I could cry....should I cut back!?

13 years ago

My roses did TOO good!

Well, after rain off and on for the last 5 days, my roses are no longer picture perfect. They are on the ground. I am not sure what to do. It has been so dry here this spring, couldn't it have rained a week earlier or a week later? But no, mother nature decided that this week was the week to rain. Don't get me wrong, the rain in itself is great and we needed it. But....my spring flush is "flushed" and now I am worrying that the rose bushes may be damaged. I am thinking I maybe need to get in there and start my deadheading/pruning early. Cut off the weight of the blooms and perhaps some of the canes might recover somewhat? Just not sure.

This picture was taken on 6/3 after 1 day of off and on rain. Some droop, but not too bad.

This picture was taken this evening, 6/8

{{gwi:297586}}

This picture was taken on 6/3

and this one was tonight 6/8

They are calling for more rain off and on for the rest of the week. The roses will never have a chance to dry out. What do you think? Should I cut back?

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Comments (14)

cindysunshine
13 years ago
Well I'd let it dry out (if that's possible). I am sometimes amazed at the reviving... It is so hard isn't it? I went thru that here with peony season which is my favorite - they were just out and then it was in the 90s and it was all ocer in a flash and I cut them off and cried quiet tears.

You will probably need to cut back - but oh my the gorgeous display you had. enough to make you come back for more again and again and again...
ianna
13 years ago
it's just water heavy. Is there a way you could put a circulating fan out there to blow on the blooms (gently).
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organic_kitten
13 years ago
I am so sorry. It happened during the height of iris season too. They recovered pretty well, and if the roses can dry out, they probably will too. But I'm not a rose expert at all. They were so gorgeous, it is a shame,
kay
loisthegardener_nc7b
13 years ago
Gorgeous, gorgeous roses.... Just gently shake the water out of the flowers and they should straighten up at least a little.
mary_lu_gw
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks cindy, ianna and kay for commiserating with me!

Tomorrow is the only day forecast for no rain, if the weatherman is right! So after work I am going to see if I can lift them, layer by layer, and shake off some of the water. Maybe try deadheading some of the blooms too, to help reduce the weight as well.

My sister just commented tonight that this year the peony blooms didn't get dumped on with the rain and she is right. Normally the peonies end up on the ground. Everything is blooming early this year, so the roses got the rain instead of the peonies I guess.
girlgroupgirl
13 years ago
Marylou, can you find some sticky sticks around? I saw Martha Stewart once support plants with forked sticks or "sticky sticks" - a branch with many smaller branches. She tucked them in and under plants and they got completely hidden but supported the plants. Gosh, this happens so often in the South, I'm sorry it happened in your beautiful garden!
newyorkrita
13 years ago
They should dry out. Can't tell you the number of times I have staked up rose canes after some big rains. If you do have to cut them back, remember that roses love to be prunned. About 6 weeks after a heavy prunning they will give you another glorious flush. In fact I ALWAYS cut back my roses fairly heavily after this spring flush and so I get a wonderful second flush in August. After that I pretty much only deadhead them and let them get bigger and taller until fall. I leave them all winter and them I prune VERY HEAVILY in early spring. I cut everything but the climbers down to under two feet this year. JUst like last year. And the spring flush on my roses is amazing. They love being cut back, come back shrubbier and stronger than ever.
memo3
13 years ago
I like GGG's idea. Stick some branches under them to prop them up. I gotta tell you that even in their misery they are still as pretty as ever.

MeMo
gldno1
13 years ago
I vote for letting them dry off first. I didn't know about the pruning tip, NYR. Thanks for that idea.
ianna
13 years ago
my concern about propping up water heavy plants is that it may cause soft branches to snap. Best approach is to gently shake off excess water and pruning past blooms.
merindah
13 years ago
How do they look today?
mary_lu_gw
Original Author
13 years ago
We had a dry, warm and very windy day today. When I got home from work tonight I took a broom handle and lifted and shook the canes gently. It did help some, especially on the Champlain roses. The Morden Belle not as much. The MB canes are long and naturally arch downward. So that is not much help when trying to lift them. But the good news is the MB bushes are already throwing long new canes skyward which will help to fill in the "empty in the middle" look. So....not all is lost. Also lots of buds on the MB down canes and they are turning upward toward the sun.

Thanks for checking back and asking!
pippi21
13 years ago
Hey, be greatful for the rain but know I'd feel the same way you do right now. I think once the sun comes out and dries them up, they'll bounce back. Just give them time..then go to plan B. Mother Nature works wonders with her beauty!
paula100968_hotmail_com
12 years ago
hi cindi rod and kidsss my plants goin well u'd b impressed luv u all and miss hope to c u soon big hug and kisses to all xx