Help me save my roses!

[Rebecca Ann]

When my grandma passed away 10 years ago the only thing I took was her yellow rose bush. As a child she would cut them for me to take to my teachers at school! I had no problems for the past ten years. I know this rose bush is around 40 years old. But my heart is breaking that it is dying. Yesterday I dug it up. I transplanted into a pot to try and save. Please any help would be appricated.

 

[Chuck]

Everything has a lifespan. Why not take some cuttings and have a very young identical rose?

 

[Rebecca Ann]

Everything has a lifespan. Why not take some cuttings and have a very young identical rose?

How????

 

[Chuck]

How????

Here are a couple of links that will be helpfull.
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/southerngarden/roseprop.html
https://www.wikihow.com/Take-Rose-Cuttings
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/roses/roses-from-cuttings.htm

 

[alp]

I myself now use half compost and half sand as compost for cuttings.

 

[Rebecca Ann]

But there is no way to get cuttings. Only a few green shoots coming from root.

 

[alp]

You could still do it. Can we have a pic of the green shoots in close up please? I lot of people buy their roses bare root - much cheaper, but you don't know if they are dead if you are a novice! You need to cut strategically so that enough material is included. Or sterilise the compost and incorporate some sand or perlite to make the compost free-draining and pot the whole thing up. Don't be scared as we have all been there! You can do it.

 

[Rebecca Ann]

You could still do it. Can we have a pic of the green shoots in close up please? I lot of people buy their roses bare root - much cheaper, but you don't know if they are dead if you are a novice! You need to cut strategically so that enough material is included. Or sterilise the compost and incorporate some sand or perlite to make the compost free-draining and pot the whole thing up. Don't be scared as we have all been there! You can do it.

 

[Rebecca Ann]

 

[Rebecca Ann]

The shoots are below the
I am hoping
this means it’s alive...

 

[alp]

It is alive. I would trim off the bits like this

I guess you might be scared cutting anything off.

I am going to call for the rose expert @marlingardener to give you proper advice. Ring, ring! @marlingardener , your phone is ringing! Hehe!

 

[alp]

Before Dr Rose turns up, have a look at this video

Not complete, but give you the gist!

 

[Rebecca Ann]

It is alive. I would trim off the bits like this

View attachment 40128

I guess you might be scared cutting anything off.

I am going to call for the rose expert @marlingardener to give you proper advice. Ring, ring! @marlingardener , your phone is ringing! Hehe!

 

[Rebecca Ann]

View attachment 40129 View attachment 40129

See they are all below. The top all looks dead.

 

[alp]

See they are all below. The top all looks dead.

There is a bit of life! Wait till Marlin comes along! She's our expert!

 

[Chuck]

I hope I am wrong but from the pictures it appears that this is a grafted rose and if so the cuttings or in this case the little shoots will not be true. I could be wrong as 40 years is a long time for a grafted rose to live but those shoots are not coming from the trunk of the bush but are coming from the larger portion of the trunk where a graft would be.

 

[Rebecca Ann]

I hope I am wrong but from the pictures it appears that this is a grafted rose and if so the cuttings or in this case the little shoots will not be true. I could be wrong as 40 years is a long time for a grafted rose to live but those shoots are not coming from the trunk of the bush but are coming from the larger portion of the trunk where a graft would be.

so it is impossible to save?

 

[marlingardener]

Rebecca, despite Alp's inflated view of my expertise, I will chime in with my experience.
The 40 year old rose may be a rose growing on its own root, and is not grafted. If so, remove any dead material, put the remaining root and sprouts in a large container of potting soil, and keep it in the shade for a couple of weeks.keep the soil damp but not soggy. If leaves start to appear, move the container to a semi-shaded spot. Roses are a lot tougher than we think--they have survived ocean voyages and several hundred years!

 

[alp]

Inflated??? No! Hehe!

 

[Rebecca Ann]

Rebecca, despite Alp's inflated view of my expertise, I will chime in with my experience.
The 40 year old rose may be a rose growing on its own root, and is not grafted. If so, remove any dead material, put the remaining root and sprouts in a large container of potting soil, and keep it in the shade for a couple of weeks.keep the soil damp but not soggy. If leaves start to appear, move the container to a semi-shaded spot. Roses are a lot tougher than we think--they have survived ocean voyages and several hundred years!

Thank you! I did dig out yesterday and put in a pot... but I put it in the sun. I will move it. I have a feeling our bad winter... and my rose bush being near my driveway where there was so much salt this past winter may be the issue. I did scrape the upper part and I did find green.
Everyone wanted something from my grandma... jewelry.. furniture... I just wanted these yellow roses. My grandfather would always buy her yellow roses for every occasion. I just love watching them bloom every summer in my yard.