Best time to take rose cuttings?

racheal77, May 7, 4:31am
Want to take cuttings from my very elderly neighbours Cecile Brunner bush rose before they pass away, best now or in spring?

mkbooks, May 7, 5:25am
Start taking some now + keep on taking them until they strike?

piquant, May 7, 8:49am
Feb/Mar is probably optimum.

racheal77, May 7, 9:10am
Thanks, will do some now and hopefully they are still with us in Feb/Mar - the poor old boy is 92.

skin1235, May 7, 9:51am
just now the sap is going back down the stems into the root system, basically says the plant is going into sleep mode, you'll be lucky if you get new roots to develop until the plant wakes up again - commercially they put them on hot beds and play with lighting to fool them into thinking spring is here
for joe blogs home gardener I'd be holding off until after winter, early spring, the plant is waking up and getting set for a vigorous growth period and will strike roots quite quickly, end of august I'd pop a couple of cuttings in a jar with a cup of water and a teaspoon of honey, they'll root before October and can be be bagged out in october, plant them in the garden by end of Feb

aj.2., May 7, 9:57am
Cut them now, and put them into wet river sand, they will take root very well.
Keep them in a sunny spot, away from the frost.

brightlights60, May 8, 7:59am
Here in Chch the roses are not going into sleep mode because of the warm weather. So if there is still new growth on the bushes, I would give it a go. you could also dip the cuttings (taken a smidge above a joint or bud) in some rooting/hormone mix and place in good potting or seed raising mix. Roses actually have a high strike rate and quite easy to grow this way.

mitster, May 8, 9:04am
now, pop then In river sand with a little peat and put on tiles, or a heat pad and keep moist (not wet) they will root in about a month

racheal77, May 8, 9:23am
is it better to take new green wood cuttings or something a bit older?

brightlights60, May 8, 11:37pm
I always take the youngest but mature growth, nothing "old" and nothing terribly new.

thea4, May 9, 1:16am
Isn't this a little beauty? mine has been flowering and wowing those who do not know it, and the scent just lovely.

cleggyboy, May 9, 1:19am
Yes gorgeous.

cakeandtea, May 11, 3:46am
Good afternoon. Just brought our first home. I want to try and grow as much food for my family as I am able to with our small garden. Does anyone know of anywhere I could get some raised beds or if we go down the root of making them ourselves what kind of wood to use. Thank you.

brightlights60, Jan 9, 10:04pm
You will find your local garden centre will have lots of advice. If you want to DIY you can buy raised garden kits from places like the warehouse, or google how to do it.Easy as. Hubby built all mine, to save my bad back they are around a metre off the ground. I use pig manure from out Darfield to fill them each year, the most beautiful, sweet smelling stuff on the planet that grows anything. Tip, only grow what you want to eat, or try. Have separate beds for spuds or they take over. And invest in compost bins or tumblers, put all garden waste (not weeds) from your main garden and vege garden, all the uncooked vege scraps and recycle back into your garden. Vege gardening is wonderful. We are still eating lettuces, and I have only just bought some veges to suppliment our dinners. If you grow whats in season (just check out the garden centres and the warehouse and Bunnings to see what's growing) you can't go wrong. I either grow all my seedlings from seed, which is really rewarding, or buy from one of those places. Cheap and gives you a headstart.