Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Troubled Rose Bush
I've been in the same house for 2 years now. I have 6 rose bushes in the
same area. Five of them are great. One of them, a red bush, continually has thinner branches, and leaves that turn yellow/droop more than the other 5. I'm in Southern California, the plants get great sun. Each year I've pruned the bush down and it comes back up the same. The tree has probably been in the ground for years. When pruned down it looks just as healthy as my other rose bushes. I don't give my bushes anything other than water, I have good soil and get great roses on all bushes but this one. Is there any chemical I can treat it with that might fix any disease it has? Or would best to replace it since it's that time of year? |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Troubled Rose Bush
On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:21:56 -0800, "Me"
wrote: I've been in the same house for 2 years now. I have 6 rose bushes in the same area. Five of them are great. One of them, a red bush, continually has thinner branches, and leaves that turn yellow/droop more than the other 5. I'm in Southern California, the plants get great sun. Each year I've pruned the bush down and it comes back up the same. The tree has probably been in the ground for years. When pruned down it looks just as healthy as my other rose bushes. I don't give my bushes anything other than water, I have good soil and get great roses on all bushes but this one. Is there any chemical I can treat it with that might fix any disease it has? Or would best to replace it since it's that time of year? Keep in mind that different kinds of roses grow differently, in appearance and vigor. The thinner branches isn't a big concern really, because that just might be the growth habit. The "turn yellow/droop" syndrome is more worrisome. Have you considered that you might be pruning too low? Most of us tend to prune a little higher than the usual 6 -12 inches normally recommended in books and web sites. Try being a little less aggressive and it might help. It sounds to me that you might have a nitrogen deficiency but don't go overboard trying to ramp up the nitro. Try this. In a month or so, when it starts getting going again (after your last possible frost), take some compost and add to the base of the plant. Don't mound it up too much because you don't want the root graft (if it's a grafted rose) to develop rot or fungus (which is a possibility). Make a ring around the plant almost like a doughnut. Then, take the following ingredients, sprinkle them liberally, and work them into the compost - a handful of epson salts, a couple of handfuls of alfalfa meal, a recommended amount of blood meal *and* blood meal (look on the boxes), and some garden granular time release fertilizer of your choice - many use Osmocote, but there is some concern about its effacy in 90 degree plus heat (I've never worried about it myself). With the Osmocote, make sure that you sprinkle it at the recommended rate - there is a photograph of the proper amount laying on the soil on the side of the package. Then water the plant well with water and fish emulsion. Continue to water with fish emulsion every couple of weeks or, if you feel like it, cut the concentration in half and water with it every time. If you'd like, you can use a weak Miracle-Gro solution every couple of weeks as well (or you can use one of the water soluble dedicated rose fertilizers). When you use the Miracle-Gro, spray the leaves as well, but only do this in the early morning because you don't want to burn the leaves from the hot sun. After about 3 months or so, reapply Osmocote. In your climate, you'll probably also be able to fertilize one more time in late summer/early fall. However, I wouldn't keep feeding the bush into October and later, because you'd like to try and get it to rest (which may be hard in your climate - others in your region can advise you - we have a few So Cal gardeners here). Try this fairly simple plan and see if it works. You should also check the pH of your soil before you start. You might have a soil anomaly that isn't present in nearby bushes. Your pH should be slightly acidic. You'll hear anything from 6.0 - 6.8. If it's in that range, you should be OK. Hope all of this helps... |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Troubled Rose Bush
It could easily be a variety that simply doesn't perform well in your
climate. If you spot a potential replacement bush that you just can't resist, consider it a prime opportunity to upgrade. On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:21:56 -0800, "Me" wrote: I've been in the same house for 2 years now. I have 6 rose bushes in the same area. Five of them are great. One of them, a red bush, continually has thinner branches, and leaves that turn yellow/droop more than the other 5. I'm in Southern California, the plants get great sun. Each year I've pruned the bush down and it comes back up the same. The tree has probably been in the ground for years. When pruned down it looks just as healthy as my other rose bushes. I don't give my bushes anything other than water, I have good soil and get great roses on all bushes but this one. Is there any chemical I can treat it with that might fix any disease it has? Or would best to replace it since it's that time of year? |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Troubled Lawson cypress 'columnaris glauca' | United Kingdom | |||
I need advice for a troubled lawn. | Lawns | |||
Troubled by Snails? | United Kingdom | |||
Troubled thyme | Edible Gardening | |||
Troubled thyme | Edible Gardening |