roses cut at the base (sometimes underground) mysteriously

last year

last modified: last year

Original Post on 8/10 -

I planted some roses about 5 months ago. They were cut at the base one by one. So far I got 5 roses that died in such a way within two weeks. I first noticed the leaves looked wilt even after watering. I gently put it up and surprisingly the rose was already cut sharply at the base level. The same day I placed physical barriers around the base for other roses, put rat trappers next to them, and ordered ultrasound devices for preventing underground activities. That was only a week ago, today I saw one more rose that looked ‘dry’, without a doubt, it was cut from underground, with no abnormalities above the ground. I’m puzzled and frustrated, I cannot seem to find the culprit. The "drying" happened mostly during the daytime, but hard to tell when it was actually started.

Some background context, we get a neighbor who loves birds, they have 4 bird feeders in their yard. We also have a creek next to our yard, I see a ton of animals every day, deer, whitetail rabbits, all kinds of birds. They all look suspicious. Other plants are doing great in our yard, no damage to roses in the containers and only roses in the ground were cut. I asked some neighbors, one told me she has lived in the area for 25 years, and only this year did she see plants being cut mysteriously. I live in zone 9b.

Edit on 8/12 - I'm an inexperienced gardener (< 1 year), those roses are my first batch. I do not know how to check whether the rose roots still exist or are eaten by the time I saw the damages.

Picture 1 & 2 - Rose: Eleganza Fiji, Type: Hybrid Tea, Age: 3 month, Damage: Cut (or eaten) from underground, Root existence: Unclear, Top Level: No damage

Picture 3 & 4 - Rose: Phyllis Bide Climbing Rose, Type: Rosa, Age: 4 month, Damage: Cut sharply from base, Root existence: Unclear, Top Level: No damage

Featured Answer

DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA)

last year

I will second Sheila's note -- I have gophers here that will eat all of the roots from below and I don't know about it until the rose is dried looking, and pull on it. If I don't notice right away (like if I'm out of town) They will eat all the way up to the main canes -- like a beaver got to the bush. It only takes one hungry gopher to eat your rose bush. So all but one of my rose bushes are now in 5 gallon gopher wire "cages" - It's a wire cage that has holes big enough for roots but too small for gophers. Deer (and rabbits when roses are first putting on growth in spring) will eat the tops of my roses -- "beheading" them. Moles may disrupt the roots, but don't go for the roots -- they are going for grubs. I don't think I have voles here. The ground squirrels can also disrupt roots, but don't seem to want to eat them. Good luck.

Here's a photo of a gopher wire cage. I use 5-gallon cages for roses. Do NOT buy the more flexible stainless steel ones -- gophers ate right through those last year to get my dahlias. And, I've even had gophers tunnel into my old wine barrels and a ceramic pot! So now even the roses in the barrels are also in a cage.

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Comments (16)

rifis (zone 6b-7a NJ)
last year
This query was posted 11 hours ago, yet so far no one has responded.

What was the maximum height of the beheaded roses, and what animals in your neighborhood could reach that height with their mouths (or pull down those beheaded roses to their mouths)?

Many members here (though not I) have experience with underground actors.

A cliquish mindset could be at work by some.
rosecanadian
last year
No cliquish mindset with this group. Thanks, Rifis for trying to help. :) :)

I have no idea, I grow roses in pots and get zero critter damage, so I had nothing to offer. Could it be gophers?

Pretty frustrating and maddening. Hopefully, people with more experience will chime in.
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Erika
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I cant think of any animal that would cut a rose separating the top from the roots below ground without eating either the roots or the top. Maybe human with a weird vendetta against roses?

Were they own-root roses or grafted? Maybe something is happening to break the graft site? Are all the damaged roses in the same area, and do you have unaffected roses?

Lacking other options I’d suggest physical barriers, fencing or mesh laid on the soil. Maybe try castor oil based deterrents or something like a urine spray.

Or get a trail camera and see if you can catch the culprit on video.
woodrose
last year
rifis, the OP said the roses were cut at the base (ground level), or underground. I think the word "beheaded" doesn't describe what happened to the roses.

Sisiya, It would help if you we knew where you live. I don't know what animals are in your area that could do this.

.
rifis (zone 6b-7a NJ)
last year
I re-read, and viewed again. Thanks woodrose - agree.
Sisiya
Original Author
last year
Thanks everyone for advice. ”beheaded” is not the best word to describe the situation. But I cannot seem to edit my own post. 🤷🏻‍♀️

They are own root roses, only few months old. I also suspect underground actors since no sign left on the surface level. Could be Gophers. I‘ve tried all kinds of animal repellent, ultrasonic, powder, trappers, nothing works.

Strangely, only roses suffered from this massacre. i live in California zone 9b.
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
last year
last modified: last year
Gophers and voles seem to wreak havoc here. The "Gopher Hawk" has really helped.
Sisiya thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
rosecanadian
last year
Deborah - I'm really surprised that gophers will go into a pot!! They are very determined! Here, I have glacial till, so gophers will never be a pest here. Thank goodness. :) :)
forever_a_newbie_VA8
last year
@Sisiya I cannot help on the bug problem, but you should able to edit your topic message. At the bottom of your message, there are a few options and edit is one. This is different from editing a comment
Sisiya thanked forever_a_newbie_VA8
User
last year
Gophers, I would think. I've seen this a few times here as well.
Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
last year
Sislya,

Just to answer your self editing question. Once the first response to a post is made, as Rifis did in your case, self editing by the initiators question is no longer possible under the program as it is set up by Houzz.

Take it from me, who makes spelling mistake in almost every other word when I post on the Roses Forum, I have to proof read hard before clicking "submit.". Also, clarifications and further insertions are not possible once a first response is made.

Moses
Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
last year
Looks like rodent damage. My guess is young rabbits, stupid because of their youth, they chew indescriminarely until they learn what's good to eat. They have green, tender growth available, not tougher woody growth as is the damage as seen in your photos, so stupid, young rabbits looks like it could be, and strongly so.. Rabbits definitely, very neatly make 45° cuts in stems as shown in your photo, but not that I have experienced in woody growth, unless as I wrote above, young and stupid. They smart-up eventually....no rush.....time is on their side. Rabbit time is like a dream, no worries, no hurry....

Moses
Sisiya
Original Author
last year
@forever_a_newbie_VA8 @Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA Thank you! The iOS App does not have an option to edit or delete the post. But I successfully edited my post on the Houzz web UI.
Sisiya
Original Author
last year
@DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA) Thank you for the recommendation! I just ordered the root cage online. Unfortunately, I will need to dig the roses out and replant them back with the cage. Hope they can survive from the transplant in the summer time.
Sisiya
Original Author
last year
@Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA Yes, I thought about rabbits too. The whitetail rabbits are everywhere where I live. And the 45° cuts are nicely done. It's a gang crime perhaps, I really don't know.

roses cut at the base (sometimes underground) mysteriously

DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA)

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rifis (zone 6b-7a NJ)

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roses cut at the base (sometimes underground) mysteriously

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