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Garden Gate:  Rose bush looking like crap  |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
 Posted - May 29 2015 : 5:40:20 PM
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I bought a rose from Home Depot about a month or so ago. It looked quite pretty when I brought it home, had a couple of broken stems which I trimmed off completely. Since then, most of the leaves have turned yellow and fallen off, the one new bloom that started to open died before opening all of the way. The canes look nice and green, I don't notice any yellowing or other discoloration to them, but there are only a few leaves left on it and no other blooms. I have it in a huge plastic pot (about 18-20 inches diameter) with drain holes sitting on a table on my porch, but it where it sits, it does get lots of sunlight. When I had it in another spot on the porch, it got more sun than it does now and that is when it started to crap out on me, so I thought maybe it was getting too much sun. Today, I bought some marigolds and a few other pretty flowers to plant with it, I thought that might help cheer Esmeralda up some. I also mixed some pearlite in with the soil in the pot because it looked very very compacted and wasn't draining well. I added some egg shells and epsom salts and I put some Osmocote fertilizer in with the soil. I also unpacked the soil from around the root of the bush thinking that maybe it wasn't getting enough air to the root. Then I did some Reiki on it. Esmeralda looks a little happier right now, but is there anything else that I should be on the lookout for or do differently? I've never had a rose bush do this, not that I have much experience with roses either.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
http://rachelsmithhhp.com
www.madameapothecary.com |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - May 29 2015 : 6:57:10 PM
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Rachel, can you post close-up photos taken from different angles all around the rose? I will suggest pruning places for you. If the soil is compacted, you need to (carefully!) remove the rose from the container it's in and plant it properly. Get rid of all the soil that's in there now. It may be diseased.
Build a new environment for your rose in the container. The 18-20 inch diameter is good. It should be at least that deep as well. Is it?
First, put in a couple of inches of gravel on the bottom of the container for drainage. Then make a mix of about one-third each of fresh, sanitary potting soil, compost or leaf mold and finally, some kind of dried manure. Horse manure is good, but so is cattle or pig. Be sure it is dry. Throw in a cup of your Perlite and another cup of bonemeal.
Plant the rose according to what kind it is. If it is grafted to a "bud union," be sure that remains partly above the top of the soil after you pat it down. If the rose is on its own roots, just keep the plant buried at the same level as it was when you got it.
Osmocote is good. You need to use it (read the instructions for how much to use) only once at the beginning of the year. Water well after applying and working it down into the soil around the rose's "drip line."
Give it sun. Do not let the leaves get wet, unless you need to spray for spider mites, black spot and so on. Do that in the morning so it will dry off before the sun really hits the leaves. Prune as needed (I'll show you where. You might think I'm making you prune it too hard but it will be more likely to thrive if you do this step right.) Be sure you place the rose in a spot where it will get good strong sun all day, unless it is a shade-tolerant variety. Do you know the variety name? That would be helpful to me in suggesting other things you can do.
Do not plant anything else with the rose in the container. Roses are voracious eaters and will not want to share the nutrients in their soil with anyone else.
For now, you don't need any other soil amendments; in fact, they may overload the plant while it's trying to recover. Watch the plant carefully every day and make sure it;s free of pests. Let me know if you see any. I can recommend good products or organic methods you can use.
Let's get this baby blowing again! |
Edited by - Rosemary on May 29 2015 7:00:50 PM |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2015 : 09:27:00 AM
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Rachel don't despair ,,, you are not the only one who's roses look awful... between the drought and the deer... mine look hideous,,, but I am still getting roses,,, on the upper branches,,, where the deer can't seem to reach... lol!
if it isn't the deer destroying my plants,,, it is the gophers! oh well... there is always next year! on the plus side,, neither have bothered my artichoke plants! :>)
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom and Glamping Diva!
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2015 : 10:49:03 AM
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Hi again, Rachel. You have to get that rose bush into its own container, without all those other plants competing for the limited amount of soil, moisture and nutrients in the container.
It is actually appears to be a pretty healthy plant. It just needs some ruthless pruning -- don't worry, it will HELP -- and repotting with the soil mix I described in my first post. Here are some photos back to you showing a few places where you could prune. Be sure you use razor-sharp pruning shears. If you have a pair that are kinda so-so, you might want to invest a few bucks in a sharpening gadget in a hardware store. I got mine at Home Depot for $4 -- it's a little folding thing with lots of holes in it, in different colors for different grits. I got the orange one, which works great. Clean cuts with a sharp blade are essential. Always cut at an angle, not straight across.
Look for little "bud eyes." You'll find them above five-leafed leaves. You want to target the ones facing outward. They will eventually form a blossoming branch. Cut ¼-inch above the bud eye at angle slanting down on the opposite side of the bud eye. (That keeps sap from getting on the bud eye.)
You want to wind up with maybe three to five good strong canes, nothing thinner than a pencil. In your case, that will probably give you a bare-bones bush about a foot tall, and mostly bare. That's okay! Carefully repot it, water it, and add your Osmocote according to the label directions. If when pruning you see a dark spot at the center of a cane, that means disease/borer damage. Find a lower bud eye and try again. If the inside is nice and clean, great. If not, try lower. I don't think your bush is going to have that problem, though.
By the way, the plant code for the Home Depot plant is for all roses, not a specific variety. Our Home Depot store only sells the "Knockout" roses, which I suspect is what you have, but maybe not. Was there a label on it that says?
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Edited by - Rosemary on May 30 2015 10:54:04 AM |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2015 : 12:12:19 PM
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Rachel - try making a light little trench around the base of the bushes, pop in a few banana peels (whole or chopped - doesn't really matter!), and cover with some soil. They love them. I don't know why, but whenever I had problems with roses in the past, the banana peels did their magic! Good luck! Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2015 : 5:00:10 PM
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Nini, banana skins will add a trace of Potassium to the soil. Potassium is one of the top three soil nutrients (N-P-K) that most plants depend on for healthy growth. N = Nitrogen, P = Phosphorus, K = Potash, or Potassium. Roses are heavy feeders and usually need to be fertilized. Most rose fertilizers will have a ratio of these elements of about 5-10-5 or 6-12-6. If your roses benefitted noticeably from banana peels, the soil there was weak in Potassium and it's no wonder you saw an improvement! I hope you're still growing roses. They're so beautiful, aren't they?
Potassium gives us humans a nice jolt of energy, too, about an hour after we eat a banana. Years ago, I took an exercise class near my home that took me about half an hour to get to from work. I would snack on a banana as I began my commute and when I got going in class, about halfway through, I could feel the impact. Pretty neat! :)
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Edited by - Rosemary on May 30 2015 5:02:24 PM |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2015 : 6:39:10 PM
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Thanks for the info Rosemary. I'll get busy with that tomorrow. The tag on it did not specify which type of rose it is, it just says "rose". The flower that was on it looked similar to the "Gingersnap" roses, if that helps.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
http://rachelsmithhhp.com
www.madameapothecary.com |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2015 : 7:13:40 PM
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| "Gingersnap" is a floribunda rose. If what you have is a floribunda, you should be okay growing it in a container as long as if it's large enough, the soil is good and it gets full sun. Keep it watered -- but don't overwater. Stick a finger down in the soil a couple of inches and water only if it feels dry that far down. Be sure there's drainage out the bottom holes or a hole. The gravel you put in the bottom will help prevent soil from washing out. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2015 : 08:44:18 AM
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Oh, that's RIGHT, Virginia! Thank you! I did know that... You know, lately life has just been so crowded with craziness, sometimes I just can't think straight! LOL!
You know, one of our farmgirl sisters dehydrates her banana peels all year long and then uses them in the garden during growing season.. I am pretty sure it is Sharon, aka Calicogirl. I think that is just SUCH a brilliant idea!
I only have one very old, barely surviving climbing rose left, but it's hanging in. We added wood chips all over our gardens last fall, and this season they are making a HUGE difference in our flower beds! The rose is suddenly very lush coming up from the bottom!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Beverly Gill
True Blue Farmgirl
1114 Posts
Beverly
Marlborough
USA
1114 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2015 : 2:23:03 PM
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Just out trimming some rose bushes that really got. Beat up this winter....which was extremely rough in Massachusetts....I guess everywhere else too. Up on the hill where I had absolute beauty's Every year they. Look almost dead.....in my back yard the bushes are thriving...I just picked a David Austin English rose called Mary....love it....but am sick over my sick dead ones on the hill..jpg?v 30770577) . Beverly
There's no place like home |
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Beverly Gill
True Blue Farmgirl
1114 Posts
Beverly
Marlborough
USA
1114 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2015 : 08:07:05 AM
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Anyone have advice......since feeding my bushes with Miracle Grow rose food the bushes looka bit healthier....but. Now most of the buds are cming 5 together..... Can that be corrected?
Thanks
Beverly Gill
There's no place like home |
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gramadinah
True Blue Farmgirl
3557 Posts
Diana
Orofino
ID
USA
3557 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2015 : 08:19:01 AM
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Coffee grounds and egg shells for what ever reason the two make for the most wonderful roses.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #273 |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2015 : 08:37:48 AM
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Beverly, this growth habit is probably natural for that variety, but if you want to have the bush put all its energy into one spectacular blossom, you can do what's called "disbudding." Just pinch off four buds surrounding the one you think is the "leader" of the group.
By the way, Miracle Grow is not recommended by most rosarians. If you find it hard (and who doesn't?!?) to keep up with a complicate schedule of feeding, a better once-per-season product is Osmocote. I myself use Mills Miracle Mix and several other treats between April and October. It's also vital to keep the soil moist. I have a long soaker hose snaking around my rose bed to maintain a good level of moisture. This also helps keep the roots from drying out. For this coming winter, be sure to prune properly and mulch like crazy. You can also add crumbled-up newspapers around and over the bushes, then place large pine boughs over that for good protection.
Edited to add: That David Austin rose is really beautiful! Probably has a lovely fragrance, too. I'm glad it made it through your rough winter.
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Edited by - Rosemary on Jun 19 2015 08:45:37 AM |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2015 : 08:41:31 AM
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| Diana, coffee grounds are acidic and eggshells are alkaline. Both help to break up heavy soil. The eggshells have the added advantage of deterring slugs and other soil-level critters, which is why some folks use them around tomato plants. You can rinse them off and stick them in a freezer bag throughout the year in anticipation of using them this way come planting season. I've heard that lots of people add coffee grounds (and paper coffee filters) to their compost piles. I wish I could be that organized! :) |
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Garden Gate: Rose bush looking like crap |
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Rose bush looking like crap
