I am very new to gardening.So forgive me if I sound too dumb!!! We bought a house with a very tiny yard.Well, I have rose plant in my yard which bloomed last Oct.It is very tall and willowy looking, the upper stems are green and thin.The stems towards the ground are about two inches in diameter with a lot of thorns, brownish color and very sturdy. I want to get cuttings from this plant and plant them in a container.Will that be good idea? When is a good time to take cuttings? Most of all I don't want this plant to die. Is there something I have to do to keep this plant blooming? I live in Seattle, Wa which I checked is in zone 7 - 8. Thanks in advance.
Early March is a great time to take cuttings. And if you want your roses to stay alive, be sure that they get enough water and sunlight. Ensuring that they get enough water won't be a problem in Seattle. And don't worry about sunlight, as long as you don't cover the rosebush with a tarp or anything like that. Also, if the rosebush will most likely die if it gets eaten or trampled. When you are working in your garden, be careful not to step on your rosebush, and watch your step so that you don't trip over one of your gardening tools and fall on top of the roses. I lost my favorite hydrangea that way last year, and I still mourn it's loss to this day. Also, if you or your neighbors have kids or pets that like to run through gardens and trample the plants, I suggest you surround your garden with an electric fence. It works wonders on those bratty kids! It also keeps the deer away.
Here are a couple of sites about growing roses in Washington. Hope they help. I live in Louisiana and I am sure they have different requirements down here. http://www.olyrose.org/planting.htm http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6289900.html
