"Jmagerl" wrote in message
...
You can root roses without the use of a rooting hormone? I thought roses
had to be grafted ? Whats the purpose of the graft? I will have to give it
a try next year (growing season is over).

I've rooted a number of roses without rooting hormone,
mostly ramblers and old garden roses. I think it
probably depends on how likely the rose is to root
itself. Some probably need more help than others.

Re grafting: Old garden roses and miniatures
are grown on their own roots. Many modern
shrub roses are grown on their own roots. More
roses are being offered on their own roots that
previously were offered only as grafted. It's a
recent trend, at least in the USA. I don't
know about elsewhere.

Grafting marries a strong species rose (like
Dr. Huey) to a typically weaker modern rose.
Also in some places (Florida, I believe) the
root stock is necessary to fight nematodes (?)
in the soil. There's a lot of information on
this on the Internet if you're really interested.
You might start with articles on the American
Rose Society web site: www.ars.org

I use a 2 liter sodapop bottle and cut the borrom off. It then fits nicely
into a 5 inch pot (I think its a 5 inch pot). Leave the top off for some
air movement. I root my cirtrus cuttings in a sterile media such as
perlite. One cutting per pot for air flow reasons. No direct sunlight. I
also use Dip-n-gro rooting hormone.

I use the black plastic 1 gal containers you get
at nurseries, fill with plain potting soil (Schultz
Professional Grow Mix, I think it's called), no
cover, water and mist, keep in shade/semi-shade
until leaves appear. Gradually move into sun as
cutting looks more like a plant.

For some reason one OGR (I think it was a
Bourbon) didn't make it at all as cuttings,
whereas another of the same class did fine.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8