I haven't seen those seed starters, but I'll look. I have a bunch of species seed I need to plant.

Super cool Beth! I gathered some La Marne & New Dawn open pollinated seeds to try and grow. I just wanted to see if I could do it. They are in the fridge now. Hopefully mine will grow when I plant them too. You have an awesome collection. You could do some really cool crosses. I might try some crosses this year myself.

Actually the manager from the nursery I go to encouraged me to try it with one of the new roses I picked up that she said the seeds were perfect to collect. I want to see if I can actually create a rose for someone who lost their life and name it after them and give it to his mother. I could not find a rose in his name. I'm not saying anything to her because who knows if I can do this, but I thought I'd try.

You guys give me hope though:) Mine are in the fridge too.

This is my first year to try roses from seed, too. My hips were also OP, some pocketed in gardens I visited this fall.

I had a flush of germinations a month ago, and nothing since then. A dozen of the seedlings are large enough now that I have carefully transplanted them from the flat into individual 6-pack cells. One of my Jeanne LaJoie's babies is looking really interesting.

Connie

Awesome Beth
I can't wait to see photos of your new babies.

I tried it one time but nothing happened.
Niecey

Way to go Beth! It takes careful work and patience to pull that off. If there is one thing you need, its another way to acquire roses. I expect you to hit 2000 by year 2010.

Cool! I have some OP (that's Open Pollinated) seeds in the 'fridge. Time to check on them, no doubt! Congratulations!!!

Very exciting. I have a number of roses started from seeds. The best thing is that they are completely your own to name and all that. Some of mine were not that great but some others are winners.

I'm having some luck with some seeds germinating as well. I'm seeing real rose leaves on some of them. I've got seeds mostly from rugosas and gallicas that are germinating at this time.

Robert

This will be my first year trying OP also. Have lots of seeds from the mother plant of Blue Skies that I am going to pot up just as you did this coming weekend. Exciting!

Yes. I grew my R. rugosa alba from seed (I think they'll be 5 this spring), a 3-year-old Therese Bugnet seedling, a lot of Purple Pavement and R. rugosa rubra seedlings which will be one year old this spring, and 4 Prairie roses (R. setigera). Growing from seed is a lot of fun, and although I expect throwbacks, as long as they're vigorous and healthy that's fine by me. This year I've got a bunch of open-pollinated seeds in the fridge: R. carolina, Hansa, Climbing Old Blush, several from celestialrose (Celeste), R. rugosa alba, and a few mystery hips. I'm looking forward to seeing what I get.

Be sure and post pictures of your babies when they bloom! I've had seedlings bloom when they were 2 inches high, so you may not have to wait very long.

I`m fascinated will see if I can get some seeds from some of mine this season would love to try it. will be interested in any tips you all can provide ,

Hey guys, I'm glad to hear some of you have tried growing seedlings too. I see most of you have put the seeds in the fridge. I wonder why it didn't work when my husband did it. Thinking back tho, maybe we didn't wait long enough for them to come up. I might've tossed 'em too early or something. I can't remember! I'm just so surprised that these managed to germinate out there in the breezeway. Maybe it's just cuz I left 'em alone for a couple months!! LOL

Berndoodle, those little greenhouse starters are pretty neat. I got mine at my work (ACE Hardware). They're plastic trays with plastic inserts that have 72 cells to plant in, and a clear plastic raised lid to create a greenhouse effect.

Adrienne, I think I might try doing some interesting crosses this season, if I can get time to try it....

Leslie, what a neat thing to do. Name a rose for someone in memoriam. Good luck with your seeds! Keep us posted!!

Oooh Connie.... how cool! Post some pics when those little babies bloom!

Niecey, I definitely will post pics as soon as I get some blooms. I can't wait. Hopefully they will bloom early.

Harry, if these babies make it and are decent plants.... I'm afraid I might just have to really work on trying some more. And then I very well could reach 2000. Yikes!! LOL

Diane & Mike.... get going! Get those little guys potted up. I've never had much luck with other seeds before, so it's just too much fun when you see them pop up like that.

Mendocino Rose, let's see some pics of your winners!!

Alicia, show us some pics of your roses! How different are they from their mamas?

Jan, just get out there and collect any hips you can and mark who the mom is, and give it a try! That's all I did.

I can't wait to hear everyone else's results and see pics this spring!! This is fun!!

This is the third year I've done seeds and I have 10 seedlings from the previous two years. I tried doing some in a seed starter tray last year but none of them came up. I clean me hips and wrap the seeds in a paper towel moistened with hydrogen peroxide and put them in zip lock bags and put them in the fridge. I check them weekly and then plant anything that's germinated in clear plastic cups. I used to put them in the starter trays too but they out grew them too fast and I lost a lot when I tried to transplant them.

I am glad to hear so many of you are trying it too. It's great fun and a wonderful way to pass a long winter. Watching your little babies grow. I look forward to seeing all your baby pictures!

well, Beth;How cool that is to grow roses with the seeds.I have never tried planting rose seeds,wonder why not,since I have grew everything else from seeds.I bought one of them greenhouse trays like you are talking about a few days ago with the idea of planting daylily seeds in them.I went out weeks ago and cut all the hips off my rose bushes.I don't like them hips all over my bushes.Might just have to leave a few next time and try this seed growing roses,altho I could have missed a few and if I did,will plant them and see what happens.Guess the reason I have never tried rose seeds is I figured it would take a few years to get a bloom on them so I just root cuttings from my favorites.Show us some pictures of the first blooms.

Jean

Beth I will try to post some pics later today. I just got a new digital camera last weekend, so they will just be winter pics. I wish I had taken pics of the rugosa alba last spring; they bloomed a spectacular amount, about 3x times more than they had before, and set off wonderfully the Carolina bush pea and foxglove that bloomed at the same time. I was grateful for that late spring show since the Easter freeze took almost all of my iris buds last year. The Therese Bugnet seedling has single cerise pink flowers that smell like roses and cloves. Simpler than its seed parent but I still like it. It's very healthy and vigorous; quite big in spite of the dry conditions last summer and the occasional pruning from deer. The other seedlings I will have to wait for next season to see what the blooms look like; the drought kept growth to a minimum. I am anxious to see what the rugosa rubra and Purple Pavement seedlings look like.

Beth--this is so exciting------I have never tried to do this but sounds like a great project.

I've had some luck with rooting roses under glass but this is even more exciting.

Looking forward to pictures of everyone's babies.

Florence

I think your breezeway worked Beth because lately it's as cold as the fridge there:)
I'll be looking forward to your pics too, I didn't mean to leave that part off. Just happy it worked so well for you.
Les

Here's a few pics of my seedlings. They're not nearly as appealing as spring or summer pics but it's an excuse to play with the new camera. :)

{{gwi:221985}} and {{gwi:221987}}. These will be 4 or 5 years old this spring.

{{gwi:221989}}. This will be 2 in spring.

{{gwi:221991}}. (This rose is a little hard to see in front of the grass.)

That sounds like fun! It will be very interesting to see what the blooms are like.

Wow Seil, I like the idea of the clear plastic cups. That's a great way to see the root progress!

Hey Jean, and Florence, you oughta try it! It's turning out to be a fun project.

I agree with you Leslie. I think it's pretty darn cold out there in the breezeway, so that's why it worked. (I stuck another batch out there on Monday...)

Alicia, those are some great shots! I can't wait to see those plants in bloom! How exciting!!

Krista, I'll post pics for sure asap.

Beth, thank you. Have you seen these threads? -- Olga has grown some beautiful seedlings: "This Year's Seedlings" and "Follow-up on the New Seedling".

I checked my seeds today and nothing. Yet.

Wow those are big, Alicia, Can't wait to see pics of the blooms. And thanks for the links. Olga's babies are beautiful!

I've 4 Frau Dagmar Hastrup OP seedlings growing and this week 8 [Pink Cloud x Golden Celebration] seeds popped open.
I'm curious!

Timo

those are great pictures. how long do the seeds have to be in the fridge before planting? I have had great success with the seed starter kits on all my flower seeds I start every spring. I`m eager to try this.

My PK x GC where stored for 12 weeks.

OMG you guys! I just checked the tray this evening and I see four more new ones popping up on top of the two more I noticed last night!! This is just soooo exciting! I can't believe I never tried this before! Ok, now I have to go gather more hips this weekend. There's still a lot out there. And maybe, (I'm hoping...) since they've been outside all this time in the freezing cold and even had a few hours of light snow on them, maybe, just maybe they'll be ready to pop out sooner than the ones I kept in the brezeway. Whaddayou guys think? think they'll be quicker this way? Heck even if it takes the rest of winter in the breezeway, by then the ones that are out now might end up blooming!!

I love it, I love it, I love it!!!!!

I'm finding OP seedlings sprouting in my yard. So far, I have five. Three have bloomed despite not having the best of conditions:
1. a cream & strawberry red striped mini (Modern Magic x ?)
2. pale pink micro mini (Lifestyle x ?);
3. pale pink double mini (Choo Choo Centennial x ?).

The others haven't bloomed yet. The last one I found yesterday between "First Kiss" (FL) and "Fragrant Hour" (HT), so I don't know who the parent is on this one. No pix yet.

Carol

Carol, my mom has a couple of random OP's that sprouted and are growing too. She potted them up and they're really growing. They were near
Viking Queen,Cecile Brunner (everblooming Heirloom Roses Climber) Heirloom HT and Dresden Doll. They actually sprouted next to DD.

Question: When you have OP's do the roses around the one you took the hip & seeds from come into play?

Beth - keep us posted, it sounds like you're having lots of fun!

Beth, I think in your climate, you surely can harvest the hips right now and consider them 'stratified' on the bush :)) Lucky you!
I just finished planting my seeds (two 72-cell trays). I hope not all of them sprout! LOL. What am I going to do with all the babies...
BTW, I have four 'bushes' already planted in the garden - all four are 2007 seedlings, but they've grown big enough to be planted.
Beth, please share the pictures of your babies with us.
I will definitely post mine.
I have been concentrating on the antique roses lately (all OPs), but the surroundings are a mixed bag of both moderns and antiques - so, God knows what I am going to have. And this is a beauty of anticipation!!!!
Marina

hi all,

I m trying this myself for the first time...

I ve got seeds collected from Rosa Champlain...they were in the fridge for about 2 months (but didnt sprout roots)...and I planted them about 2 weeks ago in seedling trays...nothing up yet...

I ve got another set in the fridge since october...still no roots...should I leave it in until they grow roots before planting??

S

Just have patient. You can hold those other set in the fridge, they sprout also in the fridge. I prefer 12 weeks in stratification. Only 1 set of mine has just germinated and the other 40 still relaxing in the cold. :) In februari I'll plant the seeds. Last year 1 seedling [new dawn x rebell] germinated after 5 months. Nature decides when he opens his doors.

I too harvested a ton of open pollinated seeds from my roses last fall and put them in the refrigerator for three months and then put them in a seed-starting dome. I thought I was growing mold under the dome, but I did find one lone seedling yesterday.

Fingers crossed!

thanks rosatino how do you know when the hips are ready to be collected from the bush?

Hartman wrote >>>My hips were also OP, some pocketed in gardens I visited this fall. LOL... When I first read this I thought it meant Other People's

Hips usually take between 90 and 120 days to ripen. That's why in cold climates you have to do any crosses you want to make early in the season or they won't have enough time to rippen before first frost. They should have some color on them, red, yellow or orange, when you pick them. Some of them look like bright red cherries on the roses and others like little oranges! If the hips were ripe BEFORE the cold set in you can still harvest them and collect the seeds. After all, that's the way mother nature does it. Someone on another forum is doing seeds that were accidentally put in the freeze around a year ago. They're germinating like mad!

Another thing, don't toss this years seeds if they don't germinate for you. They can be re-stratified and planted next year and still germinate. I had my best germination rate last winter, 2007, from seeds that were harvested in the fall of 2005 and first stratified in Jan. 2006. I kept all left overs again and re-stratified them with this years crop. I just leave the seeds in the baggies and put them in a cold dark closet in my basement over the summer. When I brought out the seeds from the previous years this time the paper towels were still damp in the bags and there was some mold, but not very much, so I just recleaned them and wrapped them in fresh towels dampened with hydrogen peroxide and put them in the fridge with this years harvest. We'll see what comes up!

Pacnw:
The first seedling to bloom was the striped mini found under Modern Magic. MM set hips while striped Scentsational did not. As for the pollen parent, I can only guess as there are several minis in the bed, altho the single mini Halo Sunrise is about 10 ft. away. I doubt the pollen came from any of the large singles in the bed. As for the pale pink micro, I found it between Halo Sunrise and Lifestyle. This little guy had trouble opening it's only bloom so I never got to see all the petals. I potted them up and I hope they survive on the patio.

While pruning today, I stuck whole hips into the mother plant pots just to see if anything would happen. It's been freezing here so I figured I didn't need to put them into the fridge.

since we get only a few freezing days here do they turn color when they have been put in the fridge? I have only seen green ones on mine.

Hello Everyone
when you all use hydrogen peroxide to moisten you paper towels for the fridge at what rate do you use it ?

Thanks
Kenny

Kenny, use the 3% found in stores and mix that at about 5% peroxide to 95 percent water. I also use distilled water to keep everything as clean as possible.

Patrick

Man, I can't believe all the stuff you guys do to germinate these babies. I like my method of just sticking them in the starter greenhouse and setting it in the breezeway. I guess if you don't have a cold room or area like that to put them, it is necessary to refrigerate them. I'm just so excited about them popping up in the starter cells without any fuss.

I see new seedlings popping up all the time. I had one whole section of the cells that I was afraid weren't going to do anything, but when I got home for lunch today, another new baby had begun to emerge in that section, finally! I filled up two more of those 72-cell starters last weekend, and I can't wait to see what they produce. My biggest baby already has split and is branching out in two directions!! I'll have a tiny rose "bush" soon!! That one is from ELSIE MELTON. My best germinator so far tho, seems to be LAVANDE. There are 6-7 of them! I can't wait to see how different each one will be. This is so much fun!!

That's neat, Beth. I'm trying seeds too and have a lot of them in the fridge. Some have been in since late October but so far none have germinated. Connie ( hartwood) on the propagation forum chilled hers then they started germinating once she got them out of the cold. I am ready to set up lights and a flat but need to decide on a cool but unfreezing place for them.
I hope I get some good plants too.

Seil, that's interesting how your older seeds finally sprouted..I'm glad to know not to throw out any.
Linda

I have about 28 seedlings started now from crosses I did in the spring. Gemini X Neptune, Gemini X Scentimental, Neptune X Scentimental, Brigadoon X Loves Magic and Heirloom X Easy Going. Gemini is a great seed parent for new beginners. I harvested some at 107 days in the hips and they germinated about 1 month later. Seeds germinate best at temperatures in the 50's.
I clean my seeds real good with just purified water then put them in play sand in plastic baby food containers. I then store these containers in the frig for about 8-12 weeks. Take them out and then put them where the temps are in the 50's, sometimes its outside especially if a low pressure weather system comes through. But only if it is coming up from the south and the temps will be in the 50's.

Wow Beth, I'm excited for you. Can't wait to see the babies.

Carla

That's terrific, Beth! I'm excited for you and can't wait to see those baby pictures.

I checked mine tonight, nothing yet. Sigh.

I've a seedling invasion going on here LOL.
37 seeds germinated. I've no greenhouse and my appartment is turning into one.
13 crosses and 24 species OP seeds are growing now. Have to find a solution for my space problem.

So glad I found this post. I found some seeds while doing spring pruning of my Mary Lovett. Would like get them started. I doubt they need any more refrigeration as they spent Nov-Mar frozen outside (several weeks were down to 5 deg Farenheit).

What do rose seeds NEED to germinate?

Aside from striation, do they prefer light or dark? Cool or warm? If I treat them like daylily seeds (ie. put them in a baggie of 1-9 peroxide/water soltution, and set it in a warm closet) will they germinate well?

I only have 8 seeds to play with this time around so want to use it as a learning experience before I purposefully hybridize.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Question: When you have OP's do the roses around the one you took the hip & seeds from come into play?

When it's open pollinated the pollen can come from anywhere. By and large roses are insect pollinated, so wherever the insects have picked up pollen from before visiting your flower, that's the universe from where the pollen could have come. Obviously the closer the pollen is to the flower the more likely it is to pollinate the rose (including self-pollinating if your seed parent is a rose that will do that), but you'll never really know where the pollen comes from.