How to propagate roses by cuttings

Difficulty: Medium30 min + 6–10 weeks of rooting2 tools💬 0

✓ Checked against manufacturer instructions and current safety standards · updated 8.7.2026.

What you'll need

Tools

  • Sharp and disinfected shearsMake a clean cut without crushing the stem.
  • Small pot with drainageControlled conditions for rooting.

Materials

  • Sterile substrate with perlite or sandfor one pot
  • Rooting hormoneoptional, small amount
  • Transparent bag or cover1 piece
Estimated cost5–25 KM
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1 Choose a healthy shoot

From a healthy rose, take a semi-ripe stem that has finished flowering, free of spots and pests. The cutting should be 15–20 cm long with at least three healthy nodes.

⚠ Warning: Some protected rose varieties must not be commercially propagated without a license. For your own garden, check the origin and local rules.

2 Prepare the cutting

Make the bottom cut immediately below a node, remove the flower and lower leaves, and leave one or two pairs of leaves at the top. Clean the tool before switching to another plant.

3 Use a well-aerated substrate, not a potato

Fill the pot with a moist sterile substrate and make a hole. If desired, dip the bottom end in rooting hormone and insert it so that one or two nodes are below the surface. A potato retains too much moisture, rots, and does not replace substrate.

? Tip: Prepare several cuttings at once because not all of them will root even under good conditions.

4 Maintain humidity without suffocating

Cover the pot with a transparent bag that does not touch the leaves and keep it in a bright place out of direct midday sun. Aerate daily and water only when the surface starts to dry.

5 Check the roots and gradually acclimate the plant

After a few weeks, a slight resistance when pulling and a new leaf indicate roots. Gradually remove the cover over the course of a week, and transplant only when a solid root system is formed.