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Wrong plant in the wrong place?
Flo7
Posts: 33
Hi all, I planted a climbing rose (Claire Austin) last autumn with high hopes that it would soon be covering its trellis. I think the combination of clay soil and a really wet winter have led to it not developing enough feeding roots, so that it is struggling to survive, let alone grow properly and flower. What would you do?
- wait and see (maybe cut back a little to help with evaporation)
- put in a new, potted specimen, so that its roots can properly develop before winter comes marching in?
- plant something altogether different in that spot (and if so, what?)
Many thanks for suggestions!
PS: I should add that the other roses in the garden are happy, healthy and in full bloom.
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It's probably still concentrating on growing roots so I would give it more time. A new rose will take more than a few months to establish properly.
Your rose looks fairly healthy to me but your soil looks a little like builders rubble (sorry if it isn't but its hard to tell from the picture
) Are those big stones all around the rose - I can see the odd leaf or two I think? I would be patient and add a really good mulch to help improve the soil. I wouldn't cut back as the rose looks quite small to begin with. Roses do actually prefer a clay soil to most others and as it was only planted last Autumn I would leave it for now.
Thank you both for your replies!
Soil is a big issue, as I have only taken the plot into cultivation in 2014. It was a new-build and apparently the construction company has seen this more as a dumping ground than a prospective garden. I have dug tons of clay out and worked loads of compost and manure in, so for now this is as good as it gets (actually I don't think the picture does it justice, it is better than it looks here). The garden is getting its thick, annual mulch of course
My preferred option is to leave it and watch it.
I think it looks fine. Roses like clay soil. Not sure what Ladybird is seeing but think she might be mistaking your wood mulch for rocks or stones. It does look awfully close to the base of the fence so might be in a bit of a rain shadow. Is it getting enough water? I'll bet next year it will look much better. Where did you buy it? Have you checked with them re expected growth?
Flo7, was it bare root? If so they take about a year to settle properly. Second and third years they get better. It looks fine by the way. Just give it time.