Hi. I bought a packet of morning glories and single white nigella at Target in February, which I started inside a few weeks later. I was very surprised to find tomato seedlings had sprouted along with my nigellas-- especially since I hadn't purchased any tomato seeds and was using sterile potting mix! The germination rate was fine, but the entire Sean Conway line seems suspect to me now. If they can't keep tomato seeds out of their nigella packets, how well do you think they can separate different varieties of the same plant?? I'm very curious to see if my white nigellas are white and my red morning glories are red.

Thank you everyone, and especially those of you who have posted photos. I have been on a little hiatus because I had some minor surgery, and to be honest I forgot that I posted this! I truly understand what most of you mean when you say that you should not prune until the roses are about 3-4 years old, I know they need their energy stores, I know that they have awkward teenage stages (hey, who doesn't?). The thing is that most of the ones I am having troubles with are Austins, and just judging by how much growth they put on last year, if I went this whole year without pruning them I think by fall they might be gathering up mailmen and loose dogs that wonder on to my porch. I suppose I am of the same mindset as Lori_elf, to help inspire new growth I want to get rid of some of this awkward growth that will not support strong, large canes, even if they seem a little young for it. I always get a little confused when talking about the ages of some of my roses anyway, Munstead wood for example is going into it's second year in my garden, but I purchased it as a large (4' at time of purchase), grafted, 3 gallon plant from my local nursery, so it obviously spent at least a year with them, if not more, so would you consider him to be 3 years old at this point? or still just going on 2 because that is how long he has been with me? Not that it really matters all that much because when I judge them, I don't really consider their age as much as I consider their overall size and the vigor that I have witnessed under my own care. For example, I have two Jude the Obscure plants which I got last spring, both have been living in pots that are 12" across since their initial transplant. One plant was a band from from Heirloom and it was purchased earlier in the year, the other was a gallon sized plant purchased from Chamblees purchased a little later in the year. The band from Heirloom really took off and put on a lot of growth last year & is now about 3' tall, he is the one with the odd candelabra situation. Even though the Chamblees specimen was supposed to be a "gallon sized plant", he has grown much slower, but has retained more of a pleasantly round & even shape, it is a little over 1' tall. I feel comfortable pruning the Heirloom specimen because the largest cane is very thick & long, the plant is tall and seems very healthy. I would however not prune the Chamblees plant, it is still very small and looks very young at this point. I think this is due to the unusually small root ball it had upon arrival, both plants I bought from Chamblees did (the other being Molineux) which is why I probably won't be ordering from them again, they were puny as gallon sized plants and have been surpassed by every single band I purchased from Heirloom at this point. I did prune both the roses that I mentioned in the original post, but I did it gently, not removing the entire candelabra, just a few of the smaller branches here and there, or the most awkward growth on the cane in question, so that the new growth that they put on this spring will help them evolve into more balanced, rounded shrubs. I don't have many roses large enough to prune, so these two being some of my only decent sized shrubs (3-5ft tall) I really wanted them to be presentable, even if it sets them back a tiny bit, I need something pretty to look at while I'm waiting on my herd of 1 year old gallon sized babies to mature. I really don't think it will cause them much of a problem, because as I said, almost all of my Austins have grown very quickly and vigorously so far, and I already see Jude swelling into large buds in all the places I was hoping he would, so I think he will do great this year, still waiting on MW, but I think he will do great as well. I'll try to snap some photos today. Thanks again for all your responses! Jessica.

JESS: Thank you for the pics. & neat info. about Badger .. I really enjoy learning about the animals in South Africa. One cup of chicken manure per bush is TOO MUCH. In a British rose forum, a lady burnt her roses by using chicken manure once a month. In my cold zone, I use chicken manure VERY SMALL amount when the temp is cool & rainy. Folks use Rose-Tone (has chicken manure) once a month for roses in pots. But that has only 1/6 chicken manure. I would use only 1/2 cup, 1 cup would be too salty. I killed a rose by mixing 1/2 cup of chicken manure in the planting hole. When chicken manure touches the root, it kills the root, best to dilute ONLY 1/2 cup with soil before spreading around the bush. I started a new thread, "10/30/15: Bad habits, good habits, rose & health tips, recipes." http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3473294/m=3/10-30-15-bad-habits-good-habits-rose-and-health-tips-recipes

Ken & Strawchicago, Thanks for the heads up on K&M discontinued Austins. Straw, thank you for the list names. Straw, Is Generous Gardener & Jubilee Celebration now discontinued, also? I see them listed on DA & K&M website, but I guess it will be discontinued soon? Wise Portia is gorgeous and I’m excited to hear she blooms abundantly! She has a deep almost wine & purple color at times! Little different shape than Princess Anne. I am so amazed to hear your Princess Anne is 7 feet-Wow! If you pruned P Anne shorter would!’t she bloom more? Wise Portia is very small rose & is she available at any nursery for purchase? Is Wise Portia disease resistant? Many of my roses take all season, but by fall finally reach 5-6ft. ( In CA, when si lived there, I oruned off 1 ft weekly, as they were growing rapidly into giants.) I don’t really want rose shrubs/hybrid teas/floribundas over 5-6ft. I suppose I can prune them to keep their height down-that’s ok, right? Pruning height should encourage more blooms? I love Princess Anne.... She has bloomed some for me, very hardy, NO black spot, which I prize! Love her beautiful blooms! Gorgeous shape/color of blooms & petal count! I need to move her next spring, She’s grafted & on front hill-too cold a location-stunted her growth at 2 ft, winter freezes--not good location-moving her to back yard T-bed level ground next spring-DAs are growing better in back yard. Love to see her grow taller. Some day I would like to maybe replace all my grafted DAs with own-roots. Love to see them reach their full potential in my NY freezing climate! Princess Anne I guess I don’t worry about watering.... it rains so much here in NY Fingerlakes region. Lol! I just have to be careful freezes don’t damage my DA.