Propagating Heirloom Roses from Cuttings: A Simple Guide for Beginners

Step-by-Step

1. Take 6–8 inch cuttings (pencil-thick) from healthy canes.
2. Use 5-gallon black nursery pots filled with organic humus (or peat/perlite mix).
3. Insert cuttings deeply (2–3 nodes buried).
4. Keep soil consistently moist (not soggy).
5. Roots appear in 4–6 weeks.
6. Overwinter in pots, protected from hard freeze.
7. Next spring: transplant to 1–2 gal pots or plant in a sheltered garden spot.

High humidity (a plastic bag tent) helps. This is how family roses travel across generations and states.