Cheryl, your cuttings look very promising! The new leaves are a good sign--just keep the cuttings moist and under some kind of dome, and don't fuss with them too much. Check for roots (very gently lift upwards on the cutting, not enough to remove it from the medium, just enough to feel resistance) in about two weeks. There is nothing else you need to do--you are doing very well with your cuttings, better than most first-timers (like me). Keep us posted on your rose progress.
I placed the plastic back over them. I thought I felt a little resistance when checking on them... but I was wrong. So I put a little more root stimulator powder on it and reinserted. Hope I didn't hurt them any.
Cheryl, you didn't hurt them at all. The rooting hormone works if it comes in contact with the leaf node/cut end of a cutting. It doesn't do much just in the soil, so save your rooting hormone powder for the next batch of cuttings you'll be taking (trust me, you will. This propagating is addictive!)
I do believe the freezing temps we had over the weekend spoiled my cutting. I've been keeping them in the laundry room which isn't heated. After the first night of freezing the little leaves looked a bit droopy. So I moved them into a heated area of the house. This morning, I noticed that the top of the cutting turned brown. I don't know if it was from the freeze or the warmth... or both. :'( And the leaves look even worst. There's still one cutting that shows promise of growth. I'm beginning to think that I will not get this rose cutting to take.
Cheryl, Never mind the leaves, the important part of the cutting is the stem. If the stem is green, your cutting is okay. Leaves have been dropping off my cuttings, but there are new leaves coming on on most of them. Two are goners--the stems are brown and there is no sign of life. Is there any chance of getting a new cane from your sister-in-law's rose this spring if you need one? If so, let me know and we'll work something out.
Jane... the top of the stem is starting to turn brown/black. The only chance of getting another cutting is to find out which of my sis-in-laws sisters got her rose bush (it was in a container) and then get another cutting. The big cutting outside is still hanging in there... so there's still some hope. If none of these survive... I'm just going to buy a yellow rose bush and plant it "in her memory". Thanks for the offer of help... I sure need it!
