Hi,

Bought this house in July and the rose bush just looked horrible.
The roses all looked sick at best.

It is about 4'-6" tall and only has 2 - 3 main stalks.
Now, it still has quite a few leaves, but is not very attractive.

What do I need to do to get a pleasant looking rose bush this spring.
Can I prune it...how far down.
should I treat it?
give it bone meal?

Thanks,
jojo

It would be helpful to know whether it is a "standard rose" or a climber,
and if it is in full sun. Sounds like a climber, if it is then the normal
advice is to cut it back after it blooms in the spring as that will usually
be the only time it blooms. Given the fact that it is not very attractive
and you probably aren't concerned with the bloom, I would recommend cutting
it back severely, 12-18 inches,in the spring, in San Antonio we say
Valentines day. If it is a standard rose it should come back with several
new shoots. If it isn't in the sun it probably won't ever look very good.
Use any good organic fertilizer, and a layer of good compost with mulch on
top. Hasta Grow every couple of weeks will give you good results.

"jojo" wrote in message
m...
Hi,

Bought this house in July and the rose bush just looked horrible.
The roses all looked sick at best.

It is about 4'-6" tall and only has 2 - 3 main stalks.
Now, it still has quite a few leaves, but is not very attractive.

What do I need to do to get a pleasant looking rose bush this spring.
Can I prune it...how far down.
should I treat it?
give it bone meal?

Thanks,
jojo

I think a "standard Rose"
Thick long stalks, to long thin spindly stalks. (I can snap a picture if it
will help)
It gets full sun from 10 on. It's on the west side of the house, which means
it gets full summer heat too.

Thanks,
jojo



"Red" wrote in message
m...
It would be helpful to know whether it is a "standard rose" or a climber,
and if it is in full sun. Sounds like a climber, if it is then the normal
advice is to cut it back after it blooms in the spring as that will
usually
be the only time it blooms. Given the fact that it is not very attractive
and you probably aren't concerned with the bloom, I would recommend
cutting
it back severely, 12-18 inches,in the spring, in San Antonio we say
Valentines day. If it is a standard rose it should come back with several
new shoots. If it isn't in the sun it probably won't ever look very good.
Use any good organic fertilizer, and a layer of good compost with mulch on
top. Hasta Grow every couple of weeks will give you good results.

"jojo" wrote in message
m...
Hi,

Bought this house in July and the rose bush just looked horrible.
The roses all looked sick at best.

It is about 4'-6" tall and only has 2 - 3 main stalks.
Now, it still has quite a few leaves, but is not very attractive.

What do I need to do to get a pleasant looking rose bush this spring.
Can I prune it...how far down.
should I treat it?
give it bone meal?

Thanks,
jojo

heres what i would do with a horrible looking rose bush which had 3 main stems.....

take one stem and reduce its hight by a third...take another and reduce its hight by two thirds...take the last stem and cut it as close to the ground as possible...do all this after the middle of february.
make the cuts if possible just above an outward facing dormant bud...if none are showing look for a horizontal line across the stem showing where a leaf once grew (the dormant buds are formed just above the place where a leaf stalk meets a stem).

if this treatment is successful new growth will break out below the areas where you made the cuts....now heres the best bit...each subsequent year after mid february cut the tallest of the 3 stems down to ground level...after a few years the oldest wood in your bush will be no more than 3 years old and you should have a bush furnished from top to bottom with flowers.

the above really applies to hybrid roses which is what the chances are yours is.

treat with an all round organic feed if you wish at the begining of march but only sparingly at first building up as the growing season progresses then easing off after midsummer

good luck !

jojo Wrote:
Hi,

Bought this house in July and the rose bush just looked horrible.
only has 2 - 3 main stalks

What do I need to do to get a pleasant looking rose bush this spring.
Can I prune it...how far down.
should I treat it?

jojo

heres what i would do with a horrible looking rose bush which had 3
main stems.....

take one stem and reduce its hight by a third...take another and reduce
its hight by two thirds...take the last stem and cut it as close to the
ground as possible...do all this after the middle of february.
make the cuts if possible just above an outward facing dormant bud...if
none are showing look for a horizontal line across the stem showing
where a leaf once grew (the dormant buds are formed just above the
place where a leaf stalk meets a stem).

if this treatment is successful new growth will break out below the
areas where you made the cuts....now heres the best bit...each
subsequent year after mid february cut the tallest of the 3 stems down
to ground level...after a few years the oldest wood in your bush will
be no more than 3 years old and you should have a bush furnished from
top to bottom with flowers.

the above really applies to hybrid roses which is what the chances are
yours is.

treat with an all round organic feed if you wish at the begining of
march but only sparingly at first building up as the growing season
progresses then easing off after midsummer

good luck !


--
Eyebright

I would just cut it back in early spring and see what happens. Mulch,
fertilizer etc. If it doesn't recover consider getting a good antique rose,
one grown on it's own root stock rather than one of the hybrids. I have a
Belinda's Dream which is a good, long blooming, pink rose but there are a
lot of good ones. The antique rose emporium in Brenam,
http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/, has a lot and if you go over that way
you can also visit the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory. They also have a place
here in San Antonio.

Good luck


"jojo" wrote in message
m...
I think a "standard Rose"
Thick long stalks, to long thin spindly stalks. (I can snap a picture if
it
will help)
It gets full sun from 10 on. It's on the west side of the house, which
means
it gets full summer heat too.

Thanks,
jojo



"Red" wrote in message
m...
It would be helpful to know whether it is a "standard rose" or a climber,
and if it is in full sun. Sounds like a climber, if it is then the
normal
advice is to cut it back after it blooms in the spring as that will
usually
be the only time it blooms. Given the fact that it is not very
attractive
and you probably aren't concerned with the bloom, I would recommend
cutting
it back severely, 12-18 inches,in the spring, in San Antonio we say
Valentines day. If it is a standard rose it should come back with
several
new shoots. If it isn't in the sun it probably won't ever look very
good.
Use any good organic fertilizer, and a layer of good compost with mulch
on
top. Hasta Grow every couple of weeks will give you good results.

"jojo" wrote in message
m...
Hi,

Bought this house in July and the rose bush just looked horrible.
The roses all looked sick at best.

It is about 4'-6" tall and only has 2 - 3 main stalks.
Now, it still has quite a few leaves, but is not very attractive.

What do I need to do to get a pleasant looking rose bush this spring.
Can I prune it...how far down.
should I treat it?
give it bone meal?

Thanks,
jojo

Thanks Red, that's a nice site.
jojo


"Red" wrote in message
m...
I would just cut it back in early spring and see what happens. Mulch,
fertilizer etc. If it doesn't recover consider getting a good antique
rose,
one grown on it's own root stock rather than one of the hybrids. I have a
Belinda's Dream which is a good, long blooming, pink rose but there are a
lot of good ones. The antique rose emporium in Brenam,
http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/, has a lot and if you go over that way
you can also visit the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory. They also have a
place
here in San Antonio.

Good luck


"jojo" wrote in message
m...
I think a "standard Rose"
Thick long stalks, to long thin spindly stalks. (I can snap a picture if
it
will help)
It gets full sun from 10 on. It's on the west side of the house, which
means
it gets full summer heat too.

Thanks,
jojo



"Red" wrote in message
m...
It would be helpful to know whether it is a "standard rose" or a
climber,
and if it is in full sun. Sounds like a climber, if it is then the
normal
advice is to cut it back after it blooms in the spring as that will
usually
be the only time it blooms. Given the fact that it is not very
attractive
and you probably aren't concerned with the bloom, I would recommend
cutting
it back severely, 12-18 inches,in the spring, in San Antonio we say
Valentines day. If it is a standard rose it should come back with
several
new shoots. If it isn't in the sun it probably won't ever look very
good.
Use any good organic fertilizer, and a layer of good compost with mulch
on
top. Hasta Grow every couple of weeks will give you good results.

"jojo" wrote in message
m...
Hi,

Bought this house in July and the rose bush just looked horrible.
The roses all looked sick at best.

It is about 4'-6" tall and only has 2 - 3 main stalks.
Now, it still has quite a few leaves, but is not very attractive.

What do I need to do to get a pleasant looking rose bush this spring.
Can I prune it...how far down.
should I treat it?
give it bone meal?

Thanks,
jojo