Please enlighten me: roses and roses... and yet more roses..

[Sheal]

Yes MaryMary, Hybrid Tea's produce one flower per stem which tend to be longer than other roses. The flowers can also be larger and heavier, sometimes bowing the stems.

 

[Flatlander]

Regarding the position of the graft. During the time I've been growing roses, I've tried several positions. From above ground level, to below ground level. In a cold climate, the best position for it seems to be about 4" under the ground level.

I'm waiting to collect a single new rose from my supplier. If anyone wants, I'll take photos of the way I do it and post.

 

[MaryMary]

If anyone wants, I'll take photos of the way I do it and post.

Yes, please!!

 

[Mike Allen]

Hi Mary Mary. To the writing of many books etc about the Rose. I would go as far as saying all are true.

The HT or Hybrid Tea rose became popular due perhaps to it's dominance. Florabundas are fabulous plants providing loads of delightful blooms often ev today when so many new roses sadly lack any fragrance. The Musk roses delight some but not all. Then there are perhaps the singles, not as it might appear being far removed from the wild rugosa or canine.

Along comes the HT Hybrid Tea rose.. Stolling through the rose garden, suddenly it almost shouts out at you. Hey' here I am, look at me. Why not? This rose produces long stems usually with a single bud at the tip. The bud starts out being pointed, then as it unfolds. WOW! Try and view it now, as a time lapse camera might record it. Each brief moment, so much beauty is unfolding. Please do not misunderstand me. When I watch a HT rose unfurling, it is like a brief moment in time of perhaps, watching ones beloved waking up. Then in an instant the full beauty is revealed. Truthfully. What more could the admirer say but. I love you.

This Is how I look upon the HT rose. It truly is worth the sacrifice of multiple blooms and scent.
Please continue to enjoy your roses.

 

[marlingardener]

Silent, your wild rose certainly looks like a rose. It may be a Lady Banks--which you definitely do not want in your garden! It does bloom once in the spring and then happily spends the rest of the season tearing down pergolas, removing shed roofs, and being a real pain.
We have several roses, all own-root and several antiques. Hybrids just don't like our climate, but own-root and antiques do. Here's an Aloha on a trellis--lovely scent, too!

 

[Flatlander]

Yes, please!!

MaryMary especially for you....This is how I plant my roses. I'm not saying its right or wrong, but it works for me.

First thing is to put the rose in a bucket of water. I'm lucky enough to be able to use water from my own well. As local farmers use it for their animals, I know its good! Normally, I fill the bucket a couple of hours before planting, to give the water time to reach air temperature.

Next up of course is to dig the hole where the rose will be planted. In this case, its volume is 20 US gallons.

At the bottom of the hole, I put a layer of "Mother-in-Law" fertiliser. Otherwise known as "Mature Cow." On top of that, some specific rose soil,and a sprinkling of Mycorrhizal Fungi. About 1 ounce for the plant in total.

I put the rose in position, with the graft about 4 inches below ground level. Just over the width of my hand.

I then continue to fill the hole with the rose soil, as well as more of the fungi, pressing it down to remove air pockets, and of course adding water. Usually, this will be the contents of the bucket. Finally, it looks like this.

Some may agree with this method, some may not. Feel free to comment.

 

[Sheal]

Your method is good Flatlander but doesn't planting the graft underground produce suckers?

 

[marlingardener]

Flatlander, your reference to "mother in law fertilizer", aka cow manure made me laugh! Fertilizer from my mother-in-law would kill any plant it touched. Shall we say she was a bit acidic?
I like to use well-composted steer manure to give roses a boost. We use captured rainwater on edible plants and on flowers. I envy you having a well, but we have to manage with our rainwater.
Since we don't have grafted roses, we just plant new ones at the same soil level as the pot they came in.
Have you found that smaller roses (ones that would normally be in a one gallon pot) seem to do better and grow quicker than larger roses?

 

[MaryMary]

MaryMary especially for you....

Thank you!

Flatlander, could I ask you to update your profile with either the state you live in, or your hardiness zone? I wondered where you were to be planting roses now, but looking at your avatar/info gives me nothing.

 

[Flatlander]

Your method is good Flatlander but doesn't planting the graft underground produce suckers?

@Sheal All of my roses are planted in that way, and I've never seen any suckers at all on any of them. Perhaps the graft is too deep? If there are any rose experts on here, it would be nice to know their opinions.

 

[Flatlander]

Have you found that smaller roses (ones that would normally be in a one gallon pot) seem to do better and grow quicker than larger roses?

I had to think about that one. The only answer I can give is that it seems potted roses do better than bare rooted ones.

 

[Sheal]

That's interesting. I've had suckers grow from the graft at soil level in the past but in recent years I've planted with the graft at least an inch above - that seems to work. Your planting seems to shed a different light on this so perhaps the depth does make a difference. On the other hand experts say suckers grow from roots so where do we go from here?

Perhaps @wiseowl can help us out with this one.

 

[Sheal]

Have you found that smaller roses (ones that would normally be in a one gallon pot) seem to do better and grow quicker than larger roses?

I would like to help with this question but I buy all my roses bare root.

 

[Mike Allen]

I have mentioned this before on forums. Gardening opens up a whole new world to you. More than lokely most of us began our adventure by watching mum or dad. Then came the reading of many books on the subject. Throughout there are lots and lots of advice given and mountains of references.

Now and then we might find that, 'Well I followed all the advice, but it didn't work for me' That is the advice. So much is written about the beautiful Rose. Disputes can arise at times, over the number of leaves on the stems/branches. Then do you bury or leave exposed the graft. Above or below soil level. There is no absolute answer. It's no problem if a sucker does pop up. Simply expose part of the stok and tear downwards the sucker, rather than cutting it off. Another point. A newly planted rose is tip heavy, until the roots take hold. IMO there is no problem partly burying the base of the shoots. The practice of giving a bare root rose a good soak prior to planting is excellent, also give the newly dug hole a soak. Here in the UK many bare root roses are sent out covered in wax. Don't worry about it. Also wax is now used to secure and protect a new graft. I remember labourisly winding the joint with raffia.

 

[Sheal]

I hate to go against the grain here @Mike Allen but I'm a self taught gardener although both my late mother and grandfather 'dabbled'. As a youngster I had no interest at all and the only time I looked at a gardening book was during pre-internet times - and then only to identify a plant. My love of gardening developed during my 'thirties' and I'm now at retirement age, so the knowledge I have now, as with many gardeners is through trial and error.

Roses are probably one of the most time consuming and difficult plants that we grow in our gardens. They need attention not only at the planting stage but throughout their existence to reward us with healthy plants and beautiful flowers. The way we grow them is down to our personal learning so there will be conflicting ideas as to which is the right or wrong way. We can also exchange ideas thanks to this and other gardening forums to increase our knowledge and may be change the way we nurture our plants.

Finally, any advice we receive is exactly that, just advice and it's down to us whether we make use of it in the way we grow and nurture not only roses but all plants.

I have only received one rose covered in wax and removed it before planting. This is a recent idea and I believe it's only being used because 'growers' are in a hurry to despatch mass produced plants before they are fully developed.