Since most of the seeds you collect won't grow, growing roses from seed can be difficult.It isn't necessary to achieve a high success rate because most rose plants produce a lot of seeds inside their hips.It is important to keep in mind that the plants that grow may be different from the mother plant, especially if that plant is a hybrid of two varieties.
Step 1: Dead flowers should be left on the plant to allow rose hips to develop.
Unless you are breeding specific plants together, you don't need to pollinate the flowers by hand.Don't cut the flowers on the rose plant.Small fruits known as rose hips will develop after they are wither.You can grow a plant with different characteristics from the seeds you harvest.This can happen if you harvest from a hybrid rose variety or if the rose is pollinated with a different variety of flowers.
Step 2: Remove the rose from the hips.
The rose hips start out small and green, then change color as they grow until they are red, orange, brown, or purple.You can pick them at this point or wait until they are dry and wrinkled.The seeds inside may have died by this point, so don't wait until they are fully dry and brown.
Step 3: The hips should be cut open.
The rose hips should be cut open with a knife.Pull them out with a knife tip.Each rose hip has a different amount of seeds in it.There may be a few per rose hip.
Step 4: The seeds need to be wiped off.
The seeds may not germinate if the pulp is left on them.If you want to remove the pulp quickly, you can place the seeds in a sieve or mesh and run water through it.
Step 5: The seeds should be soaked in hydrogen peroxide.
The growth of mold on the seeds can be reduced with a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide.The 3% hydrogen peroxide should be put into 1 cup of water.For at least an hour, keep the rose seeds in this solution.Some studies suggest that a small amount of mold can help break down the shell surrounding the seed, but this treatment is still recommended to prevent mold growth in larger amounts.An alternative to this step is a light dusting of anti-fungal powder.
Step 6: The seeds should be placed in a damp place.
Rose seeds will not grow unless they are kept in cold, wet conditions.Place the seeds between two layers of paper towels or in a container of salt-free river sand.This is the first step in the process.If you are using store-bought seeds and the label says they are already divided, skip to the planting seeds section.
Step 7: The seeds should be left in the fridge for a while.
Put the seeds and moist material in a plastic bag or seedling tray and keep them out of the cold area of a refrigerator.If you keep them in the same area of the refrigerator as fruit or vegetables, they will release chemicals that will prevent the seeds from developing.The seed medium should be kept slightly damp.Whenever the paper towel starts to dry out, add a few drops of water to them.
Step 8: The seeds need to be removed from the fridge.
The seeds would normally start to grow in the early spring, so try to do this around that time.Make sure the environment outside of the fridge is not too warm.The seed won't grow until you remove it from the fridge.Depending on the rose variety and individual seeds, the seeds could take anywhere from four to sixteen weeks to grow.70% of the seeds never grow.
Step 9: The container should be filled with a sterile seed starting mix.
It is easy to care for many seeds at once with small trays.To make root growth easier to see, use plastic drinking cups with a hole punched in the bottom.It is not recommended to use regular soil as it may not drain well enough and cause the seedlings to rot.
Step 10: You should plant the seeds.
Store-bought seeds can be planted immediately.As soon as the seeds begin to grow, plant them.The root of the plant is the sprout.It is a good idea to lightly cover them with soil.The seeds need to be at least 2 inches apart.Within a week, seeds should emerge as plants.Store-bought seeds can take several weeks.It may take two or three years for seeds that have not been stratified to emerge.
Step 11: The soil should be warm and moist.
The soil should be kept damp but not soggy.The temperature between 60 and 70oF (16–21oC) is ideal for most rose varieties.You may want to research the parent rose's variety to get a better idea of what your roses prefer.
Step 12: When is it safe to transplant seedlings?
The first two leaves are usually seed leaves.It is more likely to survive if it grows several "true leaves" with a more typical rose leaf appearance.Plants can be moved to a larger pot for a year or two and then moved outside.If you notice the plant is root bound, it's a good idea to transplant it soon.Don't transplant it outside until after the last frost.
Step 13: Care for your roses.
You can start watering it once the transplant is healthy again.Fertilizing a few times during the warm growing season may help your plant grow and bloom if you follow the instructions, but keep in mind that some varieties of rose will not bloom at all during their first year of life.