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Rose balling

froyhaymanfroyhayman Posts: 1
in Problem solving
So I have a theory, when the rose is in flower (or budding) look for new shoots on the main stem, this is taking the sap and stopping it reaching the top flowering. After I broke them off the plant returned to normal within hours, flowering beautifully.
I’d be interested to know if this has worked for anybody else

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I have one rose that does that if it gets too wet at the wrong time. I just pick off the brown petals.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Roses are not my subject but I thought balling Roses was caused by rain? Removing the outer petals releases the inner petals so that it can flower normally?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • rossdriscoll13rossdriscoll13 Posts: 234
    @froyhayman the reason rose flowers ‘Ball’ is as @GardenerSuze says, when it rains and they get wet. The new shoots have nothing to do with it.  All you are doing is reducing the number of flowers your roses have by removing these shoots.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It happens with peonies too @GardenerSuze , often with the sticky secretions from aphids rather than rain though, although we get both situations here depending on what the weather is deciding to do at the time.
    I would expect that happens with roses too although I don't grow them, as they attract lots of aphids. Would that be the case @rossdriscoll13 ? 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    The outer petals get wet then start to dry out, they seem to tighten around the inner petals so they can't open. Removing the outer petals frees the inner petals. I tried removing the petals as I mention in a clients garden and it worked.
    I grow just two roses both are singles and no Peonies but I go for a walk nearby when they are out to admire their fleeting beauty.

    @froyhayman I have seen a rose garden where nearly all the roses were affected.
    We look forward for so long to see them bloom and within a day or so they look dreadful. Let's hope for a sunny June.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    If "balling" is as other posters have described it.  Then your observation may have value.  The greater pressure of the sap may force open the "ball".

    Double hollyhocks also do this in wet weather.  My solution was not to grow double hollyhocks.

    A parallel is oleanders.  They often drop buds and fail to flower.  Taking off the new growth immediately below the flower stem helps to solve the problem.
    (I also stand my oleander permanently in a saucer of water during the summer.  This also helps.)
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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