Cuttings for standards - a query

G'morning Rosebuds, I am hoping to graft onto some Dr Huey to make some standards. I have planted a heap of cuttings 80-100 cm in length (see picture).. Should I rub the thorns off and peck out all but the top buds now or later if they take? thanks,   

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I will leave the answers to your questions to the experts however I was interested to note you are using Dr Huey as rootstock. I have always found and been told by those who should know multiflora is the best rootstock for the eastern Australia as it prefers slightly acid soil which dominates eastern Australia whereas Dr Huey prefers slighly alkaline soil which dominates much of South Australia and Western NSW. This is not to mention suckering problems which Dr Huey outstrips both multiflora and fortuniana.

Now that is interesting.. I would actually prefer to work with multiflora so I potted some of them today as well.but i haven't struck them before so we will see how they go.. . they were much easier to work with than Dr Huey as no thorns.. i have so many Dr Huey's running feral in my garden that you won't be surprised to hear that our district is on the alkaline side.. so i can grow Dianthus as well but Rhododendrons sulk.. and the suckering of Dr Huey is a real pain.. tomorrow morning when it is cool again i will take some fortuniana cuttings and pot them up (they are very vigorous here) - cheers

Where do I start Caroline, as mentioned in another thread about practice, that is what I would do with the Doctor. As for alkaline versus acidic, I would go with the 'multiflora' on one thing, it does not "SUCKER" like the good Doctor.
As for your 'fortuniana', how old is it ? ant seeds now or in the past. You do not have any 'R. laxa' by chance Caroline, this is a very interesting 'rootstock'

I'll be interested to see whether you are able to strike fortuniana as I am led to believe it doesn't strike as easily as Dr Huey or Multiflora. As for Multiflora it strikes very easily just take a cutting, take out the bud eyes except the last two top ones, heel it then place in a pot of wet coarse river sand then place in a position where the pot gets dappled sunlight i.e. under a tree. The pot should be kept moist.

many thanks - tomorrow i will go and take the bud eyes out above ground, except for the last two, on the cuttings I made today.

I will try Rosa laxa as well Roseman, as I have one plant of it and may as well give it a whirl (thorny little devil though)

righto - thanks.. only 1 flower on the R. laxa and no hip.. am thinking that the stock for this R. laxa came originally from a stem that had yet to flower, hence the dearth of flowers on my plant {it once had Jude the Obscure as the scion, which is why i have this root stock lolling about}