Cindi, I also try my hardest to stay organic and do everything in my power to invite the bees to my garden and flower beds. However, with these wretched thrips, I am losing the war because I think I need to use something stronger than organic soap sprays!!! But I am with you in that we need the bees and less damaging chemicals! (Of course my beloved purple rose bush might trump that organic way just to save the bush!)
I can't believe that you have had record low temps!! It is unseasonably hot here this summer. Maybe we can trade a little bit of temperature weather!!!
So, I have tried unsuccessfully to get rose cuttings to start for about 5 years now. I keep trying but have never had any luck. I did as you recommended and took several cuttings. I also bought some powder that you dip the stem in to to encourage root growth. No luck.....I bought Schultz Take Root, Rooting Hormone and the bottle says "Grow new plants from cuttings". It hasn't worked yet. I'm attaching two pictures of the rose bush that I keep trying to get a starter from! We live in Nevada in the winter time and this rose bush is down there. It's not that the cuttings don't survive in Wyoming, when we come back up here for the summer, they don't even root! I usually get about 6 different starters going. They last about a month and then the stem rots away. Thanks for the link on the cloning machine!!! I will take a look at it and see!!!! I would LOVE to get a rose bush started from "scratch" and especially my mom's purple one if it the roots are diseased. Thank you so much for everything. Tell your garden that you love them and give them some water and attention. They will pay you back!!! OH! I am using your tag line now as my signature line on my email! I LOVE IT!
