Hello everyone! Wishing you lots of joy and inspiration in caring for your rose garden. Today, we’ll explore a very unique method of propagating roses by cuttings.
This method is especially suitable for those who love natural gardening, utilizing readily available, easy-to-find, and safe nutrients for their plants.
1. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Prepare the Lemon Solution
First, prepare a fresh lemon, choosing one that is juicy and not bruised. Wash the lemon, then cut it in half and squeeze all the juice into a clean plastic cup.
Don’t discard the lemon peel; chop it finely and add it to the lemon juice. Lemon peel contains many natural essential oils and organic acids which have antibacterial and antifungal properties and help clean the surface of the rose cuttings.
Add about 500 ml of warm water to the cup, stir the mixture well, and let it sit for about 15 minutes to allow the active ingredients in the lemon peel and juice to dissolve better in the water.
2. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Prepare the Cuttings
Choose a healthy, disease-free branch of moderate age – not too young, not too old. Use scissors or a sharp knife to remove all leaves and thorns to minimize water loss and avoid injuring your hands.
Trim the branch to about 20 cm in length, ensuring it has two to three healthy dormant buds. At the base of the branch, gently trim away a small section of the outer bark to expose the inner tissue, allowing the branch to easily absorb the rooting solution.
3. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Soak in Lemon Water
Place the rose cuttings in the prepared lemon water and soak for about 15 minutes. The natural acids in the lemon will disinfect the cut and stimulate the formation of callus and new roots.
4. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Make Rice Water
Prepare 100 grams of rice in a clean plastic cup, add 500 ml of clean water, and wash thoroughly. During the rice washing process, B vitamins, minerals, and starch dissolve into the water.
After washing, drain the cloudy rice water into another clean plastic cup. This is a natural source of nutrients that is very good for young roots in the early stages of development.
5. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Mix Solutions With Coca-Cola
Once the rose cuttings have soaked in lemon water for the required time, remove them. Filter out the lemon peel pulp, keeping the clear lemon juice and mixing it with the prepared rice water.
This mixture has both antiseptic properties and provides mild nutrition, helping the rose cuttings avoid shock when they begin to root. Coca-Cola contains a small amount of sugar and mild acid which stimulates the activity of beneficial microorganisms and supports faster root differentiation. Add about 100 ml of Coca-Cola to the plastic cup and mix well with the rice-lemon solution.
6. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Prepare the Paper Medium
Prepare some soft, clean toilet paper and another plastic cup. Tear toilet paper into small pieces and place them in a cup.
Pour the Coca-Cola-rice-lemon solution over the paper, ensuring it is thoroughly soaked. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to allow the paper to absorb the nutrients.
Once the paper is soaked, wring out the excess liquid and transfer the damp paper to another clean plastic cup. Gently press the paper and create a small hole in the center of the cup to prepare for placing the rose stem.
7. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Set the Cutting
Wrap two to three layers of the soaked toilet paper around the base of the rose stem, ensuring a snug but not overly tight fit. Lightly dip the wrapped paper into the solution again, then place the stem into the small hole in the center of the cup.
Gently press around the stem to secure it, ensuring it stands firmly and is in good contact with the moist, nutrient-rich environment.
8. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Create Humidity and Placement
Cover the entire cup and rose stem with a clear plastic bag or another plastic cup to create a humid, temperature-stabilized environment. Place the cup in a cool, well-ventilated area, avoiding strong winds and direct sunlight.
9. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Results and Care
After about 10 days of proper care, you will notice very clear results. The rose cutting will begin to sprout new shoots, with fresh, healthy green leaves, showing no signs of wilting or root rot.
Upon closer observation of the base, many new, white, plump, and succulent roots will have formed, indicating that the cutting has successfully rooted.
10. Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Potting Up
At this point, you can gently transfer the rose cutting to a pot with good drainage using treated coconut fiber as a growing medium. This will allow the roots to continue developing steadily.
Rose Propagation by Cuttings: Why This Method Works
The method of propagating rose cuttings using a combination of lemon, rice water, and Coca-Cola is not only creative, but also demonstrates the power of simple ingredients when used correctly. Each ingredient plays a specific role: lemon helps disinfect and stimulate root tissue, rice water provides gentle nourishment, and Coca-Cola supports the initial growth stimulation process.
By doing it slowly and carefully, and observing the daily changes in the cuttings, you will experience a very special joy – the joy of a gardener seeing new life formed by their own hands.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this lesson will not only help you successfully propagate your favorite rose cuttings but also inspire you to continue experimenting and creating. Commit to a long-term, natural, sustainable, and inspiring approach to plant care.