22,152 Garden Web Discussions | Roses

Fun thread you guys!! I rarely bring my flowers inside, partly due to the cats, but mostly because I prefer to enjoy them outside. Once in awhile I might bring in a few stems, or occasionally someone will get me a bouquet of roses,etc. Years ago, our cat Princess (now gone) would tend to knock the vases over just by smelling the roses. She would make a mess with water going all over the place. Her replacement, Lola, loves to eat rose blooms tho. I have pics of her laying on the dining room table eating a rose at Christmas time. She's such a weirdo. Last time I bought some florist roses to try and root them, I let her eat several of the blooms because I didn't really need them for the attempted rooting (didn't work anyway). Lola is such a little busy-body. She always has to be right there with you, "helping" in any way she can. I just find it amusing.

I think if I were you, and wanted to bring the flowers inside to enjoy, why not make sure you bring one (or two) roses in that maybe aren't the most beautiful ones, and give 'em to the kitties to enjoy also. Maybe that will keep them from messing with your bouquet.

I could never be without at least one or two cats (we currently have 4). I've used the squirt bottle in the past, but just never remember to get one out. They don't really get into too much trouble to warrant getting it out I guess. But no matter how much trouble they might get into, nothing is worth traumatizing them by shoving them in a drawer for punishment! That's just not acceptable. Altho, come to think of it, one of them just might actually enjoy that!

Unmentioned above is the simple solution of getting a kitten. The kitten will make the mature cat's life so miserable that the mature cat will forget about the roses.

By the time the kitten is two, the mature cat will have chilled out. (Or taught the kitten how to do the attention getting rose reach)

Thanks for the feedback. Can't wait to get it planted.

Kate

We planted it, when it first came out, because of the claims of disease-resistance. What we failed to realize at the time was -- that was BLACKSPOT resistance!

We rarely see blackspot.
We see mildew and rust.

'Baby Love' mildewed badly enough here to have the appearance of a plant with yellow blooms and white leaves.

Gone.

Jeri

Mowing will work fine on the lawn side. You can buy plastic root barrier 16" deep to set on the unmowed side. Roots that produce suckers probably don't grow that deep.

If you are ordering grafted roses, you can set the bottom of the graft right at soil level and this will prevent suckering. Canadian producers such as Hortico, Palatine, and Pickering produce grafted bare-root roses which are a good value for US consumers.

Normally most of us recommend burying the graft just slightly for zone 6 gardens, but not for winter-hardy roses that sucker.

What spacing do people suggest for a hedge of Dagmar? Three feet?

In my experience, Frau Dagmar root suckers with the best of the Rugosa's. To give you an idea, I planted a couple of them to frame the opposite corners of the bottom edge of a kidney shaped flower bed in my Mom's garden. They stay a nice compact 4ft tall, but have suckered so extensively in the last 5-6 years that they are basically about 10-12 by 8-10 ft now in terms of length and width.

That was from a single plant in each corner... I've offered to remove some of the suckered plants, but Mom likes them like this as they fill in the area nicely, so we've let them sucker unchecked and they are a sight to behold in full bloom.

I'm not sure a root barrier like plastic edging would stop it. You'd need to go deeper than 6" down and would need something stronger.

If two canes are affected, you should take the whole plant immediately. If only one, and you found it very early, you can try removing it at the graft or crown. This usually does not work, but it's worth trying for a mature rose or one that would be hard to replace. A more radical approach is to dig the whole plant and then split the crown, saving a cane or two and associated roots on the opposite side from the RRD cane. Then replant the hopeful part as a bare-root. This doesn't work with own-roots that have formed a taproot nor with grafted roses that haven't gone own-root. The rose needs to have a crown wide enough to split. Use a hatchet driven with a sledge or maul.

If the RRD rose was touching another rose, prune that side of the neighbor rose severely. I have definitely seen contagion by crawling to neighbor plants.

Very sorry you have an RRD rose, but I'm glad to hear from you, redsox. How is the garden otherwise?

Howdy, Michael! I think we will go ahead and remove the whole rose. I am suspicious of a neighbor too, and it is one that I believe you have as well: Mother of Pearl. Not that I have seen any strange growth, just that the spring flush seemed disappointing.

I am proud of my garden for the most part, although it grows despite a bit of benign neglect as I am part of the sandwich generation. My orchids suffer too.

Hope all is well with you!

Tebuconazole (Bayer) ... propiconazole (Banner Maxx) ... everything else that's said is just hysterics, IMHO. They're among the most inoffensive chemicals around. The stuff is even used in shampoos to prevent dandruff - Nizoral (ketaconazole).

Bayer advanced is very effective. Picture has nothing to do with anything. I just like to show off.

This post was edited by susan4952 on Sun, Jun 23, 13 at 23:17

Sometimes you just get a dud plant. I've seen this in a few beds where I've done mutiple plantings of the same rose. Same bed, same light conditions, same soil and treatment and they just refuse to flourish even though the other 4 or 5 of the same variety do just fine. It happens.

In my experience, if it's a long-term problem, there's something in that hole that you missed - a rock, etc., that's blocking the roots.

If it's something else, then what others have recommended may work. Be sure it gets at least 6 hrs of sunlight. Build up a 3-4 ft diameter drip ring with mulch (I like shredded pine bark mulch), and feed it organics - my organic of choice is Mills Magic Mix.

If none of that works, there's something in that hole.

Thanks for the recommendations.

I get conflicting information on Fru Dagmar. A local nursery and some websites say it just flowers once, in the spring. Other websites say it flowers throughout the summer. What is your experience with this?

Frau Dagmar flowers very heavily in spring, but also repeats well all season and very well if dead headed. If not, she also sets beautiful red and large hips that add fall and winter interest. She's a beautiful rose and one of my favorite Rugosas.

As far as I know, they have retired.... don't know if someone else has the business. I found them easy to contact and was really happy with their service..... perhaps you have tried to contact them since they retired.... it is too bad they are gone! I tried to propagate Island pearl from cuttings.... in a very slap happy fashion, and so far one is all that is left!

I know this is an older post, but thought I would respond anyway. I just bought an Island Pearl Rose from Milner Gardens. They have an ongoing plant sale of unique, high-quality plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Milner Gardens

I had a JFK that I shovel pruned after 4 years. it was always soooo promising. excelent growth, long canes, no black spot (only mildew when the damp ocean air sticks around too long), and HUGE HUGE HUGE flower buds which never opened all the way because I think it is too moist and/or cool so close to the ocean.
I gave up and swore off white roses. :)

Still no good after 6 yr. trying everything! Shovel pruned was the best thing I did for it. And I do know how to take care of roses, thanks to this forum! Will never try it again.

I did go to helpmefind, but everyone on their list seems to be out of this rose at this time...

Thank you deervssteve, I'll try rosesofyesterday...

I really wouldn't want anything shipped until Fall, so will keep my eye out for this rose, it sounds great for our area!

Have you contacted K&M Nursery or Coolroses?? I grew St Patrick in FL. It was a huge workhorse for me. By the time it was 4 yrs old it was putting out 35/40 blooms per bloom cycle. It's on my list for next spring.

Thank you, Donald. Looked it up on HMF. The exact same characteristics.

You're most welcome. Dortmund is a beautiful thing. I hope you have lots of room; this is what Dortmund can do, here on the west coast anyway.