Help me correct a HUGE rose mistake

12 years ago

About four years ago I developed an interest in gardening after having some giant white pines removed from our yard and suddenly seeing...the sun! In my first flush of enthusiasm I rushed to the garden center and bought rosa rugosa. This plant has now decided to take over the world, sending out suckers everywhere and uprooting pretty much everything around it. I have read that I need to cut the suckers off at the base of the plant but that is certainly easier said than done- the plant is very large and prickly and I can't really get in to do that. I have come to the conclusion that it needs to be moved to where I don't have a problem with the world domination plan. Should this be done now becuase I truly hate this plant and don't care if it dies or in the fall because my husband loves it best among my many roses (teeth gritting now)?

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Comments (14)

amberroses
12 years ago
If you hate it take it out get a rose that both you and your husband will love.
jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
12 years ago
Best time to move a rose is when it's still dormant in early Spring.
I agree with Amberroses, take it out and get a rose you & hubby both can be happy with. Lifes too short!

Balls in your court... lol
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diane_nj 6b/7a
12 years ago
Cutting them just makes them branch out. To make it easier, you'll have to cut it down (hedge clippers will do) and then dig it out. It can be done at any time, but it is easier when it is dormant.
Cindy Ehrenreich
12 years ago
You can prevent rugosas from spreading by sticking metal edging in the ground around the bush. This will keep the underground runners from popping up all over your garden.
flaurabunda
12 years ago
Or you could make this your husband's chore since he's the one who loves it. :)
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
12 years ago
If you hate it get rid of it. Gardening is supposed to be fun, and R. rugosa is not an endangered species--it will go on living in other places besides your garden.
rehabbingisgreen
12 years ago
I second it becoming your hubby's chore! I moved a LARGE climbing pink rose and evidently I missed roots because I still get random baby roses popping up in the spot *sigh*
taoseeker
12 years ago
Husband neither bought nor planted?

A suitable replacement might be a solution even if it involves a lot of digging? If you like the fragrance, Hansa is a good option, and doesn't sucker like the species at all. Neither does Mrs Anthony Waterer, and she has very good fragrance too. If it is the simple flowers you like, Fru Dagmar Hastrup, Carmen and others can provide this. You can check out if the rugosa hybrids that happen to be available near you might meet your requirements. There are lots of well behaved shrub varieties, but very few other than rugosas can offer fragrance, rebloom and hips all in one plant. If it is the thorns you like the least, go for something else than rugosa, they all have them.

Best of luck with your decision :-)
pungentfall
12 years ago
I feel your pain! I was just like you, an enthusiastic new rose gardener. I was so worried that my zone wouldn't accommodate more delicate roses, so I put in a William Baffin, a big thorny beast of a plant! Well, I thought I had gotten it out a couple of years ago but instead, it just created what seems like gazillions of babies...ugh. He's getting ready to bloom now and will cover the plant with blooms, so I'll forgive him his bad habits right now. I second the idea of getting some hedge clippers and start cutting it down. Just make sure that you dig up all the suckers. Good luck!
nhmom2four
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you all very much for the advice! I have decided to try the metal edging for this season and then dig it up and replant it out back next spring. Here it is a short window between the ground thawing enough to dig and the end of dormancy but I will try. My husband loves the monster because he grew up on the water in Maine and it reminds him of the wild roses that grew there. Like you, pungentfall, I had no confidence in my rose-growing ability at first and didn't realize how many beautiful varieties could flourish here.

Am I the only one who is squeamish about digging up thriving plants? I even hate to pinch back the perennials. I know this is stupid but there it is.

Barb
njmomma
12 years ago
I dig up blooming perennials all the time. I try to make sure I get the whole root ball without disturbing or cutting the roots too much when I dig. I've only killed one plant (a butterfly bush) this way and I was careless digging that one up. Good luck! Sounds like me and my husband - he always LOVES the plant I want to get rid of. grrrrr
seil zone 6b MI
12 years ago
Dig it out! Life is too short to spend time on plants you don't like. Besides, gardening is supposed to be relaxing, fun, your haven. If that plant is causing aggravation it needs to go! And there are tons of other roses you could get that you'd like better!
sroberson
12 years ago
What about a knockout rose to take the place of the one you don't like their poplar in the area of the south where I live.I purfer tea roses but I have one knockout they are low mantaince.
ceterum
12 years ago
You may hate Knockouts as much as you do the Rugosa. Check out the disease resistant varieties at Pickering nurseries and get one or two of those. I am sure that their selection is limited by now but still the best nursery you can deal with. You may even call Dana and ask her for advise. I think they still ship to your area though not very long.