Thank you so much for your so interesting reply.Your reasons for the
thin stems are correct I am sure and seeing that we feed all our roses
exactly the same ,I would say that the heredity reason is probably the
one as only one plant (Pretoria)has the problem.
We live in a suburb of Cape Town South Africa and have a dozen
roses which we just love and usually pick several vases full every day.
Because of the size of our garden we have several of our roses in tubs.
This year they have not done as well and as most of them have been in
(large) tubs for about ten years we decided to repot and renew a few of
them.
Most of our plants are hybrid teas----
Brides Dream-----Ester Geldenhys-----Cora Marie----Caroline de Monaco
Papa Meilland---Pretoria---Summer Lady---Andrea Stelzer--and of course
Peace.
We also have a climber and two multiflora---
Johannesberg Garden Club and Mr Duncan
(Cannot make out where you are from).
Thank you again for your kind assistance,Richard and Maureen Oliver


On Sun, 7 Dec 2003 10:02:58 -0500 (EST), "Shiva"
wrote:

Richard Oliver wrote:

So pleased to have found this group!!!!!!!

Welcome! It's been quiet lately, but it usually is during the winter
holidays.


Could someone please tell me what causes thin stems which do not support
the flowers ? Thanks, Richard

1. Youth

2. Heredity

3. Larger-than-average blooms

My first rose, a hybrid tea called Lagerfeld, was the
worst I had seen. It got a little better with age (you
should give any rose at least three years of good
cultivation before you toss it) but still has delicate
stems.

Many David Austin roses, because they are bred to have huge,
many-petaled blooms, also tend to "nod."

Want to ell us where you are, what you like in a rose, and
what you are growing now? Someone might have some
suggestions for you.

I don't think there are any nutrients that strengthen
stems. Nitrogen is the main ingredient in any rose
chow, it is for the green parts, but can be overdone
at the expense of the blooms, I think.

If I am wrong I believe someone will point it out.