dadof5gyrls
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Help! Pruned Roses Down to a Nub

I live in a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois and have planted over 30 rose bushes last spring. The majority are hybrid teas and a few are Floribundas. I did not take the time to use any type of winter protection so when I went out to do spring pruning today I had over 30 bushes that had mostly dead canes. Some canes were light brown and obviously dead while others were very dark brown with a bit of green close to the bud union. So I completely cut off the dead ones and hard pruned the others down very close to the union (till it was green and I knew it was still alive). Anyway my questions are - Has anyone else done this before? What can I expect to happen to the roses during this season? What can I do to get maximum growth and blooming from what I have left?

Thanks,
Orlando

The Helpful Gardener
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A little hard for a spring pruning but as long as your above the bud union you're ok. Try wrapping them next year to preserve a bit more cane; best yet to read the rose articles here at the Helpful Gardener and learn about tricks like the Minnesota tip to get them through the year. Good luck with them this year; they should be fine...

Scott

Roseman54
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Location: Northern Colorado

Hi Orlando. I have done this in the past myself. Most times it was because I just forgot to do some winter prep. I agree with Scott that as long as you are above the bud union you will be fine. I have had roses that I have pruned so hard come back and do great actually. I give them a good feeding and water them well once Spring has truly arrived and the frost is done messing with things. I also give all of my roses some Epsom Salts twice a year. It encourages the growth of new canes (basal breaks) and some respond in a WOW! frame. But they all like it. I also add some alfalfa meal along with whatever rose food I use and work it well into the ground and water well.

For winter protection here in my area I either mound garden soil up over the rose unions or mulch them heavily once things turn cold. There are also plastic rose collars that you can put around the roses and then fill with garden soils or mulch for protection. :)

dadof5gyrls
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Thanks for the advice. I have covered the nubs up with soil for a few more weeks just in case I pruned a bit early and I fed immediately after pruning with a 12-8-10 slow release fertilizer. I am going to be feeding regularly with a tea made of rabbit manure from my kids two bunnies and aquarium water from their goldfish tank. I also might try the epsom salt and some alfalfa if needed. Glad to hear that I should still get blossoms this season. Definitely will make time to winter protect this winter.

Thanks again,
Orlando

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Thanks for the great tips Roseman. I am also a fan of the epsom salts (adds potassium) and the extra organic nitrogen boost of alfalfa (I'm sure our resident soils expert Opa would approve as well).

Not much to add to that Dad. Sounds like you're in good hands with Roseman...

Thanks again Roseman...

Scott

Roseman54
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Location: Northern Colorado

Hi Scott. Yes the Epsom Salts do help the roses out a bunch. It supplies them with magnesium and sulfur and is said to improve the roots ability to uptake phosphorous and nitrogen better. It definately does help creat many new basal breaks/new canes on some roses. The Lagerfeld rose I had really loved the stuff, it got several new canes just hearing the words Epsom Salts! :D

Stan

grandpasrose
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Location: Quesnel, BC, Canada - Zone 4a

Hi Orlando. I am sorry for responding so late to your question but I just discovered this site, and thought I would add my comments and hopefully ease your mind.
I live in northern Canada and have been growing roses here for 18 years. Our winter temperature here goes often down to 40 below. As you can imagine, not many of our rose bushes survives even with covering.
When planting a new rose, I always plant it with the bud union at lease 4 inches, preferrably more, below the ground level. Then in the fall, after the frost, I prune all my bushes down to six inches. They are then mounded with compost, and then covered with two feet of straw, and then a waterproof tarp. The tarp is to prevent the roses from getting further water as we have alot of freeze and thaw through our winter, and I tend to lose roses if they are not kept dry. I also include some mouse bait, as they like to eat the green bark on the remaining canes.
I leave my bushes like this until there is sign of the first leaf buds on the trees that are NATURAL to my area. I then uncover them, leaving the compost as is. I fertilize and deeply water them. They will come back to life - don't give up hope! Once they have come back and I know what has survived, I then do a clean up pruning on them to take out any further dead wood. I have glorious roses, and have continued my grandfather's love of growing roses here since 1940!
I go through this every year, and actually lose very few roses now. It took a few years to get it all figured out.
Sorry to be so long winded - I hope you get this and that it helps!

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Every bit helps...

Cyberblue
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Hi,
thank you for all this advice. After applying epsom salts this spring I got several basal breaks. But - will this also happen when a rose is planted with the bud union several inches below surface?? I heard that you have to let the sun reach the union to get basal breaks....
Please help,
Cyberblue

grandpasrose
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I have never heard this before, nor have I ever read it anywhere in my references. I have never had a problem with getting new basal shoots. I have planted my roses deep for many years, and most of them are still with me. I don't think they would have survived this long if this was going to prevent basal shoots, as the bush would just get weaker every year.
Hope this helps.
:wink: Val



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