Best time to take rose cuttings in September for ‘quick and easy’ growth

There is no better way to achieve an abundance of roses than to propagate the plant from cuttings, and the best time to do this happens to be in September, according to an expert. The optimal time to collect cuttings hinges broadly on the variety of the rose shrub and whether it is hard or soft-wood. Experts at Gardeners’ World state that the semi-hardwood cuttings are taken in late summer and early autumn, as this is when new stems are firmer and more mature. ‘You can take flexible softwood cuttings of very new growth in late spring and summer – these [will] root quickly and easily,” they note on their website. Hardwood cuttings are a different ball game, however, as these are the slowest and most difficult to root and should therefore be taken in winter.