Own Root vs Grafted Austins

10 years ago

Hi All,
I was thinking of ordering some new austin roses for my garden and I'm contemplating whether or not I can go with Own Root roses as opposed to grafted. Own root tend to be less expensive to order than grafted/bareroot ones. At least with Austins from Chamblees. But my real reason for wanting to try them own root is actually lack of space and I'm hoping they will form a more bushy bush.
I grow all of my roses in containers so root stalk is really not too important as most own root roses that I currently grow seem to do well in their pots (alot of kordes and buck roses for the most part). I have a few austins on Dr Huey and they all seem to grow tall and skinny. Not bushy at all (except for one, my Huntington Rose, she grows wide). I prefer a more bushy plant and am wondering if Dr Huey is causing these long tall canes that shoot straight up. Or is it the actual rose bush's growth habit?
Do you think if I grow them own root they'll form more bushy roses? I don't mind that they will start off slow. I pretty much have a never ending growing season here and all my own root potted roses seem to be more wide than tall as opposed to all my grafted roses that seem to shoot straight up and tend to get gangly. The slower growth may also help me with my lack of space.
I ordered a quietness, polonaise and lion's rose back in April from Chamblees and all have grown quite full and are in bloom now. Each one is about 2-3ft in height and width so slow growth is not really an issue. But if the root stalk has nothing to do with the way the grow (tall and gangly) then grafted might be a better option as I may have the desire to one day stick em in the ground and own roots don't really stand a chance in my Fl soil supposedly.
Also do you think root stalk effects bloom size? I want big blooms as you can all imagine. :)
Thanks for your input.

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Comments (6)

dublinbay z6 (KS)
10 years ago
I personally have not noticed that my own root Austins from Chamblees are any bushier (as opposed to tall and lanky) or that they have larger blooms. I think that information is already built into whatever rose you select.

I buy whichever type is most readily available and cheapest, myself. If there is any difference, that difference is pretty much gone by the third year.

Kate
ken-n.ga.mts
10 years ago
Before ordering any Austin roses, check to see the growth habit of that particuler rose. Like Kate says, by the end of the 3rd yr. there is vertually no difference. Especially in S.FL. BUT, if you get them on fortuniana root stock they will get huge. Good example; The Prince on Dr Huey gets maybe 3' x 2' and is kinda stingy with the blooms. When I lived in Port St Lucie I had two on fortuniana that were 6' x 4' and stayed covered in blooms. So, as they say, "pick your poison".
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My 2 cents I have one Austin that is an accidental ownroot (I came home with a variety of roses and found a cane laying in the bed of the truck next to an expired patent rose.) Disappointed that I had managed to tear the best cane off in transporting, I diced it up and poked them in the ground under glass. Amazingly they all rooted, they were in a bad spot so I moved them assuming they would die, to 3 corners in the same little garden. I had no idea they were not the non patent rose. They grew and grew, filling the corners of the bed and then....a bud. Clearly not the rose I had thought they were all along but instead the Austin I picked up the wrong pot of when buying. I did not want that plant, the reviews were bad, it balls, crisps etc. I was not happy. Now I had this rose I did not want x 4. Fast forward, that own root grows faster, reblooms more and is incredible. Each of the accidental cuttings is better than the grafted mother plant. I can tie and move the own root canes, the grafted plants canes break off with a stern look. It still balls and crisps, but I no longer care because with so many blooms, some still open. She still nods, but I love that charm and besides with 30 blooms in a couple of feet...what is not to enjoy. I think that how an individual plant does grafted or not depends on the plant and not so much as the breeder. That DA also will tip root and provided me with the first seedling at her feet. Maybe it is the anomaly in Austins, but this is one that needs reducing power from the root stock.
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It is very difficult to find budders and very expensive if you can. Also try convincing the US Government you need to a temporary work permit to bring in skilled budders from out of the country! Most budded crops grown in the field are also two year old plus crops. Own root crops in pots are one year old for a gallon plant or larger. For small nurseries the savings of a year old crop over a two year old crop can be the difference between staying in business and bankruptcy. Personally I think the debate over which is better is answered by the simple question, "what is best for you, in your climate and for the types of roses you like to grow?" The answer can be found by talking to other like rose lovers in your area. I like own root for my garden, but it would be presumptuous of me to try to convince someone up north who prefers grafted that own-root is better because I have never grown roses in their climate. And vice versa of course also holds true. ItÂs all personal folks! And isnÂt it great that you have a choice. Paul
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Heirloom has New this year South Africa, but Chamblees had it last year. I find the price difference an insult on my intelligence. It's not double the price, it's more like 4 times. One of the last google reviews I read on Heirloom said they were the only place that sells own root roses. I don't know if the person was lying, or really doesn't know any better. Where would they even get an idea like that? I asked my husband how much those huge bags of Black Kow cost from last year, after seeing they had 1 pound of manure for almost 9 dollars. He informed me that the 50 lb bags were less than 5 dollars. Being a little overpriced doesn't annoy me that much, but that's not a little. They are ridiculous. I feel bad for anyone that is shopping there, if they think those are normal prices. I know it's probably a last resort for people that really want something not available elsewhere, but I wouldn't give them a dollar. The warranty description kind of contradicts it's self too. Everything that rings an alarm bell for shadiness is on that website. (at least for me) No judgement intended on anyone that likes them. Edit I agree Moses it can't be so expensive. A good example is ARE. Huge plants, for less than half that price. My order from ARE had canes as large as bare root grafted, yet were more than 50% cheaper than their 1 gal. I don't see how they are staying in business, but I guess you don't have to sell much at those prices.
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Ann your garden is lovely in every way. I love love your iceberg roses and the lavender. I can’t grow lavender here because of our dense clay but I really love it. Iceberg is one of my favorite white roses also, I grow a couple ven tho they require spraying here because they are so lovely and bright white. Your princess Anne seems to be very happy and I also hope it becomes a star in your garden. Would you be willing to share more pictures of your Bolero? That is a rose I have been meaning to try and have never gotten the opportunity. The thrips really damage my light colored roses here, but they are still my favorite. The magenta rose in the background of Princess Anne is Super Excelsa rambling rose, I got it from Heirloom roses. I grow it with Super Dorothy over a small fence to hide a car trailer my hubby has there. They are both supposed to rebloom, but after 3 years they only give some sporadic blossoms here and there after the main flush. I would consider them once bloomers unless they change with maturity. On this bottom picture you can see the super Dorothy is lighter. This year they both bloomed darker for some reason if you have space for a climber in this color range I would recommend my Raspberry cream twirl. I feel pushing it lol but it really has been great here. You probably have seen my big ones on the arbor, but this one is a band from this year and already blooming. It makes long thornless stems that work great for arrangements. Picture from my mature plant that shows the color out of the sun. Some blooms have a lot of white like these while others are almost all magenta/red and they age with a lavender cast like princess Anne.
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SoFL Rose z10
Original Author
10 years ago
Hmmm
Ken you do bring up a valid point. I wonder if I should get them on Fortuniana. I have a jude the obscure on fortuniana but its brand new still and in a pot. I am planning on putting it in the ground. I might see how that one does before ordering my new austins (was going to get them in sept after the summer heat passes). I can get them from cool roses. I went up there last week and they had some amazing looking austins but none were for sale (except Jude which i think they sold me out of pitty since i wanted one so badly LOL).
I'd be more than willing to invest the $$$ on them if i know they will perform well here (its about an hour drive to cool roses from here). Otherwise its really a crap shoot. I order the ones I like that they say do well here and just hope for the best. (That's why I'd like to order them from chamblees, they are half the cost as ordering from DA itself or from cool roses). Ahhh the dilemma! No space and i want them all!, but I always FIND a way to stick more roses in my garden. Even if it means growing them in planters on stands. Like my husband says i ran out of room on the ground so no I'm going up up up.
zack_lau z6 CT ARS Consulting Rosarian
10 years ago
Radio Times is advertised on the David Austin site as being short and bushy--ours is 5x5 in full sun.
joshtx
10 years ago
Grab yourself a Tamora and an Ambridge Rose from Chamblee's. Both excellent and reasonably tidy roses.
rosesinny
10 years ago
I only try own-root roses because I'm sick of suckers and having the scion die off in the winter. I don't grow many Austins because they blackspot to hell over here on the east coast, but I have to say, James Galway is one of the most blackspot resistant roses I have. It's on par with Knockout and La Marne and Monsieur Tillier. And it's bigger than all of them put together, although MT gives it a run for the money.

Anyhow, I think it depends on the specific rose and also on your soil and climate.

Own Root vs Grafted Austins

Comments (6)

dublinbay z6 (KS)

ken-n.ga.mts

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Own Root vs Grafted Austins

Comments (6)

dublinbay z6 (KS)

ken-n.ga.mts

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SoFL Rose z10Original Author

zack_lau z6 CT ARS Consulting Rosarian

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