Oh Ingrid, I hope you receive an answer, to relieve your worry and, if I remain in this desert, Earth Song is on my list of plant to purchase for winter planting. I too would be interested in knowing if this rose does not do well in hot climates.

Sending some extra magic spells from up here in OR! Carol

Something else is amiss, Ingrid. It is a five by six foot monster in my sister's front lawn in Newhall, CA. It doesn't get any attention other than the automatic sprinklers. Kim

Maybe it's root building? I wouldn't worry about it as long as it's still green.

Root building would have been my guess, too.

Ingrid

I just had a thought. In Josh's thread you mentioned the following:

"Our soil is decomposed granite, and we've often hit on some granite about a foot down that wasn't very decomposed at all. My husband just chopped away at it with a shovel as you describe and the roses and other plants there have done quite well. I don't know whether the roots spread sideways or work their way down (or both), but somehow they've managed quite well."

Do you think that some of your roses might be struggling on their stone beds? Your landscape is out of the range of my experience, but I've been racking my brain in search of glimmers of helpful feedback for your recent garden trials.

Kim, what do you think about the granite bed?

Carol

P.S.
I read your reply to Florence. It touched me greatly. I agree 100% about people making one at home. I'm also glad you and your roses (even those that are struggling at the moment) have been able to put down some roots on your CA hillside. You have a lovely home and garden and, I know from your posts, a dear husband!

I think that's a very good possibility Carol. In many cases, there is no way to know what is beneath where you want to dig a hole here until you dig down deeply. I ran into that when planting Purezza in the upper terrace behind the front wall along the street here. A few inches below the soil surface, I ran in to vertical layers of gray-white shale. I had to scrape out what I could between them and all I could break out easily to make enough room for the root ball. I knew there would be drainage, which there is in abundance. Now, when I water, I make sure I aim the hose stream into where I know the opening between the shale strata is. Purezza ia going gang busters so it worked. Kim

This post was edited by roseseek on Fri, Jun 21, 13 at 19:25

Hi Ingrid: Own-roots can be wimpy for 1st year. I bought 12 tomatoes plants this year.... roots are wimpy like band-size roses. I planted some in my clay mixed with perlite (BAD idea), some in clay mixed with sand, and some in clay mixed with MiracleGro moisture control potting soil.

MG moisture control potting soil is sold cheap at Sam's club, only $10 for HUGE BAG. The best performer is in clay mixed with potting soil, the worst performer is in clay mixed with perlite.

MG moisture-control potting has cococut coir to hold moisture, but coconut coir itself is sold really expensive at Walmart, $20 for a small block ... I think fixing the soil with MG moisture control potting soil is cheaper, it would hold moisture, and MG-MC potting soil is fluffy and allows best root-growth, plus slow-released fertilizer.

My Golden Celebration was a stingy-bloomer for 2 years in hot sun ... I'm so glad that I moved it to partial shade, it gives twice more bloom after the move, and less watering. I dug up Deep Purple that wasn't doing well, and found rock-hard clay underneath ... I fixed it, and it's OK now ... I wish I had done that sooner.

Thanks so much, everyone, for your prompt and helpful replies. It may be that the plant is just building roots but I've also noticed that it seems difficult for water to penetrate the soil, in spite of the fact that this particular area is not rocky. I suppose the reason could be at least partially the lack of winter rain this year, where the ground never got a deep soaking. strawberry hill, I like your suggestion of moisture control potting soil. I wonder if it would help to put the soil on top of the existing soil (not too much of it obviously) and just scratch it in lightly to mix with the soil underneath somewhat.

Carol, you are such a special lady. I'm incredibly fortunate to live where I do, and to have a wonderful husband who willingly enters into all my gardening plans while being no gardener himself. I hope to be here forever.

Ingrid