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Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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Posted by
rere900 NC (
My Page) on
Sun, Mar 10, 13 at 19:49
| I purchased my very first rose bush (Olympiad) last April. It was not as hard as I thought to take care of it, I actually enjoyed it. As you can see in the above pic, the bush has started growing to one side, which is towards where the sun is most of the day. The shorter side still blooms, but not as tall and it looks awkward. Can I dig up the bush and turn it or should I prune all to one level. I'm scared to mess with it at all at this point, lol. It's already started growing new leaves, but I don't know if that matters. Also I want to purchase another rose bush soon to grow in the same area, what would be a good color bush to go with my Olympiad? Thanks. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| Nope, don't dig and replant it. You will be setting it back and losing all the growth and root development you've spent time and resources creating. At most, in my zone, I would prune the more vigorous side down to match the shorter side, but generally not removing more than about a third of the bush, unless someone in your zone recommends removing more. Sometimes you just have to deal with plants leaning or stretching toward the strongest light source. I'll also leave it up to those in your climate to suggest something to plant with it as your type of black spot is likely a very different strain than mine as well as the cold hardiness yours requires. Here, "cold" is high thirties and EVERY rose is sufficiently cold hardy. Kim |
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| Looking at where the rose is planted, I don't think it's reaching for the sun. It looks like the canes on one side of the bud union are much heartier. A grade one rose has 3 good canes. I was admiring a rose garden outside a restaurant in Napa and the pruned rose had 8 good canes and looked like the spokes of a wagon wheel. If you are looking for cut flowers, the plant you have will provide them. You might get some new canes on the wimpy side. If symmetry is important you could plant another bush, but there are no guarantees. |
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| Hello, neighbor? Much of the literature recommends that hybrid teas be planted in groups of 3 for the best effect and I agree. I find my Olympiads to be very tall and narrow plants. As to the lopsided appearance, I think that most of the grafted roses I have purchased since 2009 have paled in comparison to the purchases made in the years previous. The plants are smaller and the grafts are weaker. Others may disagree. I blame the Great Recession. The growers just are'nt doing a good job until they think they will have a brighter future. Kim is right not to dig it up and turn it, and Steve is correct that it should be pruned to 'open up' the middle with the canes to the outside of the bush. Don't be afraid to prune it hard. This encourages basal breaks which are the future of any grafted rose. And remove any small, twiggy growth along the canes. Then start your spray program for the year. Also, if you live near Durham, NC, consider in the future taking any of the free classes at Witherspoon Rose Culture. They've already covered the spring pruning last month, so you'll have to wait until next year, and their website is a good source of information. |
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| Thanks for the responses. bigtruckerdave: Yes! I live in the Cary/Morrisville area. I actually got my rose bush from Witherspoon Rose Culture.
I will be going back soon to pick out another bush, so my Olympiad can have a buddy :)
So I will not dig it up, but will prune it. |
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| Hey neighbor. I'm just up the street in south Durham, about 1 mile from the Chatham county line. Witherspoon is a great resource to have in this community. I'm sure they still have a good selection of bareroots. I think their potted roses go on sale the first week of April. Good luck to you. |
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| looks really healthy to me. I would remove some small twiggy stuff up high from the taller side by about half and leave the thicker canes alone. Cut out the dead canes in lower part of the plant so disease doesn't find a home. If you think the plant is going to be too crowded with growth in the center, you could rub off some inward pointing new growth but you can always prune it out later if you're not sure now. This plant is going to be fine and not grow up lopsided. After the first group of flowers fade, trim back the tall side more to let the short side catch up. Just keep up the feeding and new growth will fill in any bare places in the plant. |
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| Glad to see NC so well represented! I am in Waynesville, and there is another person, FAR more skilled with roses than I, in Asheville. Of course, our climates are widely different, but still... |
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| The light yellow rose Elina would go OK with the bright red of Olympiad. Elina is a vigorous, free blooming hybrid tea with above-average resistance to blackspot. |
RE: Question about Olympiad Rose Bush
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| I usually plant my reds between a white and a pink. How about John Paul II, Full Sail or Sugar Moon for a white and/or Royal Highness, Francis Meilland or The McCartney Rose for a pink. All nicely fragrant, too. I live in the desert so blackspot is not much of a problem here. I think you'd be happy with any of the above. |
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