Honey is sometimes promoted as a rooting aid, but it is not a dependable substitute for a rooting product with a known active ingredient. University of New Hampshire Extension notes limited support for household alternatives such as honey and cinnamon.
Start with a suitable cutting
Choose healthy, nonflowering growth and use a clean, sharp tool. Softwood cuttings are taken from young growth, while other methods use more mature stems. Select a method appropriate to the season and rose rather than combining instructions from several methods.
Prepare and plant it
Remove lower leaves so they will not be buried. Use a clean container with drainage and a suitable propagation medium. If using rooting hormone, choose a product appropriate for the cutting and follow its label.
Insert the prepared cutting carefully and keep the medium moist without making it saturated. Provide bright, indirect light and a protected environment that reduces moisture loss. Avoid direct sun on an enclosed propagation container because it can overheat.
Never boil the cutting
Boiling a living stem is not part of this propagation method. The cutting needs viable tissue to form roots. Also avoid treating new leaf growth alone as proof of successful rooting. A cutting can use stored reserves before it has established roots.
Allow time for establishment
Rooting success varies by rose, cutting maturity and conditions. Wait for a developing root system before gradually moving the young plant into less protected conditions. If a cutting rots, review drainage, moisture and the condition of the starting material before trying again.
