I have a few bushes that didn't winter well this year. They have one
healthy looking cane apiece, and the other canes are dead.

Before I relocate them to the top of the compost pile, I thought I'd
see how the gang here handles such cases. Do you try to nurse them
back to full health, or do you prefer to simply replace them?

"torgo" wrote in message
...
I have a few bushes that didn't winter well this year.
They have one
healthy looking cane apiece, and the other canes are dead.

Before I relocate them to the top of the compost pile, I
thought I'd
see how the gang here handles such cases. Do you try to
nurse them
back to full health, or do you prefer to simply replace
them?

That seems to be a personal preference. I tend to nurse
roses along until they die; others shovel prune (replace)
any rose that doesn't measure up to their standards.

If the rose is easy to replace (not a rare or expensive
rose), then maybe your best bet is to simply replace the
weak roses and hope the new copies do better.

Gail
San Antonio TX Zone 8

"torgo" wrote in message
...
I have a few bushes that didn't winter well this year.
They have one
healthy looking cane apiece, and the other canes are dead.

Before I relocate them to the top of the compost pile, I
thought I'd
see how the gang here handles such cases. Do you try to
nurse them
back to full health, or do you prefer to simply replace
them?

That seems to be a personal preference. I tend to nurse
roses along until they die; others shovel prune (replace)
any rose that doesn't measure up to their standards.

If the rose is easy to replace (not a rare or expensive
rose), then maybe your best bet is to simply replace the
weak roses and hope the new copies do better.

Gail
San Antonio TX Zone 8

"torgo" wrote in message
...
I have a few bushes that didn't winter well this year.
They have one
healthy looking cane apiece, and the other canes are dead.

Before I relocate them to the top of the compost pile, I
thought I'd
see how the gang here handles such cases. Do you try to
nurse them
back to full health, or do you prefer to simply replace
them?

That seems to be a personal preference. I tend to nurse
roses along until they die; others shovel prune (replace)
any rose that doesn't measure up to their standards.

If the rose is easy to replace (not a rare or expensive
rose), then maybe your best bet is to simply replace the
weak roses and hope the new copies do better.

Gail
San Antonio TX Zone 8

On Thu, 04 Mar 2004, torgo wrote:
I have a few bushes that didn't winter well this year. They have one
healthy looking cane apiece, and the other canes are dead.

Before I relocate them to the top of the compost pile, I thought I'd
see how the gang here handles such cases. Do you try to nurse them
back to full health, or do you prefer to simply replace them?

If they're own roots, I'd keep them. They'll throw a bunch of new canes
this spring. If they're grafts, I would replace them. They might start to
grow new basals this year, but it would be a much slower process. It could
be a few years before you have a good number of healthy canes again. Two
new grafted roses from the nursery wouldn't be that expensive and would
already have several productive canes.

Mike

On Thu, 04 Mar 2004, torgo wrote:
I have a few bushes that didn't winter well this year. They have one
healthy looking cane apiece, and the other canes are dead.

Before I relocate them to the top of the compost pile, I thought I'd
see how the gang here handles such cases. Do you try to nurse them
back to full health, or do you prefer to simply replace them?

If they're own roots, I'd keep them. They'll throw a bunch of new canes
this spring. If they're grafts, I would replace them. They might start to
grow new basals this year, but it would be a much slower process. It could
be a few years before you have a good number of healthy canes again. Two
new grafted roses from the nursery wouldn't be that expensive and would
already have several productive canes.

Mike