It takes a special kind of root to be able to invade healthy, living tissue. Only parasitic plants have them, or else we would have lots of plants living on other plants.

What is probably happening is the rose cutting is rooting in the soil that covers its stem and the potato. The potato likely does aid in keeping the cutting hydrated until it roots on its own.

Thank you Leftwood, for clarifying that. I've done cuttings, layering, etc. with some success, but was going to try the potato. That way a few folks here had actually tried it to report results to save others time, effort and waste. Thus far, I have found that all cuttings inside have wilted, but not to the point of death (I figured that is because I reamed a hole and there is not 100% contact with the moisture of the potato). (Will continue to mist them and wait.) I did bury some in my compost pile as a second test spot - - thought I'd see if they make it through winter and had rooted by spring. There is actually some potting soil and mix currently in the pile. But there I only tried Spirea and Buddleia. That was my thought about the potato, it has lots of moisture, and then I also thought it may have some sort of rooting properties as well. ? No sense people wasting good potatoes if this is not an easy method that increases chances of success.

Yes, and it would need to be a good potato, too, not an old, soft and shrinking one. Keep the leaf area of each cutting to a minimum. No more than a couple square inches. If you enclose the jar and all in a clear plastic bag to hold humidity in, it will be better (but no direct sun). If you do this, breath air in the bag just before you close it. The bag will instantly be holding more humidity than the ambient air.

Regarding the potato outside, it when it freezes it will turn to mush. I'm not sure how a cutting would react to that, but I don't think it would be positive.

The *only* path to success is making some kind of attempt!

I just peeled two potatoes and put one vine in a peeled potato and did the like. I took a second rose bush and did the same. Except for the first rose vine in the potato I made a second hole on the side just to see if there would be a difference in blooming. I read something about a "green house" effect to use plastic bottles, cuttong off the bottom and placing it over the vine to make it grow faster. I'm going to try this plastic bottle trick when I get home .. I'll let you know if it works! I'm super excited!!!

Cutting the bottom and placing it over the vine to make it grow faster. I'm going to try this plastic bottle trick when I get home .. I'll let you know if it works! I'm super excited!!!
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Placing the top part of the bottle over the vine, just had to clarify!!

Dont forget to bury the potato. I don't think it would grow roots unless the potato is in soil or water.

Did someone say to peel the potato and bury it?

I don't think burying it will hurt anything, except increase your chance of disease.
But definitely, don't peel it! The potato is alive, and by imparting such massive injury, there is certainly a reduction of ...something as it deals with the giant wound. What would you do without your skin?

On the other hand, could it make the potato produce plant "endorphins" of some kind?

This discussion has been around for a while. Any successes to report?

I got a bouquet of roses for Mother's Day from my kids. I changed the water daily and the roses lasted over a week, then I decided to dry them since they were all different colors and multi colored. To my amazement, two of them had begun to root. I was tempted to try the potato trick but decided against it because of the color of the rose.

I was also not sure if I knew what I was doing either. I do not remember the actual process. Is it recorded someplace where I can look it up and see how it is done from the beginning? Is there a video on You Tube I wonder?

I have success rooting about 80% of clippings. I am sure all of the tricks in this thread help but there is one missing critical piece. The cut needs to be super clean. I use a razor blade at a 45 degree angle.

I started a new thread with more explanation and other tips!

Happy gardening!

The potato trick works great, and I planted mine in potting soil so I would have a firm enough root foundation when I get ready to plant it. I would suggest clipping all leaves off of your original clipping and only leaving about 3 or 4 inches above the soil. I've had a lot of luck with this process.

beckyweaver1 said:The potato trick works great,

all I see is just dead stem (rose's) and many potatoes stem?.... or did my eyes tricks me...???

In reference to the previous post, I've always had a dumb question about this rose-cutting-in-a-potato technique. What keeps the potato from sprouting at the same time the rose takes root? Do you just clip off any potato stems that come up? That competition doesn't create a problem?

I tried this but forgot to peel the potato and instead of growing roses，I grew potatoes.

Any up to date info??