Propagating your roses with the rose hips grown off your own rose bushes is a great way to grow more of the bushes you love and even develop new hybridized bushes from your own garden. The practice of having seeds to sprout, nevertheless, takes a couple of months. You will also need to avoid the temptation to decrease flowering roses off your bush in order to your rose hips to develop.
Cut the rose hips off the bush with clippers when the rose hips are ripe. It may take several months for rose hips to ripen and color does not determine if they are ripe. Once ripe, the rose hip will start to feel soft when squeezed gently and may even fall off the bush. Fall to winter is the best time to clip the rose hips.
Cut the rose hip in half using a knife to expose the seeds. Pull the rose seeds outside with your hands or a fork.
In a cup, mix 1 cup of water with 1 teaspoon of bleach.
Place rose seeds in the cup of water combined with bleach. Allow the seeds set for about 20 minutes. This helps avoid any bacteria and mould growth on the seeds.
Place cheesecloth in a strainer. Pour the cup of bleach and water using the seeds over the cheesecloth to separate the seeds from the water.
Wash the seeds gently with water while still held on the cheesecloth.
Place the seeds into a small plastic container having a lid or a plastic sealable bag. Place a small amount of moist peat moss in the bag.
Place the container of seeds into a cold area at approximately 35 degrees F for around 45 to 60 days. Based on Albert Ford of the Maryland Rose Society, rose seeds need to have stratification, which can be exposure to cold temperatures, in order to sprout. If you live in an area where it rarely freezes, you can place the seeds on a shelf out. If you live where it will freeze, then put the seeds into the refrigerator.
Plant the seeds 1/4-inch deep in tiny pots or even a tray full of a soil mix made for roses after 45 to 60 days in the cold. You may find these soil mixtures at garden retailers.
Place the planted seeds in direct sunlight, rather outside as long as it is not cold enough to have frost. You may also put the planted seeds by a window or under a grow light.
Water the seeds consistently to keep the soil moist. In about two to six weeks, then the viable seeds will start to sprout.