Lindsay, once the wood turns black, it's done for.
Consider Seil's suggestion of transparent plastic cups. If you can SEE the roots, you know it's got roots. If nothing shows, assume there's nothing there.
One thing I learned the hard way was that if leaves start growing quickly, that's pulling any energy out of the cutting, and it's not likely to root.
Personally, I have had best good luck using Dip'nGrow ... the folks at Antique Rose Emporium recommended that, and it's sure worked for us.
Truth is, of course, there are as many ways to root cuttings as there are people rooting ... but the late Barbara Oliva always said, if the method you're using doesn't work, you're using the wrong method for THAT rose, or doing it at the wrong time for THAT rose.
But there are a lot of suggestions among the articles here:
http://www.goldcoast-roses.org...
