How to Hybridize roses: First learn the basics!
Avoid being overwhelmed when learning how to hybridize roses!
Want to learn how to hybridize and breed roses? Good news!! Hybridizing roses and growing from rose seed is actually easier than you may think! Being able to hybridize roses gives you a great feeling knowing that you have complete unique varieties that no one else in the world has. And you may be just lucky enough to where the rest of the world wants to get their hands on your variety as well!
Just starting to learn how to hybridize, or have you been doing research already?
There is a lot of information out there in regards to breeding roses and growing roses from seed. So much, it can be very overwhelming and you could end up being more confused than ever before, leading to frustration, and even perhaps enough to prevent you to procrastinate or not even start at all. Before you start, it is ESSENTIAL that you learn the basics of hybridizing first, and properly preparing your rose seeds for successful germination and growth. Once you know these basic steps, learning the methods/techniques used with each step is a lot easier to understand. Here are the basic steps from start to finish:
The 6 basic steps:
We’re keeping these very basic and simple. Once you know these basic steps, you’ll be a lot more comfortable diving deeper in researching the different techniques, methods, and materials used for each step.
Step 1: Pollination of the flower
It all starts with the flower. Whether you pollinate the flower yourself, or open-pollinate (allowing the bees and other pollinators do it for you), roses need to be pollinated. Pollen is transfered from one flower to another, and when a successful pollination occurs, seeds can start developing.
Step 2: Rose seed and Hip developement
After pollination, rose seeds will start growing, and the rose hip will also grow in size to accommodate the size of the seeds inside. It takes on average of 3-4 months for seeds to fully develop. Once the rose seeds are fully mature, the rose hip will turn a bright color (usually orange or red) to indicate that the seeds are good to go!
Step 3: Collecting and cleaning seeds
Once the seeds are fully developed and the rose hip has ripened, the seeds need to be taken out of the hip. After the seeds have been collected, they need to be washed, removing any pieces of hip flesh that may be attached. Also, the fibers inside of the rose should be rinsed off the seed, as the fibers can inhibit seed germination.
Step 4: Rose seed stratification
After the seeds have been removed and cleaned, they are ready for cold stratification. Rose seeds MUST be cold stratified before they germinate. They have to feel like they have gone through a full winter first. Stratifying rose seeds takes about 3 months before they can germinate.
Step 5: Planting rose seeds
After cold stratification, rose seeds can be planted in warm soil. The warmth triggers the seeds to start germinating. Seeds are planted about 1/4 inch deep and kept moist at all times. On average, seeds will start germinating around 2-4 weeks after planting.
Step 6: Rose seedling care
After the rose seeds germinate, it is important to keep them alive and healthy! Plenty of light (either sunlight or supplemental grow lights), moist soil, and proper fertilizing is essential for a thriving rose seedling. If started indoors, they can be brought outside when the danger of all frost has passed.
……and that’s it. Very basic.
Now, it can be very confusing seeing other videos/articles in what information is provided for you. But there are a lot of ways that the hybridization process can be done, so don’t get caught up on the fine details. Do what techniques makes sense to YOU. Remember that you can always adjust techniques if you’re not satisfied with your overall success (many rose breeders are not successful the very first time they start!).
Keep an eye for future articles regarding each step in more detail. Also check out my YouTube channel as videos are posted on a regular basis regarding rose garden care, rose hybridizing, and growing roses from seed.
