How to Start a Rose Bush From Scratch

Overview

Starting a new rose bush from scratch allows you to recreate your favorite bush, grow more roses inexpensively or share roses with friends. It's also a great alternative to leaving rose bushes behind during a move or carrying on roses from a family garden. There are a number of ways to start rose bushes from scratch, but the "grandmother's mason jar" method, as it's called by the Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society, is one of the easiest.

Step 1

Clean the scissors or pruning shears with bleach. This helps prevent the spread of disease among roses.

Step 2

Choose a strong, healthy rose bush stem that is fairly straight and is at least six inches long. It can be either new, green growth or older woody growth as long as it is healthy.

Step 3

Cut the chosen stem away from the rose bush at a 45-degree angle. Cut straight across at the top if necessary.

Step 4

Remove the leaves from the bottom two to three inches of the stem.

Step 5

Wound the bottom of the stem by nicking it or stripping away a small bit of the outer stem.

Step 6

Dip the bottom of the stem in rooting hormone and set it aside.

Step 7

Mix together one-half potting soil and one-half perlite.

Step 8

Prepare the hole by digging it at least four inches deep and filling the bottom inch with the potting soil and perlite mixture.

Step 9

Plant the stem in the hole, with at least the bottom two inches below ground level, filling in the hole with the rest of the potting soil and perlite mixture.

Step 10

Water the rose stem thoroughly.

Step 11

Place the glass jar over the stem to create a miniature greenhouse.

Step 12

Leave the glass jar in place for three to five weeks, or until new growth appears, watering regularly.