ROSE BUDDING, A CAREFUL ART

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33774, 21 February 1975, Page 15

ROSE BUDDING, A CAREFUL ART

Most of the roses which are available from garden centres and nurseries are named varieties-

They have been introduced as a result of various breeding programmes and represent the best selections from trials. In order to perpetuate them more quickly, to impart great vigour and so on, these roses have all been propagated by budding the selected variety on to a root stock, the one most commonly in use here being a thornless variety of Rosa I multiflora.

However, the private grower can content himself by growing his selection from cuttings taken from existing known plants, most of which root without much difficulty. SHARP KNIFE Budding is carried out during January and February on one-year-old, well-rooted, cuttings. The task requires a degree of competence to be successful and most gardeners who have never attempted this type of thing would be well advised to I practise the procedure before working their root stocks.

A razor-sharp knife is essential for without such a fine edge it is virtually impossible to remove a bud from the bud stick in the required manner. The only other requirement is some binding material such as raffia, rubber or plastic tape. If the thorns snap off cleanly this will give a pretty good indication of the suitability of the wood for the purpose of budding. Generally the best buds are to be found towards the midregion of a stem on which

the blooms have faded about i (a fortnight earlier. < The ■ buds themseives t should not be in growth as * such a condition usually I ends in failure of bud-stock > union. t To remove the bud from the bud stick which has j been cut from the desired ■ plant commence an up and 1 under cut from 18mm below 1 , jthe bud and draw it out i again 25mm above it. Only the merest sliver of', (wood should be retained] J behind the bud and attached; rind. The removal of too, (much wood will result in 1 damage to the bud while the I I retention of more than nec- ( essary can result in slow, I poor, or lack of union between stock and scion (bud), j Preparation of the stock I for insertion of the bud I necessitates the careful use :of the knife again. It re- | quires a vertical incision 125 mm long to be made close Ji to ground level followed by ,la horizontal one across the J top of it 15mm wide. It will . be found that the bark will , lift and part back quite eas- ’ ily if the stock is in the . right state for budding pur-, poses.

BUD SHIELD The next step is to insert the bud shield, — make sure that it is the right way up — into the slot which has been cut on the stock. Any surplus bark from the shield which protrudes above the previously made horizontal cut on the stock should be trimmed up and.after pressing the bark firmly back (into place over the bud it is ; necessary to bind over the 'surgery. Binding should be quite tight to ensure thorough cambial contact between bud

and stock, to prevent drying out and also give protection against dislodgment. The “eye” of the bud should be left exposed. Keep the plant (well watered and clear of weeds. A successful take will be indicated by a "bright” bud (with signs of swelling some four to five weeks after 'completion of the above procedure. In late winter the head of the stock should be (cut off just above the bud (union.