Thread: Pruning Help!
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Old 05-04-2003, 08:08 PM
Shiva
 
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Default Pruning Help!

Steve Joyce wrote:

I planted 10 roses last July. [...] We had a very
harsh winter and all, I mean all of my roses look dead.


Hi Steve! First and foremost, water, water, water. I assume you have them
in spots that drain well, so that they do not sit in water for hours on
end? If so, you cannot water them too much. (Drying is the primary harming
agent in freezing.) Others will probably suggest you cut off any CLEARLY
dead canes--I might be tempted to be careful about this, though, as new
rosers are sometimes not sure about what is really dead. If they get good
sun, they will do whatever they are meant to do in a few weeks. When you
get a few inches of new growth, baby them with organic soil amendments
like your own aged compost of bagged stuff. I really like Mill's Magic Mix
for ailing roses because it causes basal shoots that turn into new canes.

Lots of sun and water and they will recover if they can. If you have to
replace any you can just chalk it up to experience. We all kill a few
early on--and later, too!