One thing that puzzles me about pruning though is the advice to cut off thin leggy branches- wouldn't these eventually grow thicker and stronger? If they are new shoots, don't they become older shoots in time? Yours, puzzled of Bath!
Lizzie, so far as I can gather, this mainly refers to skinny basal growth, new canes that shoot up from the ground. If it’s a weak and spindly cane, it never seems to thicken up and new growth that branches from it will never be thicker than that. These canes are not very productive, often can’t support the weight of any blooms they do produce and sap the energy of the rose. By cutting them out right at ground level, it encourages new and hopefully thicker basal growth.
Here is an example. Skinny Cane A never did much, Cane B is a new basal shoot that was already thicker when it emerged and, as it is still growing, will still get thicker and stronger and support better, healthier growth with more blooms. I will prune out Cane A:
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I've planted some roses today. The ground was quite wet, and the soil claggy. I don't think it was clay, but will be keeping an eye on them. What should I look out for if they're not doing so well? I also planted one about 2ft from the edge of a beech hedge. In my mind I thought that would be okay and now I'm questioning myself. Should I dig up and replant?
I can't really compete with the wonderful roses on this thread, but I had to cut this right back today, as my neighbour is having a new fence next week. I think it might be Dublin Bay.
Thanks for that @Nollie. I must admit I would have kept Cane A - anything that grows is good to me. I was thinking more of skinny little branches, do you keep those?
@Katsa If you have another location for the one next to the beech hedge, the rose will do better without competition. I have several hear hedges due to necessity but they need a lot more care than they would do otherwise, in terms of water/nutrients.
Regarding the soil, if it became badly compacted, the rose won’t do much in the first year. If you have to work with wet soil, it’s best to mix in a bag of compost, or some kind of dry soil from your garden if there is any.
@bullfinch That is a striking rose, thank you for sharing!
Thank @Tack makes sense to do when pruning. Not so many thorns to struggle with. With the cut buds indoors, I've found that none of them have opened. I usually wait until they are starting to open up.
@newbie77 and @Katsa love both of your indoor cuttings. Really pretty vase too @Katsa.
@pitter-patter I have Kiss Me Kate......has a lovely fragrance and so far foliage has been lovely and clean.
Lovely rose @bullfinch. I've read that Dublin Bay does really well.
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Here is an example. Skinny Cane A never did much, Cane B is a new basal shoot that was already thicker when it emerged and, as it is still growing, will still get thicker and stronger and support better, healthier growth with more blooms. I will prune out Cane A:
@bullfinch That is a striking rose, thank you for sharing!
@newbie77 and @Katsa love both of your indoor cuttings. Really pretty vase too @Katsa.
@pitter-patter I have Kiss Me Kate......has a lovely fragrance and so far foliage has been lovely and clean.
Lovely rose @bullfinch. I've read that Dublin Bay does really well.