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Virus Free Don Juan

16 years ago

Two years ago I planted a Don Juan climber I bought locally that was one of the J&P Milk Carton Roses. It grew ok for me but its obvious that its quite virused. I thought about getting one that was virus free from Heirloom last year but I just never got around to doing it.

So I ordered more roses from Heirlom this afternoon (I had already ordered 6 Clements roses the other day) and decided I would add a non virused Don Juan. So I did. I am wondering how much difference getting a non virused clone will make.

I love both the shape and color of the blooms on Don Juan but never did notice any scent to the ones in my garden last year.

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Comments (10)

buford
16 years ago
My DJ has a strong scent and it was a bodybag. I don't know if a virus would change the scent. I don't think mine is the heartiest specimen and I wonder if I should replace it with a better one.
newyorkrita
Original Author
16 years ago
{{gwi:221522}}

Here is a picture (not a very good one) from last year. For a two year old rose bush, it is not very big.
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The reason I was turned on to this forum many years ago was a similar problem. I'm not so quick to jump on the RMV band-wagon. Here's a question for you: Have you sprayed any form of herbicide recently around the area that the roses reside? If so, you might be dealing with a very common problem with people who spray for weeds. The good news is that the plant will eventualy come around, although the affected areas will continue to display this mutated leaf growth with deformed rose buds. It often takes several weeks, if not months, for the plant to recover. I had this problem once with a Gertrude Jeckly (sp?) and it turned out to be one of my largest rose bushes ever. Most "experts" in my rose society told me to pitch it and shovel prune it, but I loved the scent so I watered generously daily and fertilized the bush with Alphalpha pellets to stimulate new basal breaks and the bush pulled through. A picture of the affected area might help others prognose the problem better. Good luck! Adrian.
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buford
16 years ago
From my experience, DJ is cold tender. I lost my first one over the winter. Plus he gets bs and pm which I think affects him negatively. Mine is only about 6 feet high and I wouldn't call it vigorous. But like I said, it was a Home Depot body bad. Last spring it was set to put out a nice show after I pruned it hard. But we had the Easter freeze then the drought so it never really recovered.
jody
16 years ago
I have two good clones that will be in "leap" mode next year. I do spray...they manage with the same spray routine as the rest of the crowd. That means once a month usually. As of year two they have multiple canes in the 6'-7' category and they bloomed a lot. They are on the front of my house, very high profile location. They get a lot of comments on the blooms. I'd call it medium scent. My DH picked them out - wouldn't have been my first choice, but they are good climbers. I'd buy them again as long as I could get a clean clone
carolfm
16 years ago
Mine is vigorous, healthy and has a wonderful fragrance. I must have been one of the lucky ones that gone a good clone. I love this rose.

Don Juan on the arbor

{{gwi:221523}}

Carol
buford
16 years ago
That's it Carol! I'm getting a new DJ. There is no reason mine shouldn't be that big. I'm going to grow it right next to the old one and when it gets to the same height, I'm going to sp the puny old one!
carolfm
16 years ago
Bet, you are right, there is no reason that yours shouldn't be as big. Mine nearly topped the arbor the first year. I bought mine at a local nursery that no longer carries roses. If you find a good clone, it is a really good rose.

Carol
olga_6b
16 years ago
Budford, if you suspect your old DJ could be virused, which is certaonly a possibility with body bag, I wouldn't plant a new DJ close to it. There is some information on possibility of virus infection from rose to rose through roots.
Olga
jbcarr
16 years ago
Roses Unlimited is trying to switch over to virus indexed from UC Davis where possible. Don't know how far along they are, but is worth checking into.
buford
16 years ago
Thanks Olga. In that case, I'll plant it somewhere further away, until it's big as the one there (that shouldn't take too long), then sp the puny SOB! Then I'll move the new Don Juan in it's place.I'll have to make sure I get all the roots.

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