Hi yahknow, I don't believe the first part and feel it insulting to use it, so, Hi, yahknow!

What's done commercially is to strike the cuttings for stocks in the fields in fall, keeping them watered so they take. In summer, when the sap is flowing and the bark is more easily lifted from the cambium, they are budded.

If you can work the soil outdoors, you probably won't need to root them inside, but strike them outdoors as hardwood cuttings. If it's frozen and you can't, you should be able to strike them inside, still as hardwood cuttings. They should have some roots by spring (hopefully). Next summer you should be able to bud them. Multiflora roots very quickly compared to other types.

Not meaning to sound condescending, but you are aware you should remove all the growth buds along the cane except for the top one or two before striking them, aren't you? I don't know how familiar you are with budding and preparing stocks and don't want to just leave you hanging. Kim

Sorry about the screen name I normally post in the orchard section and have been trying to learn about growing plums. The reason I was wanting to start them indoors was that I was in hopes of grafting to them earlier in the season so that I would have an earlier start. Thanks for the tip on cutting the buds off below the grafting area as I hadn't thought of that. Do you know how far from where the roots begin that people normally graft? Also does anyone know if multiflora makes a good rootstock in Missouri? It grows everywhere around here and seems to do pretty well. Thanks for reading this and helping.

Hi, Yahknow, if multiflora is a weed where you are, it should also be a suitable root stock. Ideally, the scion (bud you are inserting into the stock) should be as close to the roots as possible to shorten the shank (trunk section between the roots and the bud union). That keeps the plants looking better and reduces the potential for any suckers appearing from the trunk itself, as opposed to the roots. The length of that shank or trunk can make a large difference in how elegant the bush appears and how easy it is to grow. Too long and it can too easily be damaged as well as making the plant harder to keep upright in harsh conditions.

Now, a dumb question from me if you don't mind, are you considering budding roses out of curiousity about it, or you feel it might be easier than rooting cuttings, or ? Multiflora has its own set of problems, from eating vast acreage and being considered a noxious weed across the US to Rose Rosette Disease. I'm not trying to talk you out of it because learning is a great thing and the skill and art of propagation is dying out. Just curious. Kim

Thanks for the help Roseseek! To answer your question, Yes this is just a learning experience for me. That and all of my roses are on the good Dr. and I wonder how they will behave on a different rootstock. I have nothing to lose but time and nothing to gain but experience so Im kind of excited.

Cool! Go for it! Budding, rooting, layering are all skills we're losing daily. Add to them baking, weaving, needlepoint, knitting, bread making, canning...we get farther and farther from doing anything for ourselves and more helpless every day!

You will find the bark on the multiflora easiest to lift and separate from the cambium layer when the sap is flowing freely. That's when new growth is pushing from the plant quickly enough to almost SEE it grow. That isn't going to happen under grow lights inside. You may try your cuttings indoors, but to have the greatest success budding, get them outside and actively growing.

Again, not to sound condescending, you are familiar enough to know to take the cuttings approximately the same gauge (diameter) as your bud wood? You can't bend the bud much and expect it to succeed and you can't have it sticking out of the "T" cut and have the cambium layers knit together.

Probably the easiest thing to do would be to cut six or so inch long shoots the approximate thickness of what you wish to bud to it. Take a sharp knife or a razor blade and cut out the growth buds at the leaf axils, remembering there are three buds there, even though you can only really see the middle one. Remove all but the top one or two from each cutting. From there on, you strike them using whatever method you've had success with previously. I won't dare try to tell you what to do because you very likely know what works where you are a whale of a lot better than I would! I just wanted to make sure the odd things you would do for a root stock would be covered to enable you to succeed your first time! Take the mystery out of it and it is SIMPLE! Good luck! Let us know how you do! Kim

Because Rose Rosette Disease is so bad with wild multiflora, I would purchase virus free rootstock instead. Wisconsin roses sells it.