Hello, I am trying to propagate some rose cuttings. I cut a 6 inch piece and put it into soil and covered it with a mason jar. I am seeing new growth (leaves) but I am now unsure as to what to do next. Can I just transplant them into my garden now or wait to have more growth or more roots? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with your question on your rose propagation.
Generally it will take 3-4 weeks for roots to develop, at which time you can take off the mason jars. Once your cuttings are rooted , you should harden them off for a few days by putting the pots in a cool, shady area. Moving them immediately into hot sunshine may damage or even kill the plants. Once they have a good, large root system and are putting out new growth, they can be moved into brighter light.
If you started the rooting in the spring , by fall the young plants should be ready to move to a permanent location in your landscape. They will be small, but most varieties grow quickly and produce a fair quantity of flowers by next spring. To protect them from wind damage, it is a good idea to prune back any tall shoots and thin the plants sparingly, if possible, at the time they are being transplanted.
You don’t mention what type of roses these are taken from. Please see this article from The Royal Horticultural Society that speaks about different propagation methods for different roses and times of yeas.
Good luck with your new roses.