Help needed
- Thread starter Leeski
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@marlingardener Your phone is ringing HOT!
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Leeski, please define "old roses" for me. I consider old roses to be old varieties, not hybrids. Or do you mean they were planted years ago and are "old."
If they are truly old variety roses, just cut them down to about 12" to 18", keep them damp but not drowned, and they will grow back. We have to do this with our roses (old varieties, own-root and not grafted) about every 10 years.
If they are grafted or hybrid roses, dig and replace. Those types of roses have a life span, and may have reached the end of it.
If you dig and replace, you may want to consider replacing in a different spot. It looks as if with the fence and the greenery behind your roses, there may be a lack of air circulation and too much competition for nutrients and water.
If they are truly old variety roses, just cut them down to about 12" to 18", keep them damp but not drowned, and they will grow back. We have to do this with our roses (old varieties, own-root and not grafted) about every 10 years.
If they are grafted or hybrid roses, dig and replace. Those types of roses have a life span, and may have reached the end of it.
If you dig and replace, you may want to consider replacing in a different spot. It looks as if with the fence and the greenery behind your roses, there may be a lack of air circulation and too much competition for nutrients and water.
They were here when we moved in about 5 years ago so don’t know how old they are just know they have gone down hill this last year there very woody at the bottom sorry to sound so vague just I know very little about roses they did produce so lovely flowers about a month ago
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That is a very helpful photo, thank you! First, get rid of the black plastic--it is heating up the soil and preventing water from penetrating. Roses have a pretty extensive root system, and need the soil around them to accept water, not just at the base of the rose.
Check the bottom stem of the rose. If there is a large "bump" at or just above the soil line, the rose is grafted and most likely a hybrid. If there is no bump, the rose is probably own-root, which is preferable if you want a long-term, strong rose. Assuming you have own-root roses, cut off all dead material now, and next season, when the rose starts to grow in the spring, prune it back heavily. By heavily I mean cut the stems down individually by 1/2 to 1/3. I know, it sounds radical, and when I do it I nearly cry, but in the long run the rose is much better off.
If those roses bloomed this spring (they are very pretty!) they are just in need of a little "tough love" and will repay you with more blooms in future.
Check the bottom stem of the rose. If there is a large "bump" at or just above the soil line, the rose is grafted and most likely a hybrid. If there is no bump, the rose is probably own-root, which is preferable if you want a long-term, strong rose. Assuming you have own-root roses, cut off all dead material now, and next season, when the rose starts to grow in the spring, prune it back heavily. By heavily I mean cut the stems down individually by 1/2 to 1/3. I know, it sounds radical, and when I do it I nearly cry, but in the long run the rose is much better off.
If those roses bloomed this spring (they are very pretty!) they are just in need of a little "tough love" and will repay you with more blooms in future.
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I can't give you a definite yes or no, but to my eye it seems they are not grafted.
Both of the stems show damage, possibly from beetles chewing or some other bug, hiding in the bark mulch. Can you pull the mulch back about 6" from the roses? That would keep the chewers at a safe distance.
Both of the stems show damage, possibly from beetles chewing or some other bug, hiding in the bark mulch. Can you pull the mulch back about 6" from the roses? That would keep the chewers at a safe distance.
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New growth on roses is often reddish--not a sign of a problem or stress, it's just what roses do! Since you are getting new growth, this would be a good time to give the roses a half-dose of a general fertilizer. I recommend a half-dose since it will be gentle and not "burn" roots or overstimulate the rose and produce weak growth.