DAVID AUSTIN ROSE "CHARLOTTE"

bluepeter · August 2020

I planted in a half barrel style tub the DAVID AUSTIN ROSE, CHARLOTTE. Multi petal flower, vibrant yellow with intense perfume. That was in August last year, planted in general purpose compost mixed with home made compost from composter. Fed with Verve Rose Feed granules in March and late April. First blooms in MID MAY were beautiful and as described. Subsequent blooms have paled to almost white and no perfume at all, flowers last a couple of days then lose petals. Have fed with liquid sea weed as suggested else where but still happening. what am I doing wrong? Can I retrieve the plant? Thanks in advance

Lizzie27 · August 2020

The very hot temperatures lately have affected many roses and hence the colour damage. Are you watering it well every day or every two days? Roses in tubs need substantial water, at least two cans full. The colour should revert back to its normal shade in cooler weather.

bluepeter · August 2020

Thank you Lizzie27, I did wonder if I was over watering, we have a Fryers Rose "Bright Blaze" that bloomed several times, each time flowers got smaller, lately looks dead. Its less than 1 year old, could this be a victim of the heat also?

debs64 · August 2020

I grow my DA roses in those conditions and exactly the same has happened to me just hoping for a return to normal next year.

Mike Allen · August 2020

This has to be a somwhat controvercial matter. A rose, or any other plant bearing a name, albeit from whatever nursery it comes from, has to have the same DNA etc, so it's growing ablities will be the same.

Container growing does have it's ups and downs. However in this instance. I am wondering if by any chance the owners/growers of this rose have perhaps taken advantage of the plant's abilities. Might we have taken the chance and given that extra feed or whatever.

Special plant foods. This is a very viable area. For instance. Jo Bloggs. your local corner shop, has started selling plants and shrubs. Business has taken off. Now Jo branches out and by whatever means, suddenly offers....Jo's superior rose feed. Be careful. Check it out.

Dovefromabove · August 2020

You say you planted the rose in ‘general purpose compost’. By this do you mean what is often known as ‘multi-purpose’ compost?

Multi-purpose compost is not suitable for roses and other shrubs in containers. It’s fine for bedding plants and veg and other short term planting but it’s too light and fibrous and breaks down too quickly for shrubs in tubs.

Roses need a substantial loambased growing medium such as John Innes No 3, with the addition of some compost, leaf mould or MPC to aid moisture retention, in a ratio of approx 4:1 (4 parts JINo 3 to 1 part MPC).

It sounds as if the compost your plants are in is exhausted. Replant them as above and look forward to a better season next year.

😊

debs64 · August 2020

@Dovefromabove is correct you need to add some John innes to the mix but the issue with small flowers lacking scent is one I have had recently I think that may be down to the rather extreme weather we have had this year. I intend to prune back hard this autumn, I am moving my roses in the winter so will make sure they are well fed in their new home and hope for better in 2021.

Joyce Goldenlily · August 2020

I have a David Austin Gertrude Jekyll in a large 3ft square container and that has also suffered from the early extreme heat. I am sure they will all be fine next year, as long as the weather behaves itself.

bluepeter · August 2020

Thank you all for your very helpful advice, I will certainly ditch the Multi purpose compost.

Dovefromabove · August 2020

I’m sure your roses will cope much better with whatever the weather throws at them once they’ve got their roots in some substantial loam-based compost.

Let us know how they get on 😊

DAVID AUSTIN ROSE "CHARLOTTE"

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