April 23rd, 2004
Rose From a Stick
2004-04-23. Austin, TX. First flower on rose started from a cutting.
Last November, when I was pruning roses, I noticed that some of the canes seemed very, well, lively. I hated cutting them or throwing them out. So I decided to see if I could get them to strike.
Following the instruction in Rayford Clayton Reddell’s The Rose Bible, I made cuttings about a foot long and stripped off all but the topmost set of leaves. Then I planted them, putting two of the bud eyes underground and two above.
By November 17, 2003 all six cutting (four from New Dawn and two from Madame Alfred Carriere) were putting out new leaves. I didn’t cover them during the one freeze we had and both Madame Alfred Carriere and one New Dawn died. However, the remaining New Dawn cuttings thrived, and today one bloomed, less than six months after I stuck “sticks” in the ground.
I will wait until next fall to transplant them to their spots in the garden.
Zanthan Gardens History
2003-10-30.
Take rose cuttings.
2004-04-24.
First flower ever–less than six months after planting them.
2005-04-29.
First flower for 2005 on the baby ‘New Dawn’ bushes.
2006-04-25.
All three remaining ‘New Dawn’ bushes have buds or flowers on them this week. They are all quite small, only about 18 inches tall. This is their third spring in the nursery. I still haven’t gotten around to transplanting them!
2006-12-15.
Moved the first “New Dawn” bush to the planter in the north border.
2017-07-17
This rose is still alive but it has run and transplanted itself.
by M Sinclair Stevens
April 25th, 2004
I am always thrilled when some new attempt at propagation works, whether growing lilies from seed, or two dozen fuchsia cuttings from last year’s hanging basket. I feel like I should get a Girl Scout badge or something.
Kathy, I’m completely amazed that it worked. Except for plants that want dividing (like irises), I’m not very good at propagating. And any success makes up a little for the large number of plants I’ve managed to kill. — mss