Roses seem to be part of the universal love language. After all, they’re given on special holidays celebrating love such as Valentine’s Day. But regardless of the occasion, having roses around is delightful -– the smell, beauty, and color seem to lift the human spirit. If you wholeheartedly agree, perhaps it has crossed your mind to try and grow a rose patch of your own, or better yet, expand the one you already have. If so, planting your new rose varieties in the ground this spring might be easier than you think. Instead of buying seeds from the store, you can try to grow roses with cuttings of your own and propagate them with aloe vera.
It may sound bizarre, but it actually works quite well — it turns out aloe vera is an excellent rooting hormone. The gel from inside the plant contains enzymes that stimulate growth during the rooting process and protect the cuttings from fungal and bacteria infections while they’re establishing. To try this propagation method at home, you will need a few basic supplies such as healthy rose stems, aloe vera, well-draining soil, and small planting containers.
Prepare rose stems for propagation
There are many rose varieties that will make your garden smell heavenly. After you choose the one you want to propagate, cut your stems in the early spring or summer right after the flowers are done blossoming. Around this time the cuttings are more likely to root. When deciding which stems to cut, consider choosing the ones that are flexible and bendy with about three to five leaf nodes. The stems should also have the same thickness as a pencil. Go ahead and make a clean cut just above a bud eye, and place the stems in water. The cuttings should ideally be about 10 inches in length and all but the top two sets of leaves should be removed.
As far as the aloe vera plant goes, cut one of the fleshy leaves into several small pieces and create a slit in the gel — this is where the bottom of your cutting will eventually go. But before you do that, grab your planting container filled with soil and create a small hole in the dirt. Place one of your aloe slices there with the gel part facing up. Slide the bottom of the cutting into the slit you created in the gel and cover it with soil — aim to have two bud eyes below the dirt.
Aloe vera powder or gel work equally well
If you don’t have an aloe vera plant, aloe vera gel from the store can work just as well. Or you can opt for aloe powder mixed with distilled water. In this case, mix them together and dip the bottom of your cutting into the wet powder, and place in the pot. After you’re done, place the potted cuttings in a spot with indirect light and warmth — a temperature of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Later in the month, look to see if the roots have set in by gently tugging on the cutting to check for any resistance. It usually takes two to four weeks for the cutting to take root, and as they grow, you will need to transfer them into larger containers.
Once established, the best time of year to plant roses is in the springtime. Choose a sunny spot in well-draining soil, and consider the region you live in -– most rose varieties thrive in hardiness zones 5 to 8. Keep in mind that about half of rose cuttings fail to propagate, so don’t be bummed if a few of them don’t make it. Just be sure to take plenty of cuttings to improve the odds of survival so you have a gorgeous rose garden next year!
