What You Need
When you look at your beautiful roses in their vase, you’ll often realize you wish you could keep them around a lot longer than the days they’ll last. You can do it, quickly and easily, by planting them in potatoes. Here’s what you’ll need on hand to be successful at re-growing cut roses.
- Cut rose
- Small/medium potato
- Plastic bottle – a 2 liter bottle works well
- Flower pot
- Soil
Once you have these items on hand, you’re ready to start!
Prepare Your Roses and Potatoes
You’ll need to prepare your flower stems and the tuber you’re using as a planting medium. First of all, remove all of the leaves from the stem of your rose. Now, just about one and a half inches below the bloom, cut the stem at a 45 degree angle.
Next, you need to put a hole in your potato. You can use a knife, an auger, a drill, or any other tool, provided the hole you create will hold the rose stem snugly. The trick is to make sure the rose stands upright in the potato.
Time to Plant
Now, take your pot and add two to three inches of soil to it. Place the potato in the center of the pot, on the soil, and then continue to fill the pot with the soil. Make sure the potato is completely covered!
Make a Small Greenhouse
Use the plastic bottle to create a good growing environment for your rose. Cut the bottom off the bottle (leave the lid on) and then place it over the planted flower, pressing the edges into the soil slightly.
This bottle will also be useful when you water your plant. Pouring the water over the outside of the will allow the soil to get wet while protecting the plant from being damaged or overwhelmed by liquid.
Wait Patiently
Now, set your pot with its protected rose stem in a sunny spot and let it grow. It’s suggested that you start several cut roses this way, as some may not flourish; starting a few at a time increases your odds of success. Once you’ve got your plants started, you should see sprouts and blooms in no time!
