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Supporting roses

fcsfcs Posts: 3
in Tools and techniques
What kind of metal supports are best for rose bushes? I've been told that supports with a 'rustic' rust finish are not suitable for roses because there's a risk the stems will rub and be damaged and this could introducing infection. Does anyone have experience of this?

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    Which sort of rose bushes? They don't all need support. I have a black painted obelisk for a large shrub. My climbers are on fences and walls. I don't know about rust though for roses. I bought some rusty plant supports for perennials but I don't like them, the rust got all over me.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • fcsfcs Posts: 3
    They're 'Little White Pet' - low-growing but need help to stop them flopping and getting lost in the border
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    @fcs Little White Pet should stop flopping once it's mature - about 3 years. I'm surprised yours are flopping as this rose has quite small flowers in clusters.

     I did buy rather expensive rusted finish 'rose baskets' for mine but wish I hadn't bothered as it makes pruning old stems to the ground nigh impossible with loppers.

    A better, temporary solution are the metal half hoops you can buy in various heights as they are easily moved if need be.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • fcsfcs Posts: 3
    Many thanks for your responses - appreciated.

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