Sterling Silver, surprising as a potted!

MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet

7 years ago

I've been reluctant to take many photographs of this little experiment of mine; I've anticipated complete and utter failure, but Sterling Silver, being a rose, has decided to surprise me in its second season with surprisingly vigorous shoots.

My plant came from Regan's and was actually the largest of the three different roses I'd ordered from them (the others were Medallion and Fragrant Cloud).

I had initially planted SS in the ground after bucket soaking a couple days. Haha! Wasn't that hilarious! It leafed out and then... nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. No stem growth. No buds, either.

I ended up planting a Scentimental, which I destroyed this past spring due to gall, right in front of it and had sentenced it to fading into oblivion. One of my good friends scolded me and told me to pot it up and give it a chance.

My word. Within two weeks it started growing! Shoots lengthening, two small basal breaks, and attempts to set many buds. Aside from one ID bloom in in summer and a final one in Autumn of 2015, I religiously disbudded, watered, and fertilized. Some powdery mildew first year, no black spot, but this year was horrid.

This year, I had to re-pot it and it really grew some more this year. I'm rather excited to see its leap year (three).

It is now approximately 66" tall (5.5 feet) PLUS its container, and needs re-potting again.

Please excuse the recyclables!

I never thought SS would get this big, this quickly. I've only pruned the old stems which began yellowing and dieing-back.

It has few thorns and healthy leaves are an amazing dark, bluish green.

I'd be delighted to hear about others' surprise inducing roses or even experiences with this diva herself!

Steven

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Comments (4)

nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
7 years ago
MIGreenthumb, what a gorgeous bloom and a great payoff for your diligence. I've wanted to grow this rose for sentimental reasons, and now I realize it probably should be grown in a pot, which makes sense since it's a florist rose. My advantage in this location is we don't get any fungal diseases. It's a fairly popular rose around here, and is almost always available from my favorite local nursery, grafted on Dr Huey. You have inspired me to try it. But one question--have you being growing SS in the garage, or is this its winter home? Good continued luck with SS. Oh, our rose expert and hybridizer, roseseek (Kim), can give you some excellent advice on growing SS. He knows this rose well. You might search for threads about SS where Kim has given his good advice. Diane
MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet thanked nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
This is just its winter storage area. Last winter this space worked beautifully: zero growth, zero fungal issues, and no die-back. It sits outdoors all consistently and completely frost free days on *gasp* concrete pad with no feet in sunniest/warmest position.

I have been absolutely delighted to read Kim's fantastic tips and experiences with Sterling Silver in the (sometimes, older) threads. Reading his posts are, for me, story book wonderful.

I've seen your roses in those spectacular garden portraits, nanadoll. I'm amazed at what can be done with irrigation in the desert, especially without the disease pressure. Your purples! Oh, Lawd your purples are just awe-inspiring!

With my SS, I've been diligent with disbudding, watering, fertilizing. Total patient life support. Squishing saw fly larva. Fungal protection, not so much; I'm a minimal interference when possible. This season being humid and hot with plentiful rain yielded black spot a plenty. I'm surprised at how much the root ball has increased.

It's fragrance is so interesting. It seems sweet, lemony, and something, oh, I don't know, like a basement. Sort of musty.

I need to invent a convenient and affordable power plant container mover. These get heavy so quickly.

The last few buds:

Steven
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Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
7 years ago
Love your experiment Steven. I've tried many crazy (for me) things over the years. They don't always work but I tried. I like this one as I have had the urge to try one of Diane's roses in a pot.
MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet thanked Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
Grace zone10b
7 years ago
How amazing! Do please share with us when you invent a convenient and affordable power plant container mover!!!! I need it desperately too.
MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet thanked Grace zone10b

Sterling Silver, surprising as a potted!

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nanadollZ7 SWIdaho

MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet
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Sterling Silver, surprising as a potted!

Comments (4)

nanadollZ7 SWIdaho

MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feetOriginal Author

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Patty W. zone 5a Illinois

Grace zone10b

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MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet
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