On 05/04/2014 22:22, george - dicegeorge wrote:
On 05/04/14 19:03, Spider wrote:
On 05/04/2014 15:10, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:
On Sat, 05 Apr 2014 12:22:29 +0100, george - dicegeorge
wrote:

I was putting in new eye hooks
and pulling the top of the rose
around the corner of the house
when the stem split lower down.

I've tied it up with string.
But insects could get in the split and kill it.

Shall I coat it with tar or PVA or woodglue
of foamy glue to stop bugs getting in
or leave it alone and hope
the sap will repair it from inside?

[george]
.

The last time I mended a split stem I used brown parcel tape. When I
moved house years later it was still stuck on and the stem had grown.

Steve




Yes, I've done something very similar and it does work. However, it
won't work if the rose stem is still bent or twisted so that the injured
area of stem is still agape. The two layers of stem must be bound
snugly together, as for a graft, so that they heal together.

I've just been out by torch light and applied 3 woodwork clamps, will
try to tie it tighter tomorrow.

Watering and feeding it might help - shall i buy special rose feed?

[g]




The entire rose might be glad of a feed now but, on the other hand, I
wouldn't want to feed a sick rose. Wait until you've bound the stem
tightly with tape, then maybe give it a weak general feed to promote
growth in the rose overall, but not so much that it stresses the wounded
stem. Afterall, you wouldn't want a huge feast if you were feeling
unwell. When the rose starts to make flower buds, give it a high potash
feed (rose fertiliser, tomato food) then, but don't be over-generous.
Do water it well (once bound), especially since it's planted close to
the house, where such borders are generally dry.

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay