21,401 Garden Web Discussions | Roses

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lexusnexus(7a)

A few new things for me in this thread. I didn't know about the potential problems with plastic cover. Had not used it with my previous rose and see that I shouldn't. Also, had never heard of chlorosis. Yeah, this winter was brutal on just about all plants.

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 11:55AM
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seil zone 6b MI

My first thought was cold damage too. I know when I've left cane that was marginal when pruning in the past. It almost always dies off anyway and I end up going back and repruning them. Now I just take off anything that looks iffy right from the start. It saves the plant from wasting energy on leaves that will not live and saves me from having to prune again.

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 5:11PM
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lexusnexus(7a)

Pictures? Always nice to have when asking a question, especially a close-up of the area with a problem.

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 11:21AM
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charleney(8a PNW)

I will have to send pics later. Cam is needing charge on batteries. Good idea

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 4:06PM
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iris_gal(z9 CA)

Failed to find the informative post I read about this very subject. Here's what I learned. Some Austins will respond to pegging, some not. The pegged cane eventually dies back to the point where its horiz. began to head downwards.

Tying a cane horizontally does not result in die back. Gertrude Jekyll, Othello and Golden Celebration were the most mentioned as being sucessful. Also ramblers.

I had an octopus cane on 'Evelyn'. Pegged it and no laterals developed in a year. It didn't have die back either. Eventually pruned it.

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 4:26AM
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boncrow66

Thanks everyone! I will peg GC for sure and probably leave Evelyn to do her thing. As always I appreciate everyone's advice.

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 11:25AM
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AquaEyes 7a New Jersey

One more thing -- if the rocks are limestone, they'll make the soil beneath very alkaline. If you don't know, do the vinegar test -- if some spilled onto the rocks starts to fizzle, then you have limestone.

:-)

~Christopher

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 1:23AM
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seil zone 6b MI

I know someone who uses white rock mulch in all his rose beds but he's in Colorado where it's cooler. It might be too hot for Texas. I think I'd remove it.

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 10:49AM
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rodericky(6A)

Again thanks for all the comments. We (my wife) has decided to go with KO red and KO Sunny. The nurseryman will be here this morning to check the layout, test the soil etc. He informed us that a double Sunny is now available so we'll go with that and a double red. Sunny being pale to almost white should ease the appearance of 2 strong colors competing.

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 9:36AM
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rodericky(6A)

I misuunderstood about the KO Sunny. The nurseryman (Bill) said he inquired about double Sunny, not that they were available. Anyway he recommended 3 boxwoods in the corner with all red double KO at 5 foot intervals and 3 Sunny in front of the boxwoods. That's what we're going with. Again thanks, all the comments helped us to decide. I will post pix when the hedge is in full bloom

    Bookmark   April 5, 2014 at 10:40AM
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hoovb zone 9 sunset 23

Native soil with top dressing. The more extensively you can loosen the soil (wide, not too deep) the better.

As amendments in the soil break down, that decomposition requires oxygen. Roots require oxygen, not just soil and water. If there is too much amendment decomposing, the roots are robbed of the oxygen they need. Loosening the soil creates tiny air pockets, and the roots can grow more easily (and have the oxygen they need).

Ideal soil has only 1-2% organic content!

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 5:49PM
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prairiemoon2 z6 MA

Thanks for that explanation. That was the problem I was anticipating, but just double checking. Loose soil and Top dressing it is!

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 9:06PM
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gothiclibrarian(5b)

I'm in 5B but I'll also vouch for Quietness. We had an exquisitely chilly winter and not one mm of die-back to show for it anywhere on my plant.

If I were shopping off your list I'd instantly grab Lambert Closse too...no experience, just one I like to dream about.

And have you thought about Morden Blush?

Cheers!
~Anika

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 12:03PM
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nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska

It would help if you let us know which area of the country you're in. As MadGallica frequently reminds us, there's a difference between moist zone 5 areas like upstate New York and drier zone 5a like areas of southern Wisconsin, or here in Nebraska.

I've grown most of the roses you mention and I'll comment on each for my zone 5 winters. I do agree that in general the Rugosas are very hardy, and I've never ever lost an Easy Elegance rose - they're all tip hardy for me even in this miserable cold winter.

Lambert Closse
Austrian Copper
I haven't grown these two but they're a safe bet for hardiness in the zone 4/5 regions

J.P. Connell - little dieback over the winter so far, though it has taken a while to establish for me. I have it in my zone 4 pocket of the yard and it seems fine for hardiness, but I think it wants more sun than it has in that bed.

Hansa - in general, rugosas are a great bet and this one is highly scented, but I have to say it was a dog for me in my previous yard. A two cane wonder that only bloomed once then lost all its leaves to blackspot even in our dry climate with nothing else planted around it. I've had much better results from Therese Bugnet, or Linda Campbell among Rugosas.

Prairie Joy - grows big and hardy in my zone - droops over a 4' high fence surrounding it, but I don't think it has enough sun where I have it, and it doesn't bloom very often for me.

Quietness - lovely, reliable, hardy, saturated medium pink blooms. Not all Buck roses have been hardy for me, but this one laughs off my zone 4 pocket and reblooms pretty well.

Heaven on earth - you really want this rose. I'd put it among my top 10 favorites among 700 roses. It smells nice, with delicate apricot-pink blooms that are very double and profuse, laughs off the cold in my zone 4 pocket, and stays a nice well rounded 4-5' bush with blooms all down the sides

Pretty Jessica - this one grows fine in my yard and is perfectly hardy, but I haven't seen as much rebloom from this one as I hear reported elsewhere. Austins in general are terrifically hardy for me, and many of them get quite big, so this one is a good choice for a small Austin. Still, I'd pick Sharifa Asma or Tamora or Darcy Bussell or The Prince as a better small Austin that's nicely hardy.

Alchemist - haven't grown this one

Kashmir easy elegance - in general the Lim Easy Elegance line is absolutely the only rose breeder for whom I've never had any winter kill, with 15 varieties and counting. I haven't grown Kashmir among these yet, but its a sure bet. Another Lim to consider that I dearly love is Sweet Fragrance. Big fluffy true apricot/peach double blooms all up and down a 4-5' bush that bloom all summer. The only thing it doesn't have, oddly enough, is fragrance. Still, it's on the north side of my house, which is mostly zone 4 pocket too, and it does so well I put in three more of these (alternating with Music Box) and I almost never do duplicates of roses.

Freckles - I'm putting in a replacement of this one this spring, as I lost one of these over the summer. I wouldn't put this as the hardiest of the Buck roses- Mountain Music, Quietness, or Prairie Sunset/Sunrise have all done better for me.

Champlain - Champlain was my "gateway rose" at my old house that convinced me I could grow roses (had I only grown the Hansa I had on the other side of the house, I might never have planted another rose). It blooms pretty constantly all season, with dark crimson-pink blooms and nice glossy clean foliage. I did lose one once in my new house, with a weak cultivar from a local source, but my present one is strong and healthy. I had to cut it back a fair bit after last winter, but I had to do that for virtually everything but the Austins, Easy Elegance, Explorers, and rugosas (and even some of them), so that's nothing against Champlain. Individual blooms are not good for cutting, but the bush statement is very nice.

Hope this helps!

Cynthia

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 3:02PM
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twinkletoad(7B)

Here in Winston-Salem, I have a pink Aloha that I bought from Chamblee's last year and planted on a south wall next to my house. It was very small but gave me a few very pretty, sturdy blooms.
To my surprise, it has been one of the first to start leafing out this year with EXTREMELY glossy, healthy looking foliage. I can't wait to see what it does this year! I would recommend Aloha.

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 11:27AM
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lesmc

I took out my New Dawn last year.(not an easy task) It had a pretty spring bloom and then nothing…nada. It was such a monster I could not prune or control it.It got quite out of hand! I will miss the spring bloom, but it had to go. I would say Aloha might be a better choice. Good Luck. Lesley

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 1:49PM
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seil zone 6b MI

Yes, it could be thrips. Could also be botrytus. Can you post a picture? That would help.

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 12:23PM
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seil zone 6b MI

Aphids. You can spray some soapy water on them if you want but I just wipe them off with my fingers and then give them a hard spray with the hose.

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 10:51AM
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DrPekeMom

And I tried to rush out and get mine before the rain came and wrecked them--but then I jinxed the rain and we hardly got any, darn it!!

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 12:57AM
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caflowerluver

DrPekeMom - What is the name of the dark red old garden rose? Beautiful flowers.

    Bookmark   April 4, 2014 at 1:04AM
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boncrow66

I am fairly new to the forum but I have been looking at ways to add to my garden and I have noticed many people plant flowering vines behind their roses. I think maybe a short growing clematis would be pretty and give you some height behind the roses. It's a beautiful spot in your yard and I hope you post pics when you get it the way you want it. Good luck!

    Bookmark   April 3, 2014 at 7:09PM
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campv

Maybe a few white lady banks climbers on the fence behind if that is what you are looking for.
If it was really me I would plant some thing that got some what taller than 5 ft. I would not like to look at the house or deck behind me or for them (deck) to be looking into my back yard. Just saying.

    Bookmark   April 3, 2014 at 8:23PM
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seil zone 6b MI

Well, I hope y'all haven't jumped the gun. I haven't touched any of mine yet. I lost too many to that Easter freeze a few years back so I'm going to leave mine on for a while.

    Bookmark   March 31, 2014 at 11:37PM
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redwolfdoc_z5(5)

I haven't touched any of my roses yet, though I stare longingly at them on a nearly hourly basis. That winter protection is looking pretty mangy! Seil, your comment gives me strength to wait though. Well, your comment, and the nasty, half-frozen, half-quickmud state of the backyard...

I have one brilliance fern (grows both orange and green fronds) growing like gangbusters, no other signs of life. I'm gonna have to get more of those! This one is ahead of the forsythia and hellebores, even!

    Bookmark   April 3, 2014 at 7:28PM
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lesmc

I`m in Louisville,KY. and have not pruned yet. I hope to start next week. I have nothing but black canes and I am very concerned,You`all have given me some hope. I have never cut to the soilâ¦.this will be a first! lesley

    Bookmark   April 1, 2014 at 8:30PM
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kentucky_rose zone 6

Lexington, KY, this week most of mine got pruned to the ground. I left some brown/black canes that will be leveled later. I am more concerned about my roses on fort. rootstock. Can they make it pruned so low?

    Bookmark   April 3, 2014 at 5:33PM
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henryinct

Back in CT we had huge numbers of oriental beetles which were often all black but I think there were blackish larger beetles which must have been the spring rose beetle. I'm sure they were outnumbered 100-1 by oriental beetles as were Japanese beetles so I didn't notice them that much. From all the descriptions I have seen however the spring rose beetle has color variation even when black so I still wouldn't be sure about the identification. The key would seem to be the size and look for a little greenish on the head and slight color differentiation resembling that of the JB.

Here is a link that might be useful: spring rose beetle

    Bookmark   April 3, 2014 at 11:21AM
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bellarosa(z5/IL)

I just have to say that it was funny to see a JB with a large pin piercing it body! They are the worst bugs ever!

    Bookmark   April 3, 2014 at 3:47PM
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