Cutting cuttings
If you've discovered a rose that piques your curiosity, that makes your heart race upon closer inspection, and you've received permission to take cuttings, you're faced with the question: Where should I take the cuttings, which branches and shoots are suitable? Before you start cutting, however, you should label the roses with the date, location, and possibly the name, so you don't lose too much time after cutting.
Find suitable shoots
Every spring, the rose begins to sprout again. New shoots grow, at the ends of which the rose forms buds. These new shoots, once they bear buds or flowers, are ideal cuttings.
The cut
The new shoots are cut directly at the base, the point where the shoot grows out of the old wood. However, they should not be too short, meaning at least 8 cm long. The cutting should definitely have three to four buds. "Blooms" are the places on the branch where new shoots will next emerge. They are located protected in the leaf axils of the roses. To know how many buds the shoot has, all you have to do is count the leaves. You can find out exactly what counts as a "leaf" in the illustration on page 139. With weak roses with few shoots, you have to search a bit to find suitable cutting material. Don't take too many buds from such roses.
Remove flowers and buds
Once the cuttings are taken, place them in a shady spot. Prepare them for cutting. To do this, first cut off the buds and flowers just above the base of the last leaf, as these will only sap the cutting's strength.
Strip off excess leaves
Remove the lower leaves, as they would rot if they were buried in the soil during the cutting process. Leave the top two to three leaves on the cutting.
transport
Label the finished cutting, carefully wrap it in moistened paper towels, and store it in the plastic bag. On very hot days, an insulated or cooler bag is recommended for transport.
