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cbdeajr

Growing roses in New Mexico

cbdeajr
15 years ago

I have sent my sister-inlaw several roses. She can not get them to grow. Mice or other small animals eat the leaves off the plant. She has tried putting wire around the base but they seem to get in some way. She lives near Bernalillo, NM. Any suggestion on the best way to keep & grow roses in N.M.

Thank and Happy Holiday to all.

Cecil

Comments (8)

  • artemis_pa
    15 years ago

    I don't know anything about growing roses in New Mexico, but I came across this link from the New Mexico University Extension Department about growing roses.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Growing roses in NM

  • anntn6b
    15 years ago

    Here's a website about growing in NM.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sherstripe's website near Albuquerque

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    15 years ago

    This might be a silly question but do they have deer? Deer eat my leaves & blooms, thorns and all. Good luck, Judy

  • cbdeajr
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    It is not deer, they have a wall around the yard and she plants thhe roses inside the wall which is about 5 ft. high.
    She said it was mice & rabbits.
    Cecil

  • generator_00
    15 years ago

    Cecil, Here in Wyoming there is about every kind of creature that wants to eat roses. I buy rolls of hardware cloth three feet high with either 1/8 or 1/4 inch mesh and cut it in a length that will wrap around the rose with room for a year or two growth, and use a t-posts to keep it in place. I cover the top with chicken wire so the deer can't stick their heads in there. Unsightly maybe and about as much work as planting the rose to begin with but so far it has worked. A drip system for water and mulch are good things to have in the dry areas because a lot of people don't soak the ground enough to get them started. The hole they are planted in also needs to be prepared so the water will soak in and the roots have loosened dirt to grow in. A taller fence may be needed for the deer, as deer can really jump if they want to. I try to get vigorous roses in the hopes that some day when they are established they will be able to withstand some grazing by the natives and I won't need the hardware cloth. Different state but I hope this helps.

  • sherstripe
    15 years ago

    It's Lee in Abetc...and in response to deer...Bambi is thriving here in the foothills....so are her children....the only roses they seem not to touch are rugosas...a blessing...My neighbor's cat keeps the mice at bay...and I see the bunnies and think they surely can't eat that much...Lee

  • elgrillo
    15 years ago

    I have had bunnies eat the tender foliage on roses, and even the tender green from small canes, enough to kill them. I have seen small whitetail deer sloop over 5ft barbed wire fences without touching the wire, so don't rule them out. I've never had a problem with mice eating foliage, but it's certainly possible if they can't find something else to eat. Wire should have stopped the rabbits. Of course there are native rodents that most of us don't have below about 5000ft elevation. Have you ruled out indigenous or burrowing rodents?

    I have used blood meal to keep rabbits at bay. It works, but has to be used every time it rains, or even showers lightly. When my roses got large enough, the bunnies decided to eat other foliage in my yard, and blood meal works there as well.

    Good luck,
    Gary

  • catsrose
    15 years ago

    I lived and grew roses in Santa Fe for 20 years. So, not likely deer or mice. If the wall really is 5' tall, it is probably too high for rabbits, tho jacks can jump, but you would see other traces (scat). Also, rabbits, like deer, will eat stems, too, so she should be seeing that damage as well. Liquid Fence or other deer repellent works well. However, grasshoppers are as well as various versions of leaf cutters are more likely. Get her to take some photos--lots of people don't realize how much damage insects can do. But generally they shouldn't kill the roses. So I'd want to know what else is going on. Maybe it's just her way of saying she doesn't want to grow roses...

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