It’s that time of the year! Your rose blooms are spent and you are starting to see your rose hips begin to ripen the seeds within. This is our second year harvesting rose seeds and we are excited to see what new rose plants we get from this harvest.
Many people are unsure about harvesting rose seeds. Is it too soon? Is it too late? I tried this before and none of my seeds took. What’s the deal?
Rose seeds are finnicky little things. They require a period of stratification (cool temperatures) that essentially tells the seed it has gone through a cold period and, as warmer weather approaches, it signals it is time to germinate. This process can be recreated in one’s fridge. That said, the success rate of seed germination is very low. This is why when you hear of some people trying and failing at the process (myself included). After a stratification period of 10-12 weeks, the seeds will be ready to plant. A seed tray is ideally suited for the task as you can water form below and warm them as necessary.
Ensuring that you have a proper environment for the rose seeds is important. Consistent light and temperatures (70 degrees F.) is key to getting your seeds to grow. Even with this care, the rate of success will be ~20-30%. Disease will attack your roses and many will likely not take or even die. This is normal and part of the process. Patience is especially key for roses. For those sprouts that do survive, it could take months or even up to a year to secure a first bloom.
*There is a lot more to this process, but I want to keep my posts as short as possible. Thanks for your understanding. If you have questions, feel free to comment.