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Lady Emma Hamilton

monanchoragemonanchorage Posts: 2
in Problem solving
My rose is in a deep raised bed but for the first time the buds haven’t opened and are dropping off.  It’s in full sun and fed every other week with tomato feed.  I’ve also used systemic rose clear without success.  What do I need to do?

Posts

  • Alfie_Alfie_ Posts: 456
    How old is your rose? I have heard from a few people with this particular rose that it can be quite temperamental for it’s first 3 seasons or so:

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A587jxZl7v4&t=91s

    If it’s established maybe attach some photos as there may be something someone might notice that could be causing it. 
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I found that mine needed quite a lot of water.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I would water three times more than you think you need.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2022
    Fire said:
    I would water three times more than you think you need.
    I agree. Blooms failing is frequently due to drought … it takes a lot of moisture to produce all that beauty and if a shrub is short of moisture it will jettison the flowers in the hope it’ll be able to produce some the following year. 

    As a matter of interest it’s different with shorter- lived plants like annuals and biennials, if stressed they will rush to produce flowers and seeds at the expense of the rest of the plant as they won’t have another chance to procreate. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • monanchoragemonanchorage Posts: 2
    thank you for your comments.  I water my pots thoroughly every day  especially during this weather and everything else is thriving.  There is also a salvia, coreopsis, verbena bonariensis and astrantia in the same raised bed so maybe it’s overcrowded and not getting enough nutrients.  As they’re all perennials it’s possible they are fighting for not enough food.  Will get proper feed but I fear this year’s blooms are doomed. 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Feed it and water it and it should be able to produce some blooms this year.  Mine goes on till the frosts but it does struggle in drought periods.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    It’s nothing to do with LEH being problematic as such, only, as others have said, roses need far more water (and nutrients) to bloom well than you think, mine certainly do! I agree it’s likely water/drought stress although some fungal diseases can also cause buds to shrivel and drop off, so check there is no white fuzz on the buds and upper leaves which might indicate mildew or botyris. It all comes down to water and good cultivation practices though, a stressed rose is more likely to develop these issues.

    I would stop feeding it for now. Give it a bit more room by clearing away any encroaching perennials, give it a really deep water - a large watering can poured slowly at the roots (more but less often is best to reach deep down to the rose roots) at least twice a week. Once the soil is well hydrated, mulch with some fresh compost. All is not lost, it will bloom for you if you give it some TLC and prune off the shrivelled buds, not just the tops, but cut further down the stem to a full set of leaves. Once it starts forming new shoots and buds, only then resume the liquid tomato feed. 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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