Propagating Roses
Someday someone may ask you for budwood for a favorite rose. Remembering that you mustn't propagate a rose under patent without the patent owner's permission, and knowing that the rose you want to propagate is more than 20 years old, you wonder, "...how do I do this?" Well, here's one way to do it.
Budding is the primary method used for large-cale production of roses for sale. Many amateurs also prefer budding when producing roses for their own enjoyment, for friends or for public gardens. If you hybridize a wonderful new variety or find a great sport and want to get it into commerce, you will be asked to supply budwood.
Budding is the primary method used for large-cale production of roses for sale. Many amateurs also prefer budding when producing roses for their own enjoyment, for friends or for public gardens. If you hybridize a wonderful new variety or find a great sport and want to get it into commerce, you will be asked to supply budwood.
What kind of a "bud" are we talking about? Not the kind that opens to a flower. We use the term "bud" here as a shortcut for "budeye."
"Budwood" refers to canes that contain buds suitable for budding (attaching) to understock to expand to the desired variety. "Understock", "rootstock" or just "stock" refers to a rose variety that is vigorous, accepting of a wide range of roses and can transfer vigor to the variety budded to it.
Figure 1 shows a budeye ready to be harvested
Figure 1
Budwood
canes that contain buds suitable for budding (attaching) to understock so they will grow to the desired variety.
Budeye
a bud which will swell and form a new cane.
Rootstock / Understock
a rose variety that is vigorous and accepting of a wide range of roses being budded to it and can transfer vigor to the variety budded onto it.
Scion
a rose variety that is desired, usually harvested as a bud, and is accepting of being grafted/budded onto rootstock.
Buds are found immediately above the location where a leaf emerges. Pull a leaf (composed of leaflets) from a rose cane. You will see a swelling just above the place where the leaf was attached (Figure 1). This swelling or budeye expands to form a new cane. Note that where the leaf was removed, there is a line on the cane. You will find this line under a bud on an older cane where the leaf has died and fallen off. Buds are cut from the cane as scions to be attached in one of several ways to understock. Check the Propagation Menu for discussions on scion cutting and various budding methods.
Take more budwood (take several buds) than you think the recipient needs. Include a variety of bud conditions. Different rosarians have different criteria for what kind of buds they like to use.
If you can, cut budwood 1 to 2 'breaks' or branching nodes down from a cane that has bloomed (Figure 2). Just make sure it is not soft wood. If you cut it and the center is not white and hard then keep going down the cane. It is probably a good idea to use canes that have produced outstanding blooms. The jury is out on whether this helps, but it can't hurt!
Notice in Figure 2 that the bud is located several leaf sets down from the flower.
Figure 2
Figure 3 An ideal bud
Cane size is dependent on the variety. Optimally, it should have pencil to little finger thickness. The best buds have a slight swelling, a little less than 1/16".
Cane size is dependent on the variety. Optimally, it should have pencil to little finger thickness. The best buds have a slight swelling, a little less than 1/16".
Be very careful not to damage the buds by rough handling.
Figure 4
For someone wanting one or two plants, try to get cuttings that total at least 10 good buds. For inexpensive international shipping, a single cane with 5 - 6 buds may suffice. A bud is usable if there is an inch of cane below it and 1/2" of cane above it on the stick. Keep cane lengths of a size that will fit in a gallon baggy (< 9").
Figure 5
Remove the leaves, but not the thorns. Wrap the canes in a damp paper towel. Wrap thorny canes individually so that the thorns won't scratch other canes or protrude from a plastic baggy in normal handling. Put them in a gallon baggy and then in a small box for transit. Store in the bottom of your refrigerator until ready to go. Transport your budwood in a cooler. If they are to be mailed, use Priority Mail in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Use Express International between overseas countries. For exporting, have the recipient provide you with their import requirements before you start harvesting the the budwood so that you can comply with national laws.
Practice on a rose with plenty of canes (the large canes of Altissimo or Handel make great candidates for budding) until you have a feel for what is good budwood. Note that some varieties have pencil lead or garden marker sized canes. If you need to use these, do so.
This is a technique that every serious rosarian should know.
I acknowledge help with this from Nurseryman Paul Zimmerman
Practice on a rose with plenty of canes (the large canes of Altissimo or Handel make great candidates for budding) until you have a feel for what is good budwood. Note that some varieties have pencil lead or garden marker sized canes. If you need to use these, do so.
This is a technique that every serious rosarian should know.
I acknowledge help with this from Nurseryman Paul Zimmerman
