Roses from seed

[Main Admin]

When is the best time to sow rose seeds, and is there special instructions for doing so.

Have just purchased 40 seeds from ebay, stores.ebay.co.uk/SeedNation

[Rosefriend]

HI CB

To be quite honest it has never dawned on me to grow Roses from seed. I suppose basically because I like to know what I am getting and with seed roses it can be a bit hit and miss.

I prefer bud grafted roses or (own) rooted roses. As to when the best time to plant I don't really know but I would suggest Spring or Autumn. By actually putting the seeds in a plant pot with earth - I do not think it would work as the only thing I do know about rose seeds is that they like moist and cold (not freezing) conditions to germinate. Once they have germinated then you can put them in a plant pot and carry on in the normal way.

Have you got enough seeds to play around a bit . i.e. some in earth just for the laugh of it - keep moist and cool though. Then try a couple of seeds in a bag in the fridge and leave them for a few weeks and see what happens.

Perhaps there are others on the board that know more about Germinating Roses from Seed.

Rosefriend

[Main Admin]

I had to soak them for 24 hrs in warm water then cover in compost and then winter them in the coldframe. hopefully the spring the seeds will have germanated and start to grow.
I've never done it before, but I've always been the type that likes to be able to stand back and say I did that it's mine, I like doing things from scratch.
CB

[chickadeedeedee]

We frequently have found rose seedling volunteers throughout the property. I assume the birds or squirrels drop the seeds and they germinate without our help. I wish I could tell you how best to get your seeds to grow.

We did transplant one particularly interesting seedling from the lawn to the east side of the garden. Several years later it is a spectacular rose with not a single thorn to be found on it! There are hundreds of pink flowers on it in the spring. I do not know what the variety may be. Forgot to photograph it this spring too.

ChickaDx3

[Main Admin]

I'm going to wait till into the New year before I start germinating these seeds. It can take from 4-18 months to get roses going.

[Chuckles]

Dragged this out of the depths and the notes below. I put some in the fridge and just had a reminder to check them, I'll report back later on any progress.

Did anyone else save any Rose seeds ? ?

From Fozzies list - Collect hips from any plant(s) you plan to grow the seed from

Well I've dissected 4 rose hips from a scented red climbing rose and put them in barely damp kitchen roll and put them in a poly bag in the fridge, need to leave them 90 days. I think that's what it said to do
Chuckles

+++

Well I hope Fozzie or Rosefan can help more on this one because I have never grown Roses from seed - I only know the theory of it and I do know that not everyone Stratifies the seeds - some put them into potting soil straight away. If you have them in kitchen roll make sure that it doesn't dry out though.

I believe one can even put the seeds into potting soil and put the lot in the fridge but I wouldn't want that next to my Cheese.

I do know a hobby rose gardener that just bungs the seeds into soil and basically forgets them - seems to work well for him.

RF.

+++


Chuckles B B
as Rosefriend say you do not have to stratisfy them, although some people say that it helps! I put them direct into a tray 50/50 seed compost/soil. It can take a long time for them to germinate, sometime many month.

The other thing to remember is that its a lottery. The parent may not be very fertile and therefore only produce a small amount of fertile seeds, even these may not look like the parent(s).

I do it as a bit of fun, but you do have to be heartless and discard those that are not "perfect" to you. I have severasl I should have put on compost heap years ago and now find it too hard.
Foz

[fozzie]

I put about 30 in a seed tray in Nov still waiting...

This year am going a step further and will be selecting parents to be. I tried before in my younger days with limited success. Now I have more time it should be easier and more fruitful.

Foz

[Chuckles]

Inspected the seeds in the fridge, nothing has happened. May just pop a few of them into pots of compo and hide them away behind the GH, leave a few in the fridge too. Is there any point in putting some in the HP Fozzie

I'd love to get just one going today I'd done it ;D

[fozzie]

I really dont know on that BB, I've always left mine outside to fend for themselves, it might speed the process up.
Fx

[Chuckles]

I'll have a play and leave some in the fridge, put some outside, some in GH and some in the poly kennel, must label them or I'll forget what they are

[fozzie]

BB.
meant to ask before which rose(s) have you taken the seed from? If you keep this up and get some success we will have you "bud grafting " next.


Fx

[Chuckles]

It's a lovely scented red climber don't know the name I'm afraid and don't have a pic either. I haven't done anything with the seeds yet, still in fridge. The way things are I'm going to have to leave doing anything with them till after my hols now, other garden stuff to sort before I go.

Mmmm I wouldn't mind having a bash at grafting, would be nice to try these different things. Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say

[Chuckles]

Fozzie, Rosefan or RF or anyone.........do I have a young rose from the seeds I sowed. Let me down gently if it's not

[Rosefriend]

Congratulations Chuckles - well done .....erm I am not sure actually.

The next set of leaves will probably say for sure - I am going to say yes (fingers crossed behind my back) and I am really pleased for you.

Keep us informed as to it's progress won't you.

RF

[Shrubrose]

Well it certainly looks like a rose seedling Chuckles. Hope so after your endeavours and patience.

[fozzie]

BB,
not a 100% certain from pic I would expect to see "true leaves" following the cotylrdon pair.

These are mine!!



I WISH

Foz

[Chuckles]

Jeez Foz you had me going there for a minute with that picture of all those babies ;D

I'll keep you posted on any progress. If it turns out not to be a rose I'll still have another go with this years seeds can't give up

[fozzie]

Hi BB, just caught up again. Never say die, there is always next year anyway it can take upto 12 months or more for the little 'darlings' , said through clenched teeth, to germinate. I must find the owner of that picture and ask about the medium used to grow those seedlings.
Talk again soon.
Fxx

[Chuckles]

Hi Foz, just took these photo's of the whatever it is ;D

[Rosefriend]

Oooh Chuckles - pleased that you have asked Foz about it - I haven't got a clue........sorry.

RF

[Chuckles]

Latest photos of my what ever it is showing it's newest leaf ;D

[Rosefriend]

Lovely pics Chuckles, but I do not think that it is a rose .....I do so hope that I am wrong but something is not right about them somehow.

RF

[Chuckles]

2 1/2 years on ;D

Yesterday I had a tidy around the GH and came across this, it's just been left in the hope that it may be a rose. The 2 thickest stems that are a good 12" tall now.

[Jasmine]

What an interesting old thread

Your mystery plant certainly looks like a rose now Chuckles - wonder what colour/sort of flowers it will have.

[Rosefriend]

oooo yes, yes and yes again ....well done Chuckles - I reckon it can formally be called a rose, don't you??

RF

[Chuckles]

Well it sure looks like a rose to me too ;D I'm well chuffed. It would be great if it will rewarded me with a flower or two this year. Must give it some tlc, a repot and a good feed me thinks. Not sure if I should give it a bit of a trim or not the mother is a climber.

[Rosefriend]

I would leave the trim - let it do it's own thing for a year...only thing that I don't like is this...



if you prune roughly where I have put the arrows - they really are spindly things..

RF

[Jasmine]

I'm inspired to have a go at this Did you just dry some hips Chuckles?

[Ladygardener]

Success Chuckles good for you. Never give up.

[Chuckles]

I very rarely give up LG ;D

Sorry Jasmine, been meaning to reply to you

The hip I used wasn't dry, but I can't remember now which method the rose grew from to be honest. I had them all in the fridge in damp kitchen roll inside a poly bag at one time and I then put some in compo and shoved them outside.

I kept some notes from the time I was doing it but can only find the info below, I must have cleared all the other notes from my word docs.

"The simplest method of growing Roses from Seed
1.The Rose hips need to be cut off before they dry out completely, but a little wrinkled is ok if you don’t get to them in time. The hip needs to be sown into a grow pot containing either seeds growing soil or peat moss.

2.The seeds can be frozen in this condition until the correct time of year (around May / June in the UK). Keeping them outside during winter is the easiest way to preserve the rose hip.

3.Once summer begins to show it’s face, gather your rose seeds and place in a bowl of tepid water. The rose seeds which float in the water are likely to be infertile so these can be discarded, leaving you with the fertile rose seeds which sank to the bottom of the bowl.

4.Your rose seeds can now be treated like most other types of plant seed. Sow them in damp seedling compost and leave in sunlight to germinate (but don’t let them dry out). This should take around 2 to 3 weeks. Once a couple of sets of leaves appear on your rose seedlings you can add a little fertiliser to help them grow.

5.When the rose plants are large enough to transplant to plant pots, and later the garden, ensure they have as much sun as is possible. A good sized rose plant needs at least 5 hours sun per day so move the pots around to avoid the shade if needed. The roots of Rose plants are also very sensitive to too much water to keep this in mind and do not- over water them. "


As I recall there were several methods you could try but the above does sound the easiest. This link is interesting scvrs.homestead.com/hybridizekb1.html Do keep us posted if you have a go.