A few weeks ago:

This morning:

So Sorry! Our gopher seems to have mostly dug holes around and under the roses that caused some stress, but only two had to be moved and might not make it.

At least own-root roses CAN be brought back. Budded ones -- I doubt it. This is why I HATE GOPHERS.

Jeri In Gopher-Land

Ingrid

I set traps, haven't caught a single gopher in the traps. I set off bombs - 1/2 the time they burn out before going off. And I won't poison because it would kill me if one of my dogs got ahold of a poisoned gopher - that is the definitive reason on that one.

I bought a 3' x 50' roll of chicken wire mesh and it's sitting on the ground. I've dug up 3 roses (one - Ingrid Bergman only had a fraction of her roots left, and her survival looks tentative) and put in mesh and replanted. I plan to do that with about 15 that were new bareroots this year, and in the area where the other 3 were killed. It's tough in 100 degree heat - for the roses. It looks like a war zone here, with dying roses, and holes everywhere (me and dogs). I'm not sure what to do with my 2 & 3 year old roses - that's going to be a lot of digging, and a terrible amount of stress on the older roses in mid summer...

On the one hand I feel heartsick - I have put so much work and emotional commitment into my garden. On the other hand I try to do a reality check - they are flowers. They are replaceable. It's hard not to dwell on the former.

Kasie

In the meantime, now that you see the tunnel, put down your traps.

I have bought and used several hundred-foot rolls of 2' and 3' gopher wire over the last three years as I dig up all of the old rose (probably 150 when I started the project) and replant them in gopher wire, and plant everything new in baskets.

Last week I had to dig up a 6' dogwood tree, whose roots looked much like that Angel Face that started this thread. It's the pits, but it's either gopher baskets or "pave paradise and put up a parking lot"

I use the 3' when I dig up older mature roses, trees, etc. I have found that the 2' works fine for smaller plants (bands and gallons).

Three years ago we dug up two apple trees -- a Fuji and a Pink Lady -- that were both leaning over as a result of gopher damage. Both of them have huge crops of beautiful apples this year.

There is hope !! Lots of work, but ....worth it.

I'm so sorry!

I wonder if we have gophers here (Maryland) ? I've not heard it so far.

Miss Mary

I use a square of the gopher wire for each basket, so a 100' roll will turn into 30 3' baskets. I use more of the 2' wire, though, which yields about 50 baskets from a 100' roll. These days everything -- except daylilies or things I really don't care about and am willing to risk -- gets planted in a basket

With the small this-year's bareroots the effort goes pretty fast. About 15-20 minutes per rose. Thank you for your very kind words of support and sympathy - it really helps one go through the mourning period! Now I'm done licking my wounds - there's a solution, it's not hopeless.

And HA, I found a Belinda's Dream at the hardware store, and brought her home with me. Feels good to know that no gophers will be getting at her roots.

For any newbies starting to plant in known gopher territory - it's a lot easier to originally plant with wire, than to dig up later and replant with wire! If you don't know if you have gophers, go talk to any neighbors who have had gardens for a handful of years - they should know.

Jeri-In-Gopher-Land

Tammy

It's a lot of work planting roses in wire. I feel for you.

Renee

Digging up old roses and putting them into baskets is hard; digging up and moving roses that have been put into baskets turns out to be easier than digging up roses that are not yet in baskets.

Watching tunnels appear around the perimeter of the baskets protecting roses makes it clear that the effort was worth it. And seeing a rose which has been languishing suddenly thrive a year after being dug up and replanted in a basket explains....a lot.

Good luck! I hope you can stop any further destruction!

I saved a JacTan that looked very similar. Put it in a pot, trim it way back, keep it damp and.....wait....

Your rose appears to be grafted and yes it can be saved. You can do as landlady suggested or you can sink the bush in a bucket of water to keep it from dehydrating and keep it in a shaded area. In time the root stock will begin to form roots. You can then plant in pot or back into the ground. If this is a rose that can be had locally and not worth the time then toss it, but if it's one of those hard to find and you must order on line...then perhaps it may be worth trying to save it. Good luck to you Harmony.

Kasie

If (when...sigh...) this happens again, I will try to see if I can get rootstock to again produce roots - mostly as an experiment. I've tossed 2 of my losses: Angel Face - WILL replace, Tantalizing Red - will not replace, then Pink Peace had some tiny straggling roots left, and I chopped her down to about the relative size of her remaining roots leaving all the low leaves I could, and replanted her and am soaking her daily. She isn't dead yet...

Caged 3 more roses last night after coming home from work - Bolero (missing all but a few feeder roots), Young Lycidas (whoppee - roots intact), and Intrigue (most roots intact). That now makes a total of 8 now caged. Just about 70 something to go. It's a good start. !

Gophers on my property have a visa to every %*(@)*@$ spot. I think they've been working on their tunnels for months, and have now decided they live in an "all you can eat" rose & dahlia buffet.