Germinating Roses

hello,

I am trying to grow some roses from seed and have about 30 or so in a plastic propagator (not heated) sitting out of direct sunlight in a room that gets alot of sun and so is generally very warm during the day.

The seeds have been in the potting soil for over a month now, i have checked daily and tried to make sure the soil doesn't get too dry or soaked but there is no sign of growth at all.

Have a few questions -

Have I just not waited long enough or are they likely not going to grow? (at what point do you give up on them)?

If its time to give up and try again is the non constant temp the most likely cause? is it worth getting a heated propagator? and how sensitive to too much or too little water are they? I've been using guess work up until now trying to keep it just damp but its hard to tell whats enough

 

Hi

They need a period of cold before they will grow
In horticulture, stratification is the process of pretreating seeds to simulate natural winter conditions that a seed must endure before germination. Many seed species undergo an embryonic dormancy phase, and generally will not sprout until this dormancy is broken. The time taken to stratify seeds depends on species and conditions; though in many cases two months is sufficient.
, the seeds need to be planted out into pots/trays and then a thin layer of grit over the top of the soil and left outside over winter and in the spring you will have seedlings appear

 

oh, i had heard about the needing a cold period but i though since the temp drops over night that would be sufficient (iv been working on the assumption they need t be kept at 20-24 Celsius)

would artificially cooling them help? Was hoping on getting some growth before next year :P

 

You could try keeping in the fridge for minimum 8 weeks to chill them mix them in a plastic bag of moist compost NOT THE FREEZER PART, have you a greenhouse as if you do get them to grow ? and we are late into the season they would need to be kept frost free as the growth would be "soft" any frost etc would kill it off , as gardeners we all need patience drives me crazy as well.
If me I would suggest what I mentioned in the other post or split the seeds and sow some now and some in the Autumn

Others on GC may come up with a easier idea ?

 

these are not going in the ground, im keeping them in my house until they are large enough to be given away to friends and family etc.

so since they have been in the soil for about 6 weeks i shouldn't really do anything for another couple of weeks? and if nothing still then in the fridge with them?

 

in the fridge now otherwise they wont grow , you wont break the dormancy at this time of year

Spruce

 

I have grown from seed this year but it all started last year when I put them in bottom of the fridge. They were in there for 18 weeks and then went into the polytunnel. I now have lovely little plants that I am really pleased with.

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner Adrianm.

Surely growing roses from seed won't grow true to the parent plant? Have you considered taking cuttings instead Adrian?

 

I've germinated some species roses from seed and they can be slow to germinate even after stratification, 6 to 12 months.