Help! Is this rose stem girdler?
Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a)
last year
I found my young rose had a stem looked weird today and suspected it might be rose stem girdler. What can I do for it? Cut it to the crown or replace the whole plant? I read that RSG is an emerging insect pests in the PNW and hope it won't do too much damage to my roses. *sigh*
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Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
last yearlast modified: last yearFeiy (PNWZ8b/9a) thanked Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)
last yearlast modified: last yearFeiy (PNWZ8b/9a) thanked Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)Related Discussions
Not midge, but an outer terminal stem girdler
Comments (2)This is probably egg-laying behavior by (IIRC) the rose or raspberry stem sawfly, and there is a larvae tunnelling in the soft stem. You maybe able to feel a hollow zone. These will eventually run way down and do severe damage. You may see the track only as a brown dot in a cut stem section, which enlarges as you approach the larvae. It may be white with a strongly jointed appearance and some black on the head. I get them occasionaly in early July....See Morerose stem girdler
Comments (5)Coraebus rubi has been a problem here for some years: is that what you're dealing with? It doesn't kill the cane in most cases, but weakens it considerably, though some roses are particularly susceptible. My 'Canary Bird' (or is it R. hugonis?) was massacred by it, as its canes tend to break at the point of attack, and I've heard that Rugosas behave similarly. Teas, on the other hand, usually hang on to damaged canes long enough to grow replacements. C. rubi likes to attack one year old canes, i.e. the rosebush's future, which is particularly irritating. So far this year I haven't seen (yet) much of this kind of damage, which is a blessing. You may have a different pest. I've never done anything about our cane girdler, and the damage has generally stayed within bearable limits. I almost always find the damage well after it has occurred, by a swelling on the cane. If the cane breaks or if you cut it below that point, you'll find a spiral track going round and round the the cane, eaten between bark and the inner wood. Melissa...See MorePlease help !! Rose stems drying and loosing leaves
Comments (16)Text conversation is often lacking in info, despite current trends ;-) so pardon if I'm stating the obvious... When you say 'self-watering' pot, do you mean it simply has a saucer (I can't tell from the photo)? If so, it won't 'self-water' unless there is a wick to draw the water up into the soil. Most folks around here don't believe in saucers, all too often the water doesn't drain out of the pot well enough and if it doesn't dry out between waterings, its, well, icky. As for your schedule, you don't say, so again pardon, but do you every check the soil first, or just water on a schedule? You can check the soil with a well placed digit or even lift the pot up. Usually, if the pot is too soggy, the leaves will yellow and wilt, the stems will also wilt. If stems start turning black, it's time to change the soil as it has spoiled - too much water will fill up the air pockets, creating a great environment for anaerobic bacteria that, frankly, stink. Roots need air. If the leaves are brown/crispy and falling off and/or the stems start to shrivel, it is not getting enough water. I agree with the above, that four hours direct sun in a reflective patio is probably plenty right now, it has been unusually hot for us. Roseseek has also schooled me on what should be obvious, but really wasn't to me. Plastic and ceramic pots will retain heat from direct sun. Black pots are the worst. Put them on cement and you might as well put your pot on the stove in some weather!!! Basically, those conditions cook the roots. Your pot won't absorb as much heat as black - try holding the pot when the sun has been on it in the heat of the day to check your conditions. Also, if the plant is not root bound, the roots will have a small area of insulation to protect them, if it's root bound, the roots will suffer the heat of the pot. All plant basics, but some times what's common sense to the plant isn't to us ;-) Thanks for dropping in, hope you stick around and start to enjoy roses as much as we do!...See MoreIs there hope? Rose roots alive, but virtually the entire stem died
Comments (10)I'm in northern Illinois and when I had Ebb Tide it died back to the ground in most winters here. Mine was own root and was crown hardy here. If yours was grafted as long as it was buried deep enough for the crown to survive it will be back. To make a long story short this is confusing for many of us in the north when starting out. So a zone five hardy rose it means that given proper care and planting. They should survive but this does not mean there will be any cane left. It only means that they are crown hardy and will regrow. To have cane left depends on too many factors i.e. temp, wind, winter protection, health thru the year and so on. All but a very few of my couple hundred roses all died to the ground this winter. I expected it when our temps hit -14 degrees. They are all regrowing now and most already have tiny flower buds developing. It also maybe helpful to know how to plant the roses. If your rose is grafted plant that grafted area at least 4 to 6 inches below ground. This will help insure the survival of your rose. Most all of mine are own root and even these I plant several inches lower than in the pot. So that the bottom of the canes are a bit covered with dirt. I hope this was helpful to someone....See MoreFeiy (PNWZ8b/9a)
last year
PROThe Logician LLC
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Steve_M in PA
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Diane Brakefield
last year- PRO
The Logician LLC
last year 
librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
last yearlast modified: last yearDiane Brakefield
last year- PRO
The Logician LLC
last year Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a)
last yearWell... I found a typical RSG swelling on Therese Bugnet. All leaves above that were completely withered. I think Moses is right that Rugosas are susceptible to RSG especially two stems of Linda Campbell had it too two years ago. Alas.
Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a)
11 months agoUpdate:
I just found another stem of Therese Bugnet got RSG. Out of curiosity, I peeled it off, and sure enough, I saw spiral girdling damage going upward. Poor TB, maybe because of the loss of three long stems, this year is suckering crazily. *sigh*
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Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA