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Watershoots

20 years ago

What am I meant to do with these. Should I let them flower and then chop them off, or chop before flowering? How low down should I take them off?

Cheers,

Dee. Newbie to roses..24 and counting..

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Comments (5)

Thrip
20 years ago
Hi Dee
First of all make sure they're suckers from below the graft union and not from above.I'm only saying this because I've known over-zealous gardeners to remove any watershoots at all,not discriminating between shoots from the cultivar as distinct from those that are produced from the understock.This is not good.
Once you've identified the offending sucker use a small hand spade to dig your way down to its point of origin.If it has arisen from along a length of root, it will be easy to remove the entire sucker and it's root system by cutting it off, from above the point where it has sprouted from the root.If it has grown directly, from the buried portion of the rootstock cutting, itself you should use a sharp knife to remove it completely.This will leave a hole (wound) of varying size in the side of the rootstock which is no problem,just keep it as small as is possible.It will heal over and maybe even produce some roots which will be of benefit to the bush. If any portion of the sucker is left attached it will almost surely grow back.
Good luck with your surgery Dee.
Thrip
Bluebelle_Riverina
20 years ago
Your watershoots (if they are not suckers from below the graft union) are your basis for your rose bush next year, so you want to preserve them. I have left mine to flower, but on Tuesday it was so windy that many of them broke off at the base because they were top heavy. It would have been better if I had cut them to half their length, and they would still be with me now. On other bushes the watershoots have survived the wind and are now flowering. I don't think there's an answer - it's a compromise.
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Original Author
20 years ago
Thankyou both very much for that information. I did know about suckers from the root stock, so I'm okay there. We're copping some pretty windy weather at the moment, so I have cut the watershoots back a bit.
Cheers,
Dee.
bazil99
20 years ago
Hi, Just reading about your watershoots. Dont cut them back at all. These young shoots are tender shoots and if you cut them back before they have had a chance to harden off they will die back and leave you with nothing for the next years growth. Wait till they have flowered de head them and let them flower again on the same stem they do become a little top heavy but this can be corrected by placing a tomato stake or similar next to the new growth and attaching it to it. If you must cut the flower head away from the stem leave at least 1 or 2 flower stems at the top of where you cut, this will help the new shoot mature for next year.
craigange_optusnet_com_au
15 years ago
hi there

im relatively new to the whole rose thing...i cut off what i thought was a watershoot, it didnt come from the root side of it, but from the bush itself...it has a few buds on it that have flowered since i put it in the vase...the stem is quite long and strong...can i replant this as another bush or would i be wasting my time...its a burgundy iceberg standard bush

any advice would be great

angela

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