New Growth on Rose Cuttings

Just before Thanksgiving, Micah and I went to our old apartment building in Decatur, GA and took a few 9-inch cuttings from a giant, old rose bush. I’d always admired the rose because it had been left neglected for years but managed to thrive, putting out deep-red blooms from April through November. Normally, I totally oppose guerilla gardening like this, and I would have asked for the consent of the bush’s owner. But, knowing the landlord (and knowing how overlooked this bush was by most everyone), I decided to do some ninja-style pruning.

With canes in hand, I developed an idea for an elaborate terrarium, but my plans gave way to laziness, and Micah put plastic shopping bag over the cuttings and shoved them into a corner in our guest bedroom. They’ve been sitting there forgotten for weeks until we spotted new shoots coming out of the canes yesterday. I can’t say I did much to help them along, but I’m happy to have new plants for the spring and a reminder of our old apartment.