# Rooting or starting plants in a potato?



## Nel frattempo (Mar 29, 2007)

I have looked everywhere and used the "search" section, but cannot find Melissa's instructions for rooting plants by sticking the stems in a potato? Can someone tell me a link? Or did I mis understand about the potato? Thank you.


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## RachAnn in NW Okla (Aug 28, 2002)

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=112480&page=1&pp=30&highlight=rose+potato

Quote:
Originally Posted by ihedrick
Earlier, Before the crash, someone had a tip about putting a cut rose into a potatoe to start new roots. Anyone remember exzactly what was to be done? I found a rose bush that I can get cuttings from. 



just cut the flower part off if it is blooming, cut the bottom at an angle and stick into an irish potato. plant the potato and rose cutting and put a glass jar over the stem to act like a mini greenhouse. keep it moist and leave the jar on until it starts growing new little leaves. Good luck with it. I usually get at least 2/3 of the ones I try to grow.


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## RachAnn in NW Okla (Aug 28, 2002)

or

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=118453&page=2&pp=30&highlight=rose+potato

Recycle the flower bouquets your coworkers throw away. Root the rose cuttings (remember the post about sticking it in a potato and burying the potato? Get seeds from othersâ¦Curly willow will root as well. *****willow will root as well.


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## Nel frattempo (Mar 29, 2007)

Thank you! But what does the potato do? Fertilizer? Moisture?


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## Peacock (Apr 12, 2006)

I'm guessing it's a source of natural rooting hormone, plus it adds moisture to the rose cutting; potatoes root so easily. Willows root like crazy anyway, no potato needed. In fact you can make natural rooting hormone from willows. Neat trick! I'll have to try it if the sickly roses the previous owner planted in a weird spot survive being moved.


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## lisap3 (Nov 3, 2020)

We tried this. The plant that we wanted to root didn't grow, but we now have a beautiful potoato...lol


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

My neighbor tried it with the same results, a lovely potato plant and a rotted and dried rose stem.

My mother-in-law rooted several rose cuttings by sticking them in the ground and putting a glass jar over the cutting.


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