What a nice little overview. I'm finding these are the same factors affecting other roses, as well.

Thanks for this, Henry. I will try taking cuttings when some of my hard to root ones still have buds. I'm frustrated with not having good success with many of my ogrs. Last fall I took a lot of very late cuttings even into November. Many are still in their rooting pots, still looking green but not rooted yet. About 30 of the very late cuttings did root and I potted them up. Will see if they make it through the winter. In the past I just left some varieties in their rooting pots that hadn't rooted yet by summer's end. I remember The Bishop rooted once it warmed up in spring. These are all outside with no protection.

erasmus, I've been reading at length about different rooting methods for different situations. While my success rate hasn't been high this winter, I think eventually I'll hit on something for the different times of year. I do have pretty good luck when the stars align with rooting after a first flush, but I love to experiment and try to coax things at more difficult times, especially during the winter.

In reading, it seems dormant cuttings placed directly in the ground (amending it with perlite or something similar) is an excellent way to go as it taps into the natural growth cycle. I'm sure using pots outdoors is very similar. I'm going to try this soon with Viking Queen and New Dawn using a VERY light coating of rooting hormone and so hope that you'll report back and we can compare out success (or failure). It's also possible to do this indoors in a cool room using bottom heat. Bottom heat seems to be the key to pushing growth; I have a couple of heating pads so will be trying this soon. Thus far, I think my soil temp on indoor cuttings is too low to encourage rooting without encouraging rot.

I think my soil temp on indoor cuttings is too low to encourage rooting without encouraging rot.

Since I root in the basement, which is usually quite cool, I really don't believe this.

I'm not saying it's impossible without it, it's just another factor and one that seemed to have a positive role in a number of studies I've read for dormant cuttings. Have you shared your technique before? I'd love a link to see how you do it in the winter. Thank you for sharing. I'm a little jealous of your winter success and hope to learn from you.

First thing to know. Cuttings can smell fear. So can yeast, but that is for a totally different forum.

Relax, don't stress, and don't think you can force this on your schedule.

I root a lot just after they bloom in spring and summer, but some varieties are a lot harder than others and most of those are once bloomers. Mad_gallica , do you have good results rooting ogrs? Do you use lights in your basement? Vaporvac, I have not had luck with dormant cuttings but I'm not giving up on that method....could be that I need to keep trying. I think of dormant cuttings as being from the previous year's growth. The winter rooting I'm attempting and have tried before with a little luck is from current year's growth. Root cuttings are an option but some of my ogrs are grafted.

That's funny about cuttings smelling fear.

Thanks for sharing your method/s. I have good luck with most varieties. I used to find some ogrs easy to root and am not sure what I've done differently to make it harder lately. I think it could be too hot out when I've taken the cuttings. It could work to root them indoors under lights even in summer.

Henry, do you root ogrs and if you do, do you do anything special? One OGR person I met last year told me that February is a good time to take cuttings of hard to root ones.

Thank you both! So much to comment on, so little time at the moment. I'm interested in your comment on the size of the Bell jars. Is that so that the leaves don't touch the sides of the jar? What media are you using? Do you use a rooting hormone? I think I might try using lights in the basement, as I have a good space for that. I've actually ground layered New Dawn accidentally, but hope my attempt to do the same with Clotilde Soupert will work. It will be interesting to see if those I've been successful with have multiflora in them. Off to HMF. Thanks again for taking the time.

BTW, the OS of D is adorable. Reminds me of my little one. She used to love to crawl all over books I was reading, the computer keyboard and my piano when I played. Those were some duets.

Vaporvac, I had a cat who seemed to love music. If I'd play piano he'd want to play too. My dogs seem to like piano.

For rooting most roses I use pots of sand located in dappled light. I don't do anything to add humidity - no bag or jar and no misting system. I usually use a rooting hormone but not always. I knew someone who had a large rose nursery and they never used hormone. I bury the cutting about 1/2 of its length in the sand and leave it alone about 4 to 6 weeks. Keep moist. I scrape lightly for about 1/2" on two sides of the base of the cutting. Once it has roots I pot it up. The new roots are very fragile. Leave only two or three leaves at the top of the cutting. If the leaves are very big I cut them in half. I think the trickiest part is getting enough light but not so much they overheat. Growing under lights might solve that. I have not tried lights for cuttings though I have a bunch of rose seedlings under lights right now.

I'm going to take some ogr cuttings today . If February cuttings actually work better on some, it could be that the coming spring gives the cutting more of the " time to grow" message. For me Clotilde Soupert roots easily. It's one of my favorite roses.

Thank you! I read about cutting the biggest leaves, but you're the first one on GW who's mentioned it. What grade sand do you use? I had zero success with play sand I just had lying around and then read it's best to use coarse chicken grit. Do you water yours at all without a bag or jar? Are they just left open in the yard?

Good luck with your cutting today. I'm trying some different methods either today or tomorrow. I have to clean and sterilize all my containers first. I adore CS.... she was my favourite new one last season. I have the climbing version which I planted under my eaves where she receives full to dappled sun and is VERY happy. She's such a whisper of a rose, but such a bloomer and grower in my garden. I have space for a few more so I'm glad she's easy to root. I'd love to have the bush form at her feet, but then I'd worry about balling.

I just use bagged play sand from either Walmart or Lowe's. It varies in coarseness. I like a medium coarseness. I keep them watered but not soggy and they are outside in the elements. Humidity is not very high here but it's not dry either.

Usually I start taking cuttings just after the first flush but I'm going to try some ogrs this month and just before they bloom. I guess about a third of my ogrs are hard to root. Used to have success with Charles de MIlls and Cardinal de Richelieu. Thinking it over, both of those plants ended up more shaded. Could be the lack of sun just reduced the vigor in the cuttings. I never have success with Duchesse de Buccleugh or Ipsilante. One year had a lot of Ispahan to root, then no luck the following years.

I have a few varieties that root well but resent being transplanted. I think I'll try rooting them in individual pots, and maybe in potting soil so I don't have to pot them up till they're more mature. I usually put a number of cuttings of one variety in the same pot.

My Clotilde Soupert plants tend to ball in early spring right when you want to see some blooms, but Clotilde reblooms so well that it doesn't bother me much. Usually once it warms up they open fine unless it's very rainy. The bush form can get fairly large and makes a dense, rounded shrub.

I don't know whether you've had some success rooting them or not. When I first tried to root roses I didn't succeed for awhile, but once I did, it seemed easy from then on, except for some hard to root ones. Like Mad Gallica said, they smell fear or something.

VV, I wonder if there is sometimes something in bagged play sand that repels growth for weeds and could be harmful for roses?

I've never seen an added ingredient listed on the bag but I've had some where nary a blade of grass or weeds would grow in it, even years later, presumably good for sandboxes.

And other brands where I had lots of growth and the plants seemed to appreciate being "fluffed" up!

erasmus, I'm curious how your OGRs fared this spring. Any success or tips you'd like to share? I had GREAT success with early cuttings put right in the ground. I did a lot of other experiments different to prior and they were totally successful. However, I'm so anxious to hear how yours did. Also, Mad, I'm still curious if you use mist or what on your basement cuttings. I really want to try some this winter in my basement.