They are treated with a fungicide solution ("Strobi", "Quadris", "Horus", "Delana", "Acrobat", "Ditan") and the eyes are removed. Most of the foliage is removed from the cuttings and the sections are treated with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. It is recommended to immerse the cuttings in aloe juice for 12 hours so that they are saturated with moisture, and the cut remains fresh longer. Instead of aloe, use a growth stimulant ("Epin" or "Zircon").

A depression is made in the tubers and a stalk is placed. It is desirable to seal the upper cut with paraffin. The tubers are dropped into an opaque pot and watered with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. Instead of a pot, they use thick plastic bags and hang them on the window. After 2-3 weeks, the buds will grow.

The cuttings are regularly watered with clean water at room temperature, once a week, granulated sugar (1 tbsp. L. Per 200 ml of water) is added to the liquid to feed them with carbohydrates.

The planting material is covered with a glass jar or a plastic bottle, watered with high quality. The soil should be constantly moist, but not excessively. The root system begins to develop simultaneously with new shoots. After 2-3 weeks, the pots are taken out into fresh air. The shelter is slightly raised and fixed in this position. Start at 15 minutes and gradually work up to 24 hours. When the plant gets used to the open air, the cover is completely removed.

When to plant saved cuttings

There is no specific date for planting roses in spring. It all depends on the climatic conditions in the region. Before planting, the cuttings must be checked for safety.

How to check the safety

How to check how well the planting material survived the winter? Approximately 24 hours before planting, the cuttings are carefully examined:

• they must be resilient and elastic, not breaking when bent;
• the bark should be green, without dry and wrinkled areas;
• a cut of light green wood (brown or dark brown blotches indicate the death of the blanks);
• the kidneys are tightly fixed;
• kidney scales are smooth and elastic;
• the kidney in the section is light green.

There is a test for freezing cuttings. To do this, the sections are updated at an angle of 45 °, and the workpieces are shortened by 1 cm. The cuttings are placed in a jar with settled water. If they are healthy, the water will remain clear; if a yellowish-brown cloudiness appears, the cuttings are frozen.

Important! It is not recommended to use low-quality planting material. Damaged shoots will not take root in the ground, since they have lost their vitality.

How to plant

In the Moscow region, the laying of the rose garden begins in mid-April - early May, in the southern regions - in late March - early April.

Algorithm of actions when planting roses:

1. The place is chosen away from drafts. The site should be well lit by the sun, since roses grow poorly in the shade and often get sick. Choosing the wrong location reduces the likelihood of a lush bloom.
2. If roses have already been grown on the site, the soil is replaced with a new layer up to 0.5 m.
3. The size of the planting holes is 40x60 cm.The depth depends on the length of the rhizome, to which 15 cm is added.
4. Humus with ash (1: 1) is placed on the bottom of the pits, clean soil is poured on top and a low mound is formed.
5. In a separate bucket, prepare a clay chatterbox and dip the roots in it just before planting.
6. The plants are planted on mounds and the roots are gently spread.
7. The pits are covered with earth so that the inoculation site is 5-6 cm underground. The soil near the trunk is carefully compacted and watered.
8. The beds are mulched with humus, peat or compost.

Tips from experienced florists

Use the advice of experienced florists to help you create a lush rose garden in your garden:

1. If the cuttings have dead, dry, brown shoots, cut them obliquely to the first dormant bud.
2. The depth of the planting hole should be sufficient to accommodate the root system.
3. Bury the grafting site 4-5 cm in the ground, then carefully fill the hole with clean soil and water it abundantly.
4. If the rose's root system is packaged in biodegradable material, plant cuttings directly in it.
5. Remove broken, non-viable and diseased roots, treat the sections with a solution of biofungicide ("Ampelomycin", "Fitosporin", "Mikosana", "Glyokladina").
6. Trim the roots 2 cm before planting to see the core. It should be light, without dark blotches.
7. Remove paraffin wax from sections before planting to avoid interfering with the roses' growth and breathing.
8. Pre-soak the cuttings in clean water for 2-3 hours to replenish the moisture deficit. Add a growth promoter and make sure that the root collar stays above the surface of the water. Then transfer the seedlings to a solution of copper sulfate for disinfection for 30 minutes.
9. Select areas for planting on slopes at an angle of 8-10 °.
10. After planting, shade the seedlings from direct sunlight (for example, with cardboard). Remove the cover after glossy leaves appear. This means that the roses have begun to grow and no longer need shading.
11. Too wet, acidic, sandy soil with a high salt content is not suitable for planting roses. To normalize the pH, add slaked lime or dolomite flour (400–500 g per 1 m²). The optimum acidity of the soil is slightly acidic (pH 5.5–6.5).
12. Maintain a distance between bushes and do not plant cuttings too close. Closing foliage leads to the development of fungal infections. The optimal distance between the bushes is 50–100 cm.

Conclusion

The harvesting of cuttings of roses begins mainly in the fall, when the shrubs have faded, and it is no longer a pity to prune. The planting material is stored in a cellar at a temperature not higher than + 7 ° C, on the lower shelf of the refrigerator, on the balcony, dripped under a rose bush or in the ground, wrapped in sphagnum, and rooted in potato tubers. Each of these methods is good in its own way and guarantees an excellent result while maintaining the temperature and humidity.

When planting, it is important to choose the right place, protected from drafts and gusty winds, with good lighting. Roses grow best in hilly areas and slightly acidic soils with a pH of 5.5-6.5 units.