Own Root vs Grafted Austins

10 years ago

Hi All,
I was thinking of ordering some new austin roses for my garden and I'm contemplating whether or not I can go with Own Root roses as opposed to grafted. Own root tend to be less expensive to order than grafted/bareroot ones. At least with Austins from Chamblees. But my real reason for wanting to try them own root is actually lack of space and I'm hoping they will form a more bushy bush.
I grow all of my roses in containers so root stalk is really not too important as most own root roses that I currently grow seem to do well in their pots (alot of kordes and buck roses for the most part). I have a few austins on Dr Huey and they all seem to grow tall and skinny. Not bushy at all (except for one, my Huntington Rose, she grows wide). I prefer a more bushy plant and am wondering if Dr Huey is causing these long tall canes that shoot straight up. Or is it the actual rose bush's growth habit?
Do you think if I grow them own root they'll form more bushy roses? I don't mind that they will start off slow. I pretty much have a never ending growing season here and all my own root potted roses seem to be more wide than tall as opposed to all my grafted roses that seem to shoot straight up and tend to get gangly. The slower growth may also help me with my lack of space.
I ordered a quietness, polonaise and lion's rose back in April from Chamblees and all have grown quite full and are in bloom now. Each one is about 2-3ft in height and width so slow growth is not really an issue. But if the root stalk has nothing to do with the way the grow (tall and gangly) then grafted might be a better option as I may have the desire to one day stick em in the ground and own roots don't really stand a chance in my Fl soil supposedly.
Also do you think root stalk effects bloom size? I want big blooms as you can all imagine. :)
Thanks for your input.

Comments (6)

dublinbay z6 (KS)
10 years ago
I personally have not noticed that my own root Austins from Chamblees are any bushier (as opposed to tall and lanky) or that they have larger blooms. I think that information is already built into whatever rose you select.

I buy whichever type is most readily available and cheapest, myself. If there is any difference, that difference is pretty much gone by the third year.

Kate
ken-n.ga.mts
10 years ago
Before ordering any Austin roses, check to see the growth habit of that particuler rose. Like Kate says, by the end of the 3rd yr. there is vertually no difference. Especially in S.FL. BUT, if you get them on fortuniana root stock they will get huge. Good example; The Prince on Dr Huey gets maybe 3' x 2' and is kinda stingy with the blooms. When I lived in Port St Lucie I had two on fortuniana that were 6' x 4' and stayed covered in blooms. So, as they say, "pick your poison".
SoFL Rose z10
Original Author
10 years ago
Hmmm
Ken you do bring up a valid point. I wonder if I should get them on Fortuniana. I have a jude the obscure on fortuniana but its brand new still and in a pot. I am planning on putting it in the ground. I might see how that one does before ordering my new austins (was going to get them in sept after the summer heat passes). I can get them from cool roses. I went up there last week and they had some amazing looking austins but none were for sale (except Jude which i think they sold me out of pitty since i wanted one so badly LOL).
I'd be more than willing to invest the $$$ on them if i know they will perform well here (its about an hour drive to cool roses from here). Otherwise its really a crap shoot. I order the ones I like that they say do well here and just hope for the best. (That's why I'd like to order them from chamblees, they are half the cost as ordering from DA itself or from cool roses). Ahhh the dilemma! No space and i want them all!, but I always FIND a way to stick more roses in my garden. Even if it means growing them in planters on stands. Like my husband says i ran out of room on the ground so no I'm going up up up.
zack_lau z6 CT ARS Consulting Rosarian
10 years ago
Radio Times is advertised on the David Austin site as being short and bushy--ours is 5x5 in full sun.
joshtx
10 years ago
Grab yourself a Tamora and an Ambridge Rose from Chamblee's. Both excellent and reasonably tidy roses.
rosesinny
10 years ago
I only try own-root roses because I'm sick of suckers and having the scion die off in the winter. I don't grow many Austins because they blackspot to hell over here on the east coast, but I have to say, James Galway is one of the most blackspot resistant roses I have. It's on par with Knockout and La Marne and Monsieur Tillier. And it's bigger than all of them put together, although MT gives it a run for the money.

Anyhow, I think it depends on the specific rose and also on your soil and climate.