I've always loved roses but being a pretty inexperienced gardener I've never attempted to grow any of my own. Out of curiosity, I decided to look up how much it would cost to purchase rose seeds online. My favorite online seed markets are Burpee and Eden Brothers. I couldn't find rose seed anywhere, all I could find are the gallon bushes which are usually around $20-$30. I love the instant gratification of buying a plant already blooming, however, I wanted to see if I could grow them from seed myself. Kind of a challenge for myself. I'm mostly interested in obtaining Iceberg or Hybrid Tea roses as I've heard those are best suited for beginners. Does anyone know where to purchase rose seeds?
As a source for rose seeds, look around your neighborhood this fall, and if someone has a rose bush with hips (round red balls that contain seeds), ask for some. I can't help with the method of growing roses from seed--I always propagate from cuttings. That method I can help with! Easiest roses for beginners? Definitely not hybrid teas. They are picky, prone to diseases, and generally weaker. Antique roses like Old Blush, Caldwell Pink, etc. or own-root roses like Aloha, Sophie's Rose, Delightful Phyllis, etc. are much hardier and easier to grow. Roses are a delight to have. I hope your propagation works and you end up with a bunch of roses!
Investigate if the kinds of roses you want can be grown from seeds. Many hybrid plants can't grow from seeds.
Oh, I heard that Hybrid Tea Roses grow the quickest so I assumed they were the easiest, silly me. I think I'll just try the Iceberg roses for now? I think they should be a good one to start off with? I've seen a few videos/articles on growing roses from cuttings but I don't have a source of roses to get cuttings from. None of my neighbors grow roses, at least that I can tell! Can I order cuttings online I wonder?
Most of the older varieties will root from cuttings. Like MG said the hybrids may not and if they do, the one you get may not be the one you wanted !
Could you perhaps find the type of rose you want from a catalogue company and order the bare roots? The roots are not seeds. However you could watch the bush grow in progress.
We used to have Iceberg rose, its a beautiful rose and keeps right on giving. I have a photo of my late husband surrounded by white Iceberg roses. We never had a garden then just a border we created but that rose loved climbing the garden wall. I have a soft spot for the Iceberg that was about 1970s and I still see it even now. K
Could you perhaps find the type of rose you want from a catalogue company and order the bare roots? Roses are often shipped "bare root" with the roots wrapped in a damp sawdust or shredded wood wrapping. It cuts down on weight and therefore shipping costs. These are rose bushes, meant to be planted in-ground or in large containers. They are not just roots to be used for propagation. Roses are best propagated from cuttings. Buy a rose that is own-root or antique, let it grow for a year, then take cuttings for propagation.
