A walk along rows and rows of beautiful and varied rose bushes at your local nursery is a feast for the eyes and balm for the soul... until you muster the nerve to look at price tags. Ye Gads! Visions of how nice that bare spot in your yard is going to look once the new rose bush goes in fades into a frightening vision of your bank balance. Don't despair though. You can have your rose bush for free. If you don't mind waiting for it to grow, you can fill that bare spot in your yard using a clipping from one of your existing rose bushes. Read on to learn how.

Steps

  1. 1
    Prepare the pot or area in your yard where you plan to plant your clipping. If you use a pot, fill about halfway up with soil and add enough water to moisten it. If planting it in the ground, dig a hole, add potting soil (for extra nutrients) and moisten.[1]
  2. 2
    Take a cutting from the rose bush you would like to grow your new bush from. It can be a whole branch or a stem.[2]
    • With your knife, gently scrape off 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) of the outer covering of the clipping at the bottom. This will allow the rooting hormone to get into the stem.
    • Take a cutting from a relatively new part of the plant to ensure it grows.
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  3. 3
    Moisten the part of the clipping that you just scraped and dip it into rooting hormone. Tap it a few times to remove the excess.[3]
  4. 4
    Immediately plant the cutting. If everything goes right, it should start to put out roots within the next week or so![4]
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How often should we water, and how moist should we keep it?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You should water it once a week. However, if it rains you don't have to water it unless the water does not reach the plant. If you water your plant, you should see visible water droplets on the plant itself, and the ground under the plant should be darker. If you can see a visible water pool you have added too much water.
  • Question
    What is hormone rooting?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It is a powder often used in growing plants from cuttings. Basically, it stimulates the cutting to grow roots of its own.
  • Question
    How often should we water, and how moist should we keep it?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It depends upon the climate. Normally, in summer, you need to water the plant twice a day; in winter, you should water the plant once a day. Make sure the water drainage in the pot is working properly and is not choked.
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Things You'll Need

  • Pruning shears
  • A sharp knife
  • Pot
  • Soil
  • Trowel
  • A rose stem, any length
  • Rooting hormone (found in most garden centers and garden-supply stores).

About This Article

Artemisia Nursery
Co-authored by:
Plant Nursery & Garden Shop
This article was co-authored by Artemisia Nursery. Artemisia Nursery is a retail plant nursery in Northeast Los Angeles specializing in California native plants. Artemisia Nursery is a worker-owned small business with plans to become a worker-owned cooperative. In addition to California native plants, Artemisia Nursery offers a selection of succulents, heirloom veggie and herb starts, house plants, pottery, and gardening tools and supplies. Drawing on the knowledge of the founders, Artemisia Nursery also offers consultations, designs, and installations. This article has been viewed 137,439 times.
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Co-authors: 6
Updated: March 24, 2023
Views: 137,439
Categories: Roses
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