Prune Spindly Own Root in the Summer?
Comments (16)
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Own Roots Estabished - A Note to Jerome
Comments (4)What a kind post. Thanks Rick! Happy Easter to you too. I am a "Father" a Norbertine priest of St. Michael's Abbey in southern Orange County. I usually just go by "Jerome" here, in case anyone's uncomfortable with the title. The Norbertine order goes back to 1121, and we are technically called "canons regular" as opposed to monks (Benedictines) or friars (Franciscans). I just mention this because people on the forum might not know and be curious. I too gardened all day yesterday. It's been unusually cool here for California (in the mid to low 60s - and gray...I love it). Unfortunately, I didn't take into account you can sunburn even with a cloud cover, and neglected the hat and sunscreen. Do I regret that! The back of my neck feels like ground chuck today, and I am very tired. I am glad your plants are going own-root. Even though we have a mild (zone 9) climate here, I always plant grafts below the ground so the plant goes own-root. I (and I might be completely wrong here) just assumed that that increased the life of the plant. That picture of Charles Darwin is spectacular. My Dad gave that rose to the abbey in memory of my mother who died in 1995, so it's a rose I baby. Thanks again for your kind post. J...See MorePropagation by Root Pruning and Root Cuttings
Comments (8)Great tutorial Nell, I'm going to try this with some of my shrubs. This method really works with perennial Asters (Michaelmas Daisies). Great way if sharing with someone through the mail :o). I usually do this in march, dig the clump, discard the center, cut the roots into small pieces that have growth buds on and either replant 3 or 4 pieces back in the hole, in 4" pots (garden club plant sale) or wash them off put them in ziplock baggies in a bit of damp paper towel and send off in the mail. I should think this should work with other plants as well. You've got rid of the soil, so there goes the weight, when the root cuttings arrive they can be potted up and grown on or planted out. This is how my daisies came from England as no soil is allowed into the country. The only other way I could have got them would have had them rooted in rock wool, this was so much simpler. Annette...See MoreDo not prune that crown when root pruning!!!
Comments (9)And follow the standard rules. if your plant is in a medium that is different from what it's to going into remove it all and only use the stuff in the new pot, or ground. No matter how much better the soil on the roots is the tree would rather have the crappy soil so all of the roots are in the same stuff. Google bath tub effect for more information. You can use the soil that was in the roots to top dress. Do not amend the dug up soil. Unless your willing to dig very deep and amend every single inch of soil that the tree will eventually use. All the way to the max drip line. Even then you will have to be aware of the rain and watering so you don't get the bath tub effect. Well worth it if you live where it's dry and have poor quality soil. If your interested in this please post a new thread here for advice first so we can help you not make mistakes. I really want to help people do this as I'm confident if done right will be a significant boost to the tree. More than any fertilizer or watering program. Much more. It's an extreme amount of work you want to get right the first time. Leave the soil as is no matter how crappy if you don't want to amend it ALL as deep and wide as your plant wants and top dress once it's planted. Much easier and the worms will eventually mix it for you. Always have the roots point out into the new soil. Cut off all circling roots. Water well when establishing but don't go crazy. Create a ring around the tree made of dirt to make sure the water goes down and not out those first few weeks. The ring will disappear on its own. If it's hot and sunny, shade the tree until it's established. Try not to leave fruit on it while transplanting. It's just not worth stressing the tree while it established itself in its new home if it's going into the ground. If it's potted the tree will not be as stressed and can support fruit if big enough. if I think of anything else I'll add it to the list....See MoreTo prune or not to prune- summer edition
Comments (16)Olivia can get up to 6+ feet in 2-3 years in California and elsewhere with mild winter. Unlike in the UK, it is definietely not a rose that stays within the 4 feet tall range. In fact most David Austin roses that said 4 feet in height in their catelog will get to at least 5 - 6 feet unless you live in areas with issues of winter die back, in zone 5 - 6. My Olivia got up to 6 feet after 2 years even with extensive summer pruning. It does throw octopus canes. During its first year it reached 4 feet. It is in the back of the my rose bed. You can safely prune those long canes for Olivia. It won't mind at all. After all it is not a once blooming old garden rose which you dont' want to prune at this point of the year. However, if you wish to have rose bushes that stay around 3 - 4 feet with rouind shape, most Austins are not in that category. The exceptions are Munstead Wood and Boscobel, which I managed to keep around 3&1/2 feet tall. Agree with threelittlelights13 that planting in groups may help in the look. My garden is semi-gormal with a lot of boxwood which were planted 1&1/2 feet apart - now all grown together. and helped to create a more formal look. I am not sure that's what you are looking for, and perhaps you just want a neater looking garden. Nevertheless, I included a few photos below. Those in the fronts are Boscobel and Bolero which does stay wtihin 4 feet with pruning. The yellow is Julia Child which actually reached 5 feet in the spring....See More
3 years ago- 3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
So, in conclusion: no pruning, not even pinching at this hot time?
Should I do anything at all to it in terms of cutting before I plant it in the ground in the Fall?
Here are some pictures:
As a comparison, note the pot in the background (1st picture). That's Easy Does It there - which I got about the same time with BD. It growht has been much slower but unlike BD, 'Easy' has been surrounded by some annuals which I just pulled out yesterday, when I realized they were engulfing it in the pot and probably slowing down the growth.
BD grew fast but it's spindly. 
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
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Chantal,
I don't know what to say about the South as a good place to grow roses. ..
I am originally from South-East Europe and I am used to seeing really fat, striking roses as that area seems to be ideal for rose growing. Bright, sunny summers, plenty of rain, cool nights, little to no black spot.
I have at least two relatives who grow 'to die for' roses with minimal expense or effort. The only thing my aunt does to them to prevent any disease, if at all, is to spray a bit of baking soda solution at the beginning of the season. This would be considered a joke here in the South (LOL).She gets them fat and happy like this, for months in a row:
So with that kind of background and no other knowledge, for many years I assumed roses just don't grow in the American South. That's because I couldn't see them anywhere around here, except Knock-Outs. Where I am from, those would not even be considered roses, technically.They use another word for it there - more like a poor relative of the rose: smaller bloom, fewer petals, etc.
Maybe I had not entered many backyards where Southerners may be more likely to grow their roses ...but the bottom line is I don't see many classic roses in people's front yards, except Knock-Outs. That's a sign most people don't want to commit to them because they are difficult here.
It was three years ago that I saw some amazing blooms at a nearby nursery (it was Good as Gold). I asked a store associate about it because I was confused as to why they sold roses. I was convinced you can't grow 'ROSES-roses' in this area.They begged to differ :) - and that's how I started.
I learned some things the hard way though: about spraying diligently or else; about getting just the right varieties for the area and even then they'll get BS; about not getting your expectations high during the summer because the heat and humidity will either suppress blooming altogether or they will be half the size of what is possible in Spring; never mind the ravages of JB-s. Etc.
So I would not exactly call the South a 'Rose Country.' Maybe Hydrangea and Azalea Country - but Rose Country? No.It's just that am so crazy about them, I am trying to hang in there even though I've come close to giving up a couple of times in 3 years.
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Sorry to revive this thread but I am SO excited!
I just counted at least 7 small buds on my baby BD growing in the pot! Seven! That's quite the drama for a baby.
Hopefully, they won't dry up in the summer heat. Anything special I should do to keep them going? I had seen a very tiny one a couple of weeks ago but I think it dried up when I sprayed for JB-s.
This baby BD actually produced two other blooms earlier in the season, one at a time; and as small and spindly as the plant was at that time, the blooms themselves were quite large and beautiful. Their weight bent down the stems. I even used one in a summer bouquet.
My deck may, after all, be the best spot I have in terms of sun exposure - which means I may have to switch focus on container roses. I see them so well from the kitchen, whereas my rose bed is mostly away from sight, on the left side of the driveway...and close to some trees. More often than not, the roses are resting. When they do bloom, I only see them when I get out in the garden or drive away. I can't wait to trim some tree branches in that area to bring more sun - hopefully.
Either way, my poor BD...even with those ugly leaves spotted by JB spray - she put out new clean growth and lots of buds. She does get a bit of BS on the bottom, maybe because she is so young, but I sprayed with an organic copper fungicide - so fingers crossed.
I'll try to update with a picture tomorrow. - 3 years ago
This is the update for my Belinda's Dream - band planted in a pot in Spring, which she may soon outgrow.
Lots of new growth on top of those older leaves spotted by JB spray - and I counted 8 buds. :) Hope she will make it here until Fall and I also hope she will turn out to be the nice, good rose everyone praises her to be. She is certainly shaping up like that in my environment. She did Blac-spot a bit at the bottom but with spray, it seems to be under control. I blame the nearby Rosie the Riveter for corrupting her with a bit of BS. Perhaps she wouldn't have gotten it at all had it not been for Rosie nearby. Playing favorites already.
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