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Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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Posted by
jenn SoCal 9/19 (
My Page) on
Wed, Nov 14, 12 at 11:43
| We have a mature climbing Westerland trained on a fence that gets full (all day) sun. All of our other roses grow elsewhere in the yard, also in full sun.
Westerland blooms the least and I'm trying to figure out why. It is a healthy, vigorous plant. I don't have a regular feeding routine, maybe a sprinkle of organic Rose fertilizer 1-2x a year.
There were two large water hogs (Salvia elegans and a large Agapanthus) growing near the base but I removed them a few months ago, and the area is now bare so I am considering what companions to add. Also, there was a large cane growing straight up about a foot behind the bud union and I removed it (could it be a sucker? It didn't look like one but wasn't growing from the bud union).
While I am looking for suitable companions, what should I not plant around the base of Westerland? I am dividing some Liriope 'Silvery Sunproof' and already planted two small divisions about 2 feet from the bud union. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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| Mine is still in a pot, so I don't know what it will do in the ground. However, I will say that I have ten antiques in pots that I received at the same time, and they have been blooming their heads off while Westerland has given me one stingy bloom. I hope this isn't a sign it doesn't like it here. |
RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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- Posted by hoovb z9 Southern CA (My Page) on
Thu, Nov 15, 12 at 13:06
| The liriope spreads pretty badly (eventually). At least mine did and I dread the task of having to pull it out. I would not plant it anywhere near a rose. If you are getting growth (you are getting growth, right?) you should be getting flowers. Have you noticed a lot of blind shoots? |
RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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- Posted by alameda 8 - East Texas (My Page) on
Thu, Nov 15, 12 at 17:28
| I was at the Antique Rose Emporium Monday and noticed several large Westerlands. Bearing in mind that it is November....there were only a couple of blooms on these bushes. Lots of other roses were blooming. I love the color and have planned to get one in the future, but am now wondering if it is a stingy bloomer...if so, I think my time would be better spent growing others with more bloom power. Am hoping others who grow it will comment. |
RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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- Posted by jenn SoCal 9/19 (My Page) on
Fri, Nov 16, 12 at 0:59
| hoovb: Which Liriope did you grow? We have 'Silvery Sunproof' elsewhere and it grows but doesn't spread. I don't think this one is a spreader, as other are. Yes, we are getting growth. It has several blooms and buds, just not a big flush this year. We had a long, hot summer and I didn't water it often - less often than our other roses. I'll give it at least another year, more food, more water, and no big plants around it to steal the nutrients. Westerland has a wonderful scent. It has stiff canes and mean thorns. Once, after I pruned it and was re-attaching the canes to the trellis mounted on the fence, a cane swung loose and brushed my face, making several scratches. A few minutes later, it happened again and bruised my forehead! Bad, bad, Mr. Westerland! |
RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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I purchased my own-root Westerland from Chamblees about 5 years ago and planted it against my privacy fence. It has grown well, and is pretty healthy, but the blooming is sparse and infrequent. Although I love the color and fragrance of Westerland, I am seriously considering digging it up and finding someone who wants to give it a try.
Molly |
RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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- Posted by jenn SoCal 9/19 (My Page) on
Fri, Nov 16, 12 at 12:19
| I just recalled reading somewhere that Westerland blooms better in cooler climates. As I stated above, we had a very loonnnnng HOT dry summer this year with hot (upper 90s / low 100s) for weeks on end. Perhaps Westerland, being the thorny beast it is, requires a LOT more water and food, or just sulks in the heat. Or, puts all its energy into producing thorns, LOL. The plant is consistently healthy and growth is vigorous. It does bloom - it just doesn't produce the big flush like our other roses. |
RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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- Posted by hoovb z9 Southern CA (My Page) on
Fri, Nov 16, 12 at 14:21
| Silver-something-or-other, I can't recall. It's worse than it looks, coming up between all the rose canes. And some reverting to green, too. Even worse. 
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RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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I live in a cold climate and even though Westerland is a vigorous grower, she is still sparse in bloom here! Very fragrant and lovely, but the blooms come in small spurts. Even my first blooms in June here were scanty. That being said, it was a very, very dry winter here, no snow cover but twice, so probably was lacking in moisture. Mine is just 3 years old now too. I will have to see what this winter brings. :)
You can see she is on the left side of the trellis here. |
RE: Is Westerland a heavy feeder?
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- Posted by jenn SoCal 9/19 (My Page) on
Fri, Nov 23, 12 at 22:30
| hoovb: You may have L. spicata, a spreader. I have L. muscari 'Silvery Sunproof' in different places of the yard (sun, damp shade, damp part shade). Ours have not spread a bit after several years, but remain a nice well-behaved clump in our rich clay soil-on-steroids. |
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