One more lot of cuttings

Ruth uses late-winter rose prunings to make more plants

- Ruth Hayes

I HAVE been killing two birds with one stone this week – giving my shrub roses their final winter prune and using the healthiest of the removed stems as cuttings.

These roses are pruned in autumn and then again in late winter to prepare them for the year’s new growth. They can take a hard chop, so be brave and you will soon see new shoots appearing.

I took 12in (30cm) lengths of healthy growth and cut each piece in half, just below a healthy leaf bud or leaf node.

Because the rose had started to come into leaf I rubbed off the most open buds on the removed stems, leaving the smaller ones to develop as the cuttings hopefully take root.

These are hardwood cuttings, taken while trees and shrubs are dormant. We are right at the end of the time they can be taken, but in early summer you can remove lengths of this year’s new growth to make softwood cuttings.