Pre-callousing cuttings...

I received a package from someone I met online the other day. It had cuttings of 'Fortuniana' and 'Eiffel Tower' in it as well as some instructions about how he strikes 'Fortuniana', which he said can be tricky. Anyway... thought I'd share his procedure to add to the arsenal of tricks we use to get them to strike.

The cuttings were wrapped in newspaper so that the cuttings were encased in it and then the newspaper and cuttigns were placed inside a plastic bag which was then sealed. Sealing the bag helped to maintain humidity and the cuttings had no leaves. In 2-3 weeks the cuttings are meant to begin callousing at which time they are transferred to pots to continue to strike and form roots. I've put all the cuttings in plastic bags to see how they go. The bags are kept in a warm but dark place to callous. Mine have been going about a week now so it will be interesting to see how they go in another 1-2 weeks. I'll take some photos and put them here if they start callousing.

Hi Simon,
that sounds good, I will also test it. Must the newspaper watered before ?

Simon, I have tried this method and had a bit of success. Out of about 10 cuttings 3 actually formed roots while in the wrapping. I kept the newspaper damp and sealed it in a ziplock bag. They took a lot longer than 2-3 weeks to callous though.

I wrapped the cutings up in the newspaper and then wet it down under the tap. I let the excess water drip off completely and then sealed it in the plastic bag. He stressed it was important, for 'Fortuniana', not to have any water pooling in the bag. When I mentioned 2-3 weeks I meant the 'Fortuniana' took that long... not every rose will behave like this. I assumed the time period he mentioned (2-3 weeks) for 'Fortuniana' was quick because 'Fortuniana' is often used as an understock and this would be one of the requirements for such a plant. Multiflora will set roots in this period of time and have them growing out the bottom of the pot in a month. I've never tried striking 'Dr Huey' because it is such a dud here but am guessing it might behave in a similar manner. With any luck 'Fortuniana' will strike well and I'll have a number of plants around to play with. It's reputed to be completely sterile (it's reported to be a hybrid between R. laevigata and R. banksiae) and to abort its flowers before it can set hips. I'd like to test it on something like laevigata , gigantea, multiflora, or wichurana to see if its pollen might do any better.

The method you are using Simon, we used on a larger scale at the rose nursery with styrofoam boxes as I have listed on previous occasions. We used multiflora and it did callous in the 3 week period.

Simon, I didn't have any luck striking 20 Fortuniana, all damping off problems. Multiflora treated in the same manner resulted in 95% success.
Will follow your progress with great interest.

Would like to get better results outside without resorting to some of the more expensive methods. I have 95% of the materials required to make a pretty fool proof rooting unit but can't seem to find the enthusiasm. Have more roses now than I need through budding last season but would like to give Fortuniana a try.

Yes Bruce, the guy who posted them also said he had issues with damping off type fungal infections. I find it strange that fortuniana is used a rootstock if it is troublesome to propagate... maybe it's just troublesome to us backyard hacks and the pros can do it easily. He mentioned he uses this method with approx 60% success rate. I might open the bags tonight and have a look to see if there is any 'movement'.

Simon, have read all these posts on the fortuniana. Have looked at HMF. My question is where was it found. It is used in WA, so soil type is different, I am thinking it requires a lot less moisture. Damping off tells me it would like drier surrounds. I have an address for WA rose grower that might help if you want it, let me know, David.

I'm not really interested in 'Fortuniana' as an understock because it seems, as you have said, to like drier and more sandy conditions. I'm interested in growing it to see what it's like and whether it is possible to get anything at all out of it when used as a pollen parent. It's meant to be quite a lovely plant in its own right too. Once it is struck, however, it seems to be very hardy and resistant to most fungal infections.

Took them out tonight and checked... the 'Fortuniana' cuttings have started callousing already.

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I think the second from the left will probably go black as it looks like it is starting already but the others look pretty good so far (taps head).

Another of my unknown older roses has also started callousing (put in at the same time).

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'Eiffel Tower' has not started.

As far as I know it was discovered growing in China by Fortune (who also discovered Fortune's Double Yellow) and has since been DNA analysed (trying to find the source...).

Simon, I had a very experienced WA rose grower give me all the does and don'ts for getting good results but it didn't work out. Correction it did work out 100% failure. If you can't get it to go try budding it onto Multiflora as you only want it for breeding.

I think I might try that with the peice that's going black. The buds are pretty much shooting in the bag unfortantely.

Found this interesting article on fortuniana too: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Simon, leave the wood on and chip bud if you have everything available.
The advanced buds should be OK if not taped over.

I budded a few HT's in June and got 50% take. I know we are a lot warmer up here but it's worth a try in Tassie.

Yep - I'll give it a go

Simon, those other articles are they available to read somewhere or are they only for mention, do you know if any other work has been done with it.

Which articles are they David? The one I posted the link to is the only one I've mentioned... unless you are talking about the DNA analysis refs. Haven't found them yet...

Simon, article might not be the right word, in the link on "fortuniana", there seems to be other places to read about it. I just wondered if it was possible find them in cyber space. What I mean is could they or would they have been uploaded to computer yet. If it is not to much trouble could you give me some simple search ideas of what to look for.

Ahhhh... from the references list... to view them you might be able to find them online but generally what you would need to do is find the journal they are listed in and the volume, dates etc and read it from there. You can usually get these through your local library or if you are near a uni you can sometimes access them through these places (unless you have a subscription to these journals... they often work out at around $20-$50 per paper if you buy them as one offs).

Hi,
I checked the roses that I put on the hot water service and they have calloused nicely. Do I dip them in hormone powder before potting them up?
Barbara B

Barbara, there is no need to hormone powder as the roots will come from the callous. I have just been told some of our cuttings Carole potted up she did it. I would think it would not hurt, on the contrary it might make the roots come on earlier and stronger, you could try half and leave the others undone. It is more of a experiment from my point of view.

OK, I'll try both.
Barbara B

Update on the 'Fortuniana' cuttings... they have all struck. Just before all the family trouble started 2 weeks ago I potted them up knowing I didn't have time to graft anything from them and was going to be away for an extended period of time.... checked them this morning now that I'm back and all is looking good with roots beginning to form. 'Eiffel Tower' has also struck as has the unknown one pictured previously that I want to trial as a rootstock.

David,

You remember in our phone conversations our discssion about the own root roses you used in the cut flower production... well while I was away (on the NSW Central Coast) Mum lined up a visit for me to a commerical greenhouse where they grew roses for cut-flower production hydroponically. All of their roses were also own root (and we are talking tens of thousands of roses)... they purchased all their roses already struck, however, they said their plants were prepared in a similar way. They said that because they were hydroponically grown the weaker root system was not a big issue because the nutrient was laid on ad-lib and the roots that did form were able to proliferate into a fine network to support the plant in the coir they grew in. They grew three HT roses per foam fruit box on a reticulation system... was pretty interesting. I was interested to hear that they were pretty much a no-spray setup. They used two chems. called [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] as well as their hydro-mix. They had a piece of carpet across the doorway on which they put a disinfectant to kill off spores on people's feet but that way about it and things looks pretty good in there. A very interesting morning anyway...

Simon, do you have any pictures to share?

From the nursery? No.... I was travelling light and didn't take a camera. Had my phone... but pics not really worth taking with that. I haven't been home long enough to worry about taking pics of the cuttings or anything else yet... still trying to get on top of things.

Simon, have you got the name of the nursery. hope your dad is ok, how is your mum coping?

They are a relatively new setup called 'A Dozen Roses'. Their story is pretty amazing. They escaped from Zimbabwe where they owned a massive rose farm, earning millions of $$$/year. Then the political turmoil boiled over there and people all around them, their neighbours, were being murdered and the Zim. Govt. took pretty much all their money off them. They somehow managed to escape with $100,000 left over and came to Australia where they have begun to set up another rose farm by renting a disused tomato grower's greenhouse. They've just built a second greenhouse and are about to move to a new location so they can expand further. This is them: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Dad is looking like he is going to be ok, for now, Mum is putting on a brave face but is running herself into the ground. Hopefully things will begint o settle down a bit.