21,402 Garden Web Discussions | Roses

Thanks, Kim.
I'm in Torrance, where it doesn't get terribly hot, and I usually get a SMALL bit of a sea breeze and overcast. The sun isn't all that intense this week, but we've already had a couple of mild hot spells.
My main concern is the health of the plants - I can wait 'til next "winter" to make 'em pretty, if that's the healthiest option.
As a newbie, I see all this literature about when an how to prune, but not much about what is done for the health of the plant vs. what is done for aesthetic reasons.
I read about stripping leaves to force dormancy, but I gather that should be done in January, not March.
I do need to cut back a bit, they're encroaching the public sidewalks.

You're welcome Ed. And, welcome! Torrance is mild enough for you to be able to prune what's needed and not have major issues. I'd go lightly, not removing more than about a third of the foliage and cane mass until you get to know the individual plants and how they respond. Some explode right back into growth after pruning. Others begrudgingly offer a few measly inches. Once you know what their responses will be, you know how to attack them. For growth encroaching upon the walks and doors, that falls into the "you do what you have to do" area. Public (and YOUR) safety take precedence. A good friend lives just down the hill from South Coast Botanical and she has just finished her pruning, so your timing isn't far off. I'll be at her home helping her plant her pot ghetto this weekend. Kim

The plant called "Rose of Sharon" is not a rose, but a species of Hibiscus (H. syriacus). While there will likely be people on this forum who are familiar with Hibiscus, your best bet is to ask on the actual Hibiscus forum. I'm putting a link to it below. Good luck!
:-)
~Christopher
Here is a link that might be useful: Hibiscus Forum at GardenWeb

Karla, "Althea" or Rose of Sharon, is an extremely hardy, persistent plant. They root EXTREMELY easily in water and (at least in my climate) can be dug, pruned and transplanted as long as they are still dormant (without leaves). They can be severely pruned and will explode back into growth and flower as much bushier plants. If you're in an area still experiencing severe winter weather, wait until your extremes are over and prune them after your chance of last frost. At that time, you can probably transplant them easily and safely. Just keep them watered if you aren't having rains. Good luck and have fun with them. They're great plants! Kim

I love Steve Singer's roses, but I only recommend Wisconsin Roses for rose growers with a little more experience (and a lot of patience). Although Steve's instructions are clear, I think that a newbie might be a little overwhelmed. Steve sells newly-budded maiden roses, and require a little more work to get them started. But, you're right, if someone wants great hybrid teas (Steve has some minis and floribundas too), and you can grow on R. multiflora rootstock, then check out Wisconsin Roses.
Here is a link that might be useful: Wisconsin Roses

Ken I have ordered from Steve and his roses are WONDERFUL! Plus, I get a kick out of cutting the top off the multiflora plant! :) I mainly grow OGRs, ployanthas, and hybrid musks and Steve generally sells exibition type roses. I would LOVE it if another US seller, or Steve, would offer more varieties with multiflora rootstock. Maybe someone will catch on that theres a need for it since it seems the Canadian sellers are having issues importing.
Tammy

A friend sent that today, via FB, and asked, had I done it. I replied that I had not -- but that I read Liz Druitt's account of trying to do it some years ago, and why she failed. Here's my reply:
(Therein hangs a tale, of course.)
It really is, apparently, true that roses were started in that manner, and carried across North America in pioneer wagons. Probably, some brought them along that way, coming to CA by sea.
Rosarian and author, Liz Druitt, decided to give it a try.
She got some potatoes, did some cuttings, and put the cuttings into the potatoes. They all promptly died.
Tried it again.
They all died.
So, she began asking questions.
The reason it worked for the pioneers is that in them there days, you went out to the garden and dug up a potato. OR you bought one from a greengrocer, who got them from a reasonably local farmer.
The reason it didn't work for her is that potatoes, now, are dipped in chemicals to retard root growth. (Which cost both cooks and grocers a lot of money.)
The chemicals work. They prevent the potato from rooting, and they prevent any cuttings shoved into the potato from rooting.
It would probably work just fine, if you had un-treated potatoes. Organic potatoes.
But what the heck -- we have advantages today that the folks in 1850 didn't have. You can buy really good growth hormones to encourage roots. You can get some nifty seaweed compounds that encourage plant growth. And you can chop up willow twigs to make a tea that will stimulate growth (which folks have been doing for a thousand or so years). You can get good potting soils, and you can make a "cloche" (think, teeny greenhouse) out of a plastic soda pop bottle.
Who needs potatoes? ;-)
A friend suggested that I could grow my own potatoes for the purpose. But, given the success we have with other methods, I replied that if I went to the trouble of growing potatoes, I would EAT them.
Jeri


Great! I was thinking the order would come from the shape of the garden as well as uniform companions, and then the roses could be more wild and varied.
My Lemon Spice has been growing in a pot for about two years, it's got a few canes that are a few feet long. I think it will be fine, if the Marchesa blocks the view I'll just have to cut the Lemon Spice flowers and bring them inside to enjoy.
Thanks for the help!

One inch of cover is plenty for NJ and will not discourage own-rooting (if the plant wants to do it). Don't bully your plants. Own-root is not good for many roses, including probably a majority of hybrid teas. Roses will survive very deep planting, but the reduced oxygenation can incapacitate the rootstock roots and slow the plant's development somewhat.
I've dug deep-planted roses that had no own-rooting, but all the feeder roots developed from the rootstock shank, while the fleshy rootstock roots had not grown at all. This was in a location with adequate drainage.


Tomato cage is a good idea.
Planting directly into the ground never worked for us. We have weeds, dogs, gophers, and general chaos. But your plants are quite well-grown, so if your area is controlled and civilised, with no dogs running amok, you may be fine.
Jeri

My new favorite site, Forvo, gives the pronunciation of Beauharnais.
Here is a link that might be useful: Beauharnais pronounced

Marvelous, Kitty! Congratulations! I'm glad, but it's not really "my" technique. It's what has been suggested for bare root planting for many decades. It's "heeling the plant in", keeping it cool, damp and moist so it doesn't dry out until it has a chance to develop roots and grow. Warm and bright pushes leaf, cane and flower production. Cool, damp and dark stimulates root growth instead of top growth. It only made sense to encourage them to do what was desired, that was the way to go! I'm glad it's done what it was supposed to with your Reine Victoria. Nature is pretty amazing (and logical) isn't she? Kim

Cuttings turning brown instead of callusing appears to me to be either insufficient stored nutrients and/or too wet paper. Fuzzy mold sounds like too wet paper. Once they've begun turning brown, they're toast. Good callus and root with a bit of fuzz at the upper end, as long as it doesn't involve all the growth buds, can often be cut off after they are potted and doesn't always grow back as long as the surrounding air is dry enough. If the whole cutting is fuzzy, don't fret with it, just dump it and try another. Kim


About 6 weeks ago, Gregg sent an email from Vintage stating that the import roses will not be shipped before the Fall of 2013 because the USDA has not yet released them from quarantine. The final USDA inspection is scheduled to take place in August.
A number of the 2010 & 2011 French import roses died. As Susan states above, Gregg sent a separate email to people who ordered those, informing us that they will not be available.


Harmonyp you are in the same situation I was in. I was told to try them in mostly sand just to prove it was not me, just the soil. And so it was. Same with azaleas. Try it for yourself. I have about a 50% chance of saving them by moving them to better soil. If they are in decomposed organic based soil, they will not survive. Being in the ground in soil that is about 10% organic matter as long as it is acid and fast draining ( preferably with some sand ) with mulch or leaves on top is fine. In pots, they need almost perfect conditions. Potting soils rot too quickly and they begin to decline. If your water makes the mix more alkaline, it happens rather rapidly.



I understand how you feel. My late father had his favorite rose (Mister Lincoln) and whenever I see a perfectly shaped velvety red bloom I think of him. Do yourself a favor and purchase two of JOHN F. KENNEDY. That way you'll have one for yourself. JFK does produce beautifully formed large blooms that possess a very strong fragrance; something that can't be said for many white Hybrid Teas.
Image of JFK by Jeaneli-5b Nova Scotia at Hortiplex


FJ,
I live in MS. I tend to gravitate toward own root. How will it differ if it is grafted rather than own root?
My YP (grafted) never thrived either. Pained me to shovel it as the occasional flowers were really exceptional, and I'm a sucker for frilly petals.
Peter Mayle lasted longer and was a beast before mildew finally took it's toll. I would say the flowers look nothing like YP, but there were beautiful in their own right, especially in size, 'bout as big as a grapefruit.