Rooting Seven Sisters Roses

Question

I have a Seven Sisters cimbing rose bush. Can I root it by one runner falling on the ground and placing soil over it?

Answer 1

From what I know of this fine old rosebush (from 1817 or so I believe) she is very easy to get to root. The method you refer to is also called Layering. One of the canes on the rosebush is bent down to the ground, at a location where the cane would be easy to bury it, create a wound on the cane by scraping off the outer portion of the cane down to the white cambium layer. The cane should be sort of U shaped once the wounded area is buried so that the end of the cane, which will become the new rosebush, is up out of the ground. As an extra measure for success, I dig a spot for the burial of the cane, add some Olivia’s Cloning Gel (or a rooting product of your choice) to the wounded area (applied liberally) then bury the treated wound section with a good bagged garden soils mix. Using a rooting mix could be done but is not necessary. Once the rooting takes place you will notice new growth coming from the exposed part of the cane. After the new growth is well underway, it is time to separate the newly rooted cane from the mother rosebush. Cut the cane at the mother bush with some sharp pruners. Prune off the extra bit of cane to within 2 or 3 inches of the buried location and cover with the garden soils. It is best to let the new bush go ahead and finish out the season in its current location moving it to its new site early the following spring.