Although not the easiest method, growing roses from seeds is possible and very rewarding when they begin to sprout. People sometimes get bored waiting for the buds to appear, but growing roses isn’t nearly as complicated as growing vegetables from seeds. Follow the advice below and happy planting!
Table of Contents
Preparing the Seeds
First, prepare the materials and equipment that will be needed. You will need to procure the seeds, the cultivating tools, the rose food, as well as choose a planting location.
To start out, the seeds have to be ripe. And, you can procure some rose hips – you can find plenty of them right after the roses’ blooms have fallen. You have to be very careful, however, as rose hips can cause itching.
Split the rose hips to gather the seeds. The creamy white seeds are found densely packed inside the rose hips. Before they are planted, the seeds must enter a period of moist-cold called “stratification” before they will sprout.
To initiate the stratification process, wrap the seeds in a damp towel and place them inside the refrigerator for 10-12 weeks. You should check them regularly for emerging root tips, and continue to take note of any changes occurring every now and then. If you are planting different varieties, make sure to separate and label the seeds.
The presence of sprouting roots tips on the seeds signals that the seed can now be transferred to any black plastic container filled with loam soil. If the seeds are stuck to the paper towel, just dampen the towel wherever they are attached and they will easily fall off. Be careful not to touch the roots when you are transferring them.
Planting the Seeds
Once the sprouts are successfully transferred to the containers, you can now begin planting following the usual rose-growing methods. Let them grow in a warm area where they are exposed to plenty of sunlight and feed them with half-strength fertilizer or rose food. Make sure they have proper drainage and make sure not to overwater the seedlings. You’ll get the best results if you time the planting for early spring, when the seedlings would normally be beginning to sprout.
Once they have sprouted a few leaves, plant them in your garden and continue to keep an eye on them. Applying a small amount of fungicide on the growing seedlings will help protect the young plants from fungal disease. If evidence of disease does show up, it is safest to remove the diseased plants and keep the healthy rose seedlings.
Growing roses from seed can take time, but with enough patience and perseverance, you will be rewarded with the knowledge that you helped raise beautiful roses from seed to plant.
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