That's wonderful. What technique finally worked?

:-)

Actually, I used a very basic technique.

1) Cut the stem into sections. Each section must have two eyes. Remove the leaves from the bottom eye.

2) I have not had much success with growth hormone (though I may have been using the wrong kind). These days, I prefer to dust with cinnamon.

3) A 5 inch pot with accommodate three cut sections. I use what I believe you call seed compost, which is only lightly fertilized, mixed with a bit of coarse sand. I place the cutting so that the bottom eye is below compost level and the top eye is free and has a set of leaves for photosynthesis.

4) The compost must always be moist. Protect the cutting from direct, midday sunlight.

5) I have had the most success starting cuttings in the greenhouse, but keep an eye out for spider mites.

6) After six weeks, check to see which cuttings have rooted and transplant those which have to larger containers with more of the same compost (one cutting per container). Be VERY delicate to avoid damaging the fragile young roots. I use 8 inch containers for established cuttings.

Way to go ! How exciting:)

Obviously, the rose stem from which I took the cutting had a larger bloom. But that's the first bloom on my cutting - it's still a baby.

In any event, I'm pretty excited at the prospect of growing some of those flashy florist's roses with my favourite garden varieties.

Mind me asking about cinnamon? Why that?

Well that's encouraging! I know I have wondered if this was even possible. You have proved it so, good job!

Congrats! Exciting.

How close do you cut to the bottom leaf node which will be buried? TIA

Thanks, guys!

@Beth & Moose: Last year, I dusted half of my cuttings with growth hormone. I'd say that the ones I didn't dust had a higher success rate, but again, the hormone I used wasn't specifically for roses. This year, I started dusting with cinnamon, because I'd read that it's antibacterial and antimicrobial. No complaints so far.

@Beth: I actually keep them in a tray in the greenhouse. The water level shouldn't be too high - a centimeter or so, just enough to keep the soil constantly moist. I also tried rooting cuttings in pots indoors, and these I covered with clear cellophane, but they were killed by white, hairy fungus after only a few days. Do you have pictures of your cuttings, perchance?

@Irisgal: I leave between a centimeter and half to an inch of stem beneath the bottom eye.

Congratulations! You are now a proud parent!

Congrats!

How wonderful, Laurie, and that's interesting about the cinnamon. Your new rose looks like a ringer for Blue Bayou. Is this true for the actual rose, as well as photo? Diane

Congratulations!!! I have quite a few of these florist roses growing in my garden and it's such a satisfying feeling when you are able to root one directly from a bouquet that you bought.

That's great to hear Streisand Fan! What zone are you in? I'm in 8a, and I suspect at least some of my florist roses might find the winter here a bit too cold/long.

I am in zone 5b and I've never had much of a problem with the winter. In fact, the only time I lost one was this year when it was a warm February that forced them to start putting new growth out. The subsequent freeze was a bit too much for the poor thing, but it was immature so I guess that could happen with any rose.

Ok Laurie, I finally got some pics of my rooted babies. They are taking FOREVER to do anything. GELATO finally shot out a couple of new leaves a week or more ago, but now it's sitting there again.

And I have one CHERRY BRANDY in one band pot, and two in another. They appear to have rooted a long time ago, but have totally stopped growing. I even gave them all a very tiny shot of some granular fertilizer a month ago. I'm hoping when the temps finally cool down maybe they will begin to grow some more.

I potted up GELATO in early December. The CHERRY BRANDYs I believe I did in February. In December I also potted up several of the DA SUMMER SONG, but only one made it. It has actually grown about 8-10" and even bloomed!! (that's it in the gal pot to the left)

I recently tried (yet again) to root some cuttings of the florist rose QUICKSAND... but I think the bundle of stems had been at the Safeway market for more than two days, so they dried out pretty fast, and it's been waaay too hot to try and root anything right now. I may try something again when it cools down. The one florist rose I keep looking for but haven't seen in two yrs is an oddball brownish-orange one called CHILIS. I tried to root it back then, but it didn't work. Haven't seen it there again at Safeway since then. Oh well, it's fun to try and root them.

Beth, it's been my experience that these roses will not really do anything or put out any new growth until they are planted in the ground. All of mine would basically sit on the window collecting dust and waiting for spring. Then, when they were finally planted, within weeks they had buds and new shoots.

I don't know what it is about roses doing so badly indoors but it seems like a rule of thumb..

These are not indoors. The ones I tried indoors did not work at all!!