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Rain-damaged mutabilis rose

15 years ago

Greetings, everyone! This is my first post here. I have a beautiful, well-established mutabilis rosebush which grows against a fence in my back yard. Recently we had very heavy rains which bent the branches over, away from the fence, so that this large bush is now intruding onto the lawn. My husband will surely complain when it comes time to mow!

This has happened before and it doesn't seem to recover (by which I mean, straighten back up). Should I tie it up? Prune it? Thanks for any advice!

Cindy

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Comments (8)

jerijen
15 years ago
Cindy, without SEEING it, I'd say pull it up, and tie it to the fence (or some poles).

Jeri
texascindy
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, Jeri. I'm not sure how to post pics in this forum, but I've included a link to a picture I posted in another garden forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mutabilis
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pfzimmerman
15 years ago
It appears from the photo to be placed between two posts on your fence. You might try running wire from post to post spaced 2' apart from the ground up. Then you can loosely fasten the Mutabilis to the wire to give it some support. Essentially you are treating it as a semi-climber.
jerijen
15 years ago
Yes, I second Paul's suggestion. That's exactly what I would do.

Jeri
texascindy
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you all! It's much appreciated.
pfzimmerman
15 years ago
That's what we're here for!
sandy808
15 years ago
I find that Mutabilis's canes will usually harden off after being tied up for awhile, so you may even be able to "untie" him later on if you want.

Sandy
bwfost
15 years ago
Hi! I am new to the forum, but my similarly-situated Mutabilis has fallen over just like yours, twice now. The first time I used the fence posts to tie it back up, but when she fell over again a month ago, she pulled the fence posts so that my fence was leaning in. It is very possible that if I had done it the way described here this wouldn't have happened, but I put in two new posts with a cross-piece, just in front of the fence, to use as the new support. Good luck!

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