Rescued my neighbor's 100 year old roses, need help!

11 years ago

I need help! I'm not new to gardening, but I'm new to roses. My elderly neighbor passed away, and the new homeowners just dug up all her roses and left them in the driveway. I just rescued them, and at the suggestion of my other neighbor, cut the stems back to about 3-5 inches each. They all seem to have most of the roots intact, but some have definitely gotten damaged in the process. The roots themselves are HUGE, which I guess makes sense.

I don't know what kind of roses these are. I know under the care of these new neighbors, they've done poorly and have looked lanky the last few years, but still bloom. I'm wondering what the best way is to help them survive the trauma, and if there's any tips on pruning so they look fuller instead of tall and spindly when they do come back.

Thanks! I'm new here :)

Comments (22)

GatorRose
11 years ago
First I would put them in big tubs of water, let them rehydrate, maybe for a day in the shade. Then I would plant them in nice large holes, don't try and stuff their root system in, dig the hole larger than the root ball. Throw some compost into the bottom of the hole, all the while filling the hole with water from your hose. Put the rose in backfill and tamp the ground in and around the rose to remove any air pockets. Then water in again, mulch heavy and water twice a day WELL. At this point you can't overwater. Do this until you see new growth and then cut back to once a day watering. If you miss a day with the water, it could be the game changer. You will have die back and probably a total loss of foliage. But this process has worked over a 30 yr experience of growing roses. Good Luck!
jewelie6
11 years ago
I'll be watching this thread closely as I just rescued my parents' 30+ year old hybrid teas that were one cane wonders. They are still in the transport pots (I just moved on Sunday) and I have been giving them lots of water.

How long were they sitting in the driveway for? Can you post pics? I am curious to see what state they are in. If you have superthrive or something simmilar, you may want to offer that to the roses.
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luckylucy85
Original Author
11 years ago
Awesome! I appreciate the input! It's been raining like crazy, so for right now I just put them in some pots with a bit of potting soil and have been letting them get soaked. I can't plant them until Saturday because of work, so hopefully I can just keep them hydrated in the meantime. I'll see if I can find a bucket and just let them soak in that tomorrow. These were hopefully only sitting out for a day, maybe two. My neighbor noticed them while walking this afternoon. When I trimmed the stalks down, the insides were still green and definitely still alive.

I will see if I can post pics in the next few days! They're in good shape, though, it seems. Each one is basically a handful of thick stalks with a giant root or a few giant roots attached. A few still had new foliage growing, but since I cut them back so far, they are all bare stalks now. I wish I knew what kind they were. I know they're all different colors, but I can't remember what they looked like the last time I saw them blooming.
jerijen
11 years ago
Lucy, having been cut back so drastically, don't be surprised it it takes them a year to start growing again. A "Lady Banks" we were given, in similar condition, sat there for two years, just growing new roots. Once it was ready to grow, it REALLY LEAPED.

As long as they're alive, don't give up on them.

Jeri
luckylucy85
Original Author
11 years ago
I won't! I don't mind if they're ugly for awhile! I know how pretty they are when they've been taken care of, so it'll be worth it. Besides, with the heat this summer, they'll just match the rest of my depressing yard :). Also, with these I know they were regularly cut back to the ground every year and sprang back up and bloomed til winter, so hopefully they'll do the same for me now.

If occurs to me I have no idea how close to plant these. There are about 8 plants total, 6 with gigantic roots and two small pieces that got cut off of a larger piece with roots intact. 3' apart? I'm planting them in a row about 12 feet long along the front of the house that gets full sun for about 5-7 hours of the day. I can spare some space to the side, so they don't have to fit in those 12' exactly.
roseblush1
11 years ago
Jeri...

In my climate, I have found that if I grow the rose in a container long enough for it to develop a larger and healthier root mass before I put it in the ground, the rose is less stressed when I finally plant it.

I've only rescued three HTs, and since I have nutritionally poor soil, I thought this was the best way to go forward. What do you think ?

Smiles,
Lyn
GatorRose
11 years ago
On the previous post I mean to thank you for saving those roses. Don't you know your elderly neighbor is jumping for joy right now, her roses have been given a new lease on life!

In answering you question about how far apart to plant them I would go 6 ft if you can spare it. Sorta depends on what roses they are, but that's a good beginning point, taller ones to the back and shorter ones to the front.

Please keep us posted on how it all goes for you!
jerijen
11 years ago
Lyn -- I don't think you quite understand the SIZE of the chopped-off root-mass we inherited. There is no pot large enough to have encompassed it -- and it was HALF of the plant which had been chopped-down.

OTOH, yes. Clay and I almost ALWAYS put roses in pots to grow roots, before we put them into the ground. In our conditions, that is the only reasonable approach.

As to distance between roses -- there again, if you grow them up some in pots, you may bet at least a preliminary idea of the vigor, before you plant them.

Jeri
roseblush1
11 years ago
Jeri...

Your response answers my question perfectly. I was thinking that if the rescued roses luckylucy85 (and jewelie6) did not have as large a root mass as the rose you inherited, it might be wise for her to put them in as large a pot as possible and grow a healthy root mass before she puts them into the ground.

Of course, there are a lot of variables, but you have a lot more experience than I do in this area. For me, it allowed me to put the plant in a semi-shady spot while it was growing its new roots and I could control the moisture in the container better so that it was moist and not too wet.

Yes, the roots get disturbed twice, but because I was new at rescuing roses, I felt I needed that kind of control ... especially gardening in glacier slurry.

Smiles,
Lyn
ravenrose
11 years ago
LuckyLucy, you sound like a nice person! Roses are tough, so I'm sure they'll survive if you give them enough water at the outset and good drainage. They usually thrive when they're moved, I figure they're so grateful to get fresh earth and a bit of attention! Be sure that there's plenty of air circulation and sunshine and as time goes on, make sure that with all the watering the earth doesn't harden. As time goes on, big plants, especially those close to walls, tend to get cemented in and look sad, even though that's all that's wrong with them, just compacted soil. The best of luck!
cecily
11 years ago
Hi Lucy, thank you for saving those roses. From your posts I can't tell where you live (you said its been raining so that means that you don't live anywhere near me LOL) and climate makes a HUGE difference in how closely you can plant them. Also, if they stay potted until spring and you're in a northern zone, we will need to consider winter protection.
luckylucy85
Original Author
11 years ago
Oh, I'm up near Chicago in zone 5! I know they originally were planted fairly close together and could probably use some air. Wish I knew what kind they are. I have to do some research. I just know they grow up more than out, and seem to top off at about 3-4', and are antiques.

I'm pretty sure Mrs. Logan would be glad I saved them from her careless new homeowners. And man, I'm just glad to have them! I couldn't pay for roses this good, if they live :).

Not sure I have pots big enough to plant them in for that long. I was just going to stick them in the ground if it stops raining on Saturday, with some compost and good soil. (We have mostly clay here.) With it getting cold in another few months, they might be safer in the ground? I was going to cover them to make sure, since that seems like the safest route.
buford
11 years ago
You've gotten some great advice. Since you are in Chicago area, you will have to plant them now or if you can find big pots, you can possibly put them in a garage or basement when it gets really cold and then plant next spring.

This is my worst nightmare, I leave my house and someone pulls up all my roses and dumps them. Bless you for saving that old woman's roses!
jerijen
11 years ago
Yes, I think Lucy must plant them. Just give yourself plenty of air between them, Lucy. You can ALWAYS move them later, if worse comes to worse, but better to much space than not enough.

Jeri
peachymomo
11 years ago
If I were you I would give them plenty of space, and if there was too much room between once they got larger I would leave them where they were and buy some more roses to fill in the empty spots. That way you give yourself a possible future excuse to buy more roses, or you could use other plants as filler and make it more of a mixed garden. In my experience I have rarely regretted giving a plant plenty of room, and I have often kicked myself for skimping on spacing.

I also wanted to thank you for saving your neighbor's roses, it is a good deed and I think it will bring you good garden karma!
Campanula UK Z8
11 years ago
Lucky, if yopu have not planted them already, buy some mycchorhizal granules such as Rootgrow. Truly, it will make an enormous difference as the fungi attach themselves to the existing root system and then works, symbiotically, to expand the size of rootage (increased surface area means much faster and better uptake of nutrients and water). I always use this when planting or transplanting any woody shrubs or trees - it really, really is a worthwhile investment and not some fad. Please consider giving these roses the best available chance with a mycchorhizal amendement.
roseblush1
11 years ago
Thank you everyone for the information in this thread. Next time, and there will be a next time, I rescue a rose, maybe I will be more confident and just plant them.

Smiles,
Lyn
luckylucy85
Original Author
11 years ago
Update! I got all 8 roses in the ground today, and after 4 hours that is a magical journey I never plan to undertake again. I only had space to plant them about 3-4' apart, and I amended the soil with peat moss. Luckily this area has nice black dirt, no idea why, but it's one of the areas with better soil quality.

I would have gotten a picture, but by the time I thought to, I was too filthy to go back inside the house to find the camera.

Some highlights include spraying myself in the face with the hose TWICE, digging up a 6' honeysuckle tree to be planted elsewhere (it just showed up one day and I decided to keep it), clearing out the whole bed of overgrown daylilies and Bishop's Weed, and having to eventually take off my shoes due to caked on mud and just go at this project barefoot and crazy-looking as God intended. I also learned that accidentally touching rose fertilizer pellets with your bare hands hurts like hell. Good to know!

Thank you everyone for your help! I will try and update if I have any further news as to how things are going.
GatorRose
11 years ago
Congrats Lucy.....we wish you and your rescued roses well!
jewelie6
11 years ago
Great job Lucy! Sounds like a typical day in my garden.

;-) Never had to take my shoes off though.
t_bred
11 years ago
Great job Lucy, quite an accomplishment for a days work! Here in the western suburbs we received and all day saturating (finally!) rain yesterday. Hopefully you got some of that to help them along!
seil zone 6b MI
11 years ago
You go girl! Sounds like you did a great job and your roses will thank you for it with beautiful blooms!

Rescued my neighbor's 100 year old roses, need help!

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Rescued my neighbor's 100 year old roses, need help!

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