Question
I'm sure there is a way to do this: Let's say someone gives you beautifull roses for your birthday, you can't help wanting to have such beauties grow right in your backyard, you notice a rose with a new branch growing out of it's stem. Now my grandmother used to cut that piece of the stem, then i think she put in pot, and cover it with a glass jar. Now back then we lived in Russia, now I live in California, but so far that technique although semt to work, eventually didn't, so I'd like to know the proper technique.

Thanks for your help.

Darya

Answer
Hi Darya-

This is what you need to do.  First, take a cutting of the rose - the cane should be about as thick as a pencil.  Then cut the cane into pieces about 6 inches long.  You need to cut the cane exactly where there is a node (it looks like a bump or eye on the cane).  Then, from your local garden center (like Lowes) buy some rooting hormone.  Dip the bottom of the cutting in the rooting hormone.  Then take a pencil, and make a hole in a sterile pot of sterile growing medium (sand and perlite and sterile potting medium is a good choice), and put the end of the cutting in the hole and lightly press the dirt around the cutting.  Then make a diluted solution of bottled water and fungicide (buy the fungicide at the garden center) and gently mist the cutting.  Cover the cutting with plastic and place near a window of the house with bright light but not direct light.  Mist once a day and uncover or open the plastic for 1/2 hour a day.  After about 4-6 weeks you should see a growth of new leaves.  If at any time the stem of the cutting turns black - that means the cutting has rotted and needs to be thrown away.  Resist the urge to pull up the cutting to check if roots have grown - this will tear apart the microscopic roots and kill the cutting.  After about 8 weeks you can set the cutting outside about 2 hrs in a protected spot without direct sun.  Each day slightly increase the time.  After about 2 months outside in a pot -
then you can transplant in a semi-shaded spot.  Monitor daily for dryness and water every 2 days in hot weather, about once a week in colder weather.

Your grandmother took the easier method - but more risky method.  You can take a cutting and put it outside in very good soil and cover with a mason jar.  Do not plant it in direct sun.  Dipping the bottom of the cutting in rooting hormone will help. You will need to prop one side of the jar up with a rock once a day for 1/2 hr so it will have good air circulation.  You can try this method also and see if it works for you.

Have fun smelling the roses!

Carlene
aka the Flowerlady