rose bush care?

guest · Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:39 am

I have just purchased a rose bush, it had leaves on it when I got it, I planted it and now ( a couple weeks later) there are no leaves on it at all, it just looks like a stick in the ground.... is it dead? what do I do if it's not to make it look alive?

The Helpful Gardener · Mon Apr 19, 2004 7:07 pm

Not a really good sign. Did it get frosted? Watered? Need more info...

Scott

guest · Tue Apr 20, 2004 12:12 pm

yes, it was watered, I did cover it when it frosted... I water it everyday, but I'm afraid there's no hope for it

should I give up and try again with a new one, if so, is there any advise I could get to keep this one triving? I don't know much about roses...

The Helpful Gardener · Wed Apr 21, 2004 6:54 pm

Without more detailed info on where you live, what soil, light and environmental conditions you have and how much effort you are (truthfully) willing to put into it, I can't tell you much of anything. There is a rose for every garden, but I need to know about the garden...

Scott

guest · Tue Apr 27, 2004 12:01 pm

I live in North Carolina, (temperarily, AF Base) I have never taken care of or tried to grow a rose bush, I've gotten the hang of flowers and other bushes, they are growing fine for me. I know that rose bushes should not have competition with other plants as far as the roots (right

) I know that they need mostly sunlight.... I don't know how to trim them back and that kind of stuff. and for some reason, mine just died.... I did something wrong.

The Helpful Gardener · Tue Apr 27, 2004 6:54 pm

If you haven't seen leaves back by this point, I think it's safe to say that the plant has entered "permanent dormancy" (I find that phrase more palatable).

I can't find a specific thing you did wrong other than plant that rose kinda early; scratch the bark and if you find a green layer right below the bark give it some time and it may come back. But I don't want you to get your hopes up too much; that initial description was pretty grim.

Try a rugosa rose; they're hardy as a rock and will put up with most anything you give them (or not, as the case may be). If this was a boxed rose it may have been in rough shape to begin with; I'm a fan of container roses as they have a root system already (the box needs to grow roots before anything else).

Better luck next time...

Scott

guest · Fri Apr 30, 2004 12:51 pm

thank you so much.... I will try that and let you know how it goes.