21,400 Garden Web Discussions | Roses

Sorry for not seeing this earlier. I grow double Knockouts (among other roses) in containers on a hot patio north of you in DC. I use the largest containers I can find, which are about 24": in diameter.
I would leave your rose alone (except for watering and fertilizing of course) until next Spring. It shouldn't need to be pruned by then, either.
You should re-pot it in late Winter when it is still bare--or mostly bare. However, these are tough, tough roses and can take a whole lot of abuse. They can also grow in more shade than other roses require, but do better the more sun they have. I have been in the process of painting my resin pots (which are about 15 years old and quite banged-up looking) and replanting my roses. I recently replanted a double Knockout after the Spring flush and it is now going gangbusters.
I use flat saucers under my pots to keep dirt off the patio (I'm in a rental apartment, too) and also use plant caddies to keep the whole thing off the ground. Big Lots carries some nice flat metal ones cheap. The caddies also make the pots easier to move.
I don't use clay pots for any of my perennials because of the cracking issue. I have some smaller ones I use for annuals and empty them out before the first frost.
Hope this helps.

Hi Barb, thanks for your advice. I already replanted to a 20in pot though. I'm glad to hear that someone else in nearby territory is having luck growing them on an apartment patio!
I decided to go ahead and fertilize it. It's holding up well so far. No blooms, as they were spent so I removed them before replanting. But that's okay, I figure it needs to establish a good root system anyway.
I'm also glad to hear they are tough plants and can withstand a little abuse (less than adequate sunlight and conditions etc.) because I really hope to replant in the ground, when I buy a home (hopefully soon).
Thanks again!

Alright, I will try to get a picture posted of both the canker at the base and at the new growth.
About whether or not it was grafted, I'm not actually sure because we inherited the rose bush with the house... we got the house about... 14 years ago, and I've only just recently started taking care of the rose bush about 2 or 3 years ago. Its really pretty when it blooms, and it surprises me that if has survived for 11 or 12 years without care that it would die of something now. It is, however identified as Oranges 'n' Lemons, and I know this because I show this rose at local rose shows (and they have to be certified and named correctly).
Also, if its not canker that is killing it, then I don't know what it is. I've sprayed it with GreenCure (super great antifungal stuff) and it just keeps spreading... One of the canes is actually broken (either from whatever is attacking it or because I put a towel on it when it hailed). I will get a picture uploaded shortly.

Oh, sorry about the broken cane. Do cut that off so it has a clean cut. The ragged end of the break provides a good spot for bad things to happen. Also, you don't need to cover it when it hails. The rose will actually do better without cover as the ice will simply roll off the leaves to the ground. When you covered it you provided a place for the ice to collect and build up weight and that's what probably broke the cane.



I agree, seil :) I'll definitely pass on what I've learned about a rose, but everyone's mileage may vary because that's just the nature of roses, imho. I try to add whether my cultivation may have been the problem, like when I have a rose in a bad spot and I know it, lol.
I still have at least one rose that gets rave reviews that really hasn't been one of my better roses, even with great treatment over a few years. Oops. It happens. Some great roses don't like my yard, apparently :D I figure we're probably both right, those who think the rose is perfect and me. There really are different strains of BS, etc, so that's probably all it is.

Seil .....
You said " We need to stop telling people what they can and can't grow and start encouraging them to try growing whatever it is they like. With the clear understanding that anything we put into our gardens for the first time is an experiment, from daisies to roses, and they may do great or they could be a failure. But even those failures gained you knowledge and experience for the future."
I agree 100% ... especially the part about understanding that everything we plant in our gardens for the first time is an experiment. I have always felt that way, but I do remember when I didn't trust myself to keep anything alive.
Smiles,
Lyn


It likes cool, dry climates. It does not like hot summers. In hot summers petals are few and form is poor on NZ.
Having said that, your rose is just in the ground, what, less than one full year? It will not give the best performance it can give until at least year three. I would add more mulch around it, to hold in moisture. Your mulch layer looks pretty thin.

New Zealand grows fairly well here in humid Eastern Pennsylvania. Note the word "fairly". Like most other hybrid teas. It gets 7-8 hours of full sun.
If sprayed with fungicide every three weeks, fertilized every month, mulched heavely, deadheaded regularly and treated for midge, I get a somewhat scraggly bush with 4-5 flushes of nice big fragrant blossoms.
My main bed of HT's used to be two rows of roses. It is now a short single row of roses with other perennials in front and at the ends to hide the rose bushes.
I one had 45 HT's. Now I have 7: New Zealand, Sweet Surrender, Secret, Heirloom, Firefighter, Tiffany and Peace.
HT bushes are not particularly attractive in the landscape no matter how hard I try.

Cora Stubbs looks wonderful! Unfortunately, in Australia we don't have that many varieties of peonies to choose from.
Just did some research and heard people are saying Sarah Bernhardt looks mundane, Now, I'm kind of worried. The bloom sort of reminds me of David Austin rose Egylantne - which is rather ordinary.
I bought a barerooted one. How can I make it bloom in Spring? I really want to see what the bloom look like.

Peonies can be rather slow to start blooming. Next spring, feed it and keep it well-watered (but not standing in water!) and it PERHAPS will give you a bloom or two. My experience with peonies, however, is that you have to wait several years before you will see a decent bloom, and if you planted them too deep (the "eyes" should be 1/2 in. to 1 inch below the surface--no deeper), you may never get any bloom. And do not move your peonies--they highly resent being moved.
Happily planted, a peony will give you 40 years or more of beautiful blooms.
They need sun also.
I think Sarah Bernhardt is a lovely peony--but not a loud showy one. I reserve that category for my Scarlet O'Hara peony--so brilliant red that everyone passing by stops to comment on it.
Kate

I too have been waiting patiently for the annual Half Off Rose sale at Heirloom. It is usually this time of year. I emailed them today and they said they are having a sale at the nursery for 3 days starting Aug 8. They aren't doing it online unfortunately:( I've been waiting all Summer for it and it doesn't sound like it is going to happen online. Does Rogue Valley usually do a sale?

I've grown at least a rose in pots over the years, but I grow far more roses in pots now; actually about a dozen. My temperatures have been in the 100's with 5% humidity, and three of my roses in pots are in full sun. Nothing is frying or dying in pots. I give this description only to communicate that maybe other explanations should be considered. In the past when I used terra cotta pots ( I only use resin or plastic now) the pot was doubled (plastic pot inside of the terra-cotta).
I primarily use M.G. Moisture Control potting mix. I do not know if any of this helps but I hope you get to the bottom of the problem and are able yo save your roses.
Lynn
This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Tue, Jul 22, 14 at 16:29

I'm not good at keeping roses alive in pots and even the ones in the ground have been struggling, and the coming ten days are supposed to be really hot here. My soil is also rather poor and drains quickly so it's a real challenge.
I have found that mounding up the soil around each rose and putting leaf mulch in that area and watering that area slowly (unless of course you have drip irrigation which is even better) has helped to keep the roses going, with even new growth appearing. It will become more challenging as the hot weather continues month after month but all we can do is try. I would think that container roses would do best in almost complete shade during the hottest months. I'm so sorry that you've already lost several roses, that has to be very depressing.







Such a beautiful story and SaraAnn your roses are so healthy and blooming machines. I really enjoy your posts and look forward to them. All of your hard work is right there for us all to seeâ¦beautiful blooms. Lesley
Thank you Seil and Lesley. Both of you are very special ladies. Lesley, I've been wondering how your roses are doing this year?
Boncrow - Thank you too. I've been enjoying you very much on this forum and appreciate you.
This post was edited by Sara-Ann on Thu, Jul 24, 14 at 9:36