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Sucker or not?

DaveKearleyDaveKearley Posts: 130
in Problem solving
Relative noob here, I got two climbing roses last week, one of them seems to have what i think is called a sucker?

In the first picture it's the centre thinner stem, the lower picture its the lighter coloured growth.

Both parts have 7 leaves per, but the thing making it look odd to me is the paler colour, there are no thorns and also, I'm not sure it was there when planted last week - can they grow that fast?

Any ideas?
 :) 


Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    It doesn't look like a sucker to me, I think the paler leaves are just the new growth as opposed to the older, darker leaves. Have you traced the base of the stem back as far as you can, is it higher or lower than the graft?

    I would be inclined to take away those pebbles as it will make it difficult to apply rose fertiliser/manure etc in the future. They are not necessary around roses.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I concur 100% . 
    Devon.
  • DaveKearleyDaveKearley Posts: 130
    edited July 2022
    Thanks, so not having any thorns is not a sign then? So much to learn.

    How do you identify the graft?

    BTW the pebbles are there to deter our aggressive squirrels from digging to bury nuts, all my pots have them, they also do seem to help retain water/moisture in the sun ;)
  • Arthur1Arthur1 Posts: 542
    These are new shoots,  growing fast hence the lighter colour.

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    @DaveKearley, the graft is the nobbly bit between the branches and the roots, usually advised to bury this just under the soil. Most suckers usually come from underneath the graft on the rootstock which is a different sort of rose.

    Got you on the squirrels - I have the same problem, walnut and hazel seedlings everywhere!
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    They look great
  • DaveKearleyDaveKearley Posts: 130
    Great, thanks all, so much to learn :)

    The base of this shoot seems to be above the knobbly bit, just below the soil level.

    I'll leave it alone.

    We love the squirrels, we have two that visit most days, they have learnt to open the nut box lid and help themselves, we watch them while having breakfast. If I put some monkey nuts out I can coax them right up to the (closed) back door - they are to wary to get near us :) 

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Shoots from above the knobbly bit (graft) should be fine.
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