HelpfulGardener.com

Hi guys, first post here so going to have a lot of questions.

I have zero gardening experience having only recently got my first home with a garden.

The garden has two rose bushes that I want to try and revitalise but they have not been well looked after at all and with no experience I don't know how to go about it so I'll list the issues.

- They're in a very overgrown bed. One rose in particular was planted pretty much on top of a very aggressive bush/shrub and the second was completely crowded out by overgrown shrubs either side it. I've killed off the first offender(cut back to stump and treated with a shrub killer which seems to have worked) and cut back the others to free up space for the roses. The second bush is also very close to the fence with the main trunk being less than 3 inches away even though the bed itself is a good 2 foot wide

- Soil doesn't seem too good. The whole bed had stone chippings over the top which have mixed in with the soil over the years and the soil is little more than dust and stones. I've removed as many chippings as possible, added some dry feed pellets, am watering with a miracle grow water soluble feed and have put a good inch or two of compost on top. Not sure what else I can do as this all seems a little 'superficial' unless I can find some way to really improve the deep soil without disrupting or damaging the bush in the process?

- The roses seem to 'grow' quite well with lots of new shoots but the leaves die off pretty quickly(turn yellow with lots of black spots) and when the roses do bloom the petals are falling within a day or two. Assuming this is due to the poor soil and lack of feed so hoping the steps I've taken so far will turn that around?

- I'm also treating them a few times a week with liberal sprayings of 'Bug Clear'

- The final issue I have with them is the shape of them. Due to being crowded out by surrounding foliage they have both grown very tall, over 4 foot and probably closer to 6 foot, Below the 3 foot mark there are no leaves or plant heads just lots of dead branches and the few branches that are growing well are very tall. There are really only two or three branches growing from the base that support all of the leaves, new shoots and flowers. Obviously I would like a much fuller and compacted bush. realistically could I cut it the whole bush back to no more than a foot above ground level, sacrificing pretty much all of the leaves, to encourage new growth and allow me to shape it a bit more or will that damage it too much?

Also of note is that one of the bushes is pretty 'woody' at the base with main trunks that are over an inch in diameter.

Are these bushes worth saving given the above or would I be better served digging them up and replacing them which will also allow me to revitalise and replace the soil at the same time?

Welcome rose newbie.
Where to begin.
The roses have been neglected for a long time but they seem to be survivors.
The black spots is a rose disease aptly called black spot. If you do not have edibles children or pets around and the roses are not blooming you can use rose care 3 in 1 on them to give them plant food, disease and pest control for about 6 weeks.

I would improve the soil with some compost gently worked into the top of the soil. Don't put anything within 4 inches of the trunk or it will rot.

Depending on the kind of roses you have and where you live they can be cut back, but your tools must be very clean and sharp. Clean with purple cleaner degreaser. It will remove sap. Make sure it is sharp. Spray the blade with alcohol between cuts. I do not like to trim plants all at once, it usually comes back to bite you and it is hard on the plant. I don't cut into very old wood and I try not to cut more than a third in a session. Cut just above an outward facing leaf node after the blooms have faded. It is ok to cut out any dead wood, crossing branches, and weak growth. Depending on where you live roses are cut back for winter. But I usually don't do that until January but if it snows where you are you can cut them back to the five strongest branches and leave about 10 inches just before your frost comes. I paint my large branches cuts with pruning paint. Pruning paint is not recommended but I have problems with die back so the rose hotline told me to do that and it works for me. I think the rose society recommends nail polish or Elmer's glue. The rose society pages have useful tips on growing roses
https://www.rose.org/rose-care-articles/ ... uidelines/
https://www.rose.org/rose-care-articles/ ... e-pruning/
https://www.rose.org/1319-2/

Where you grow makes a difference. Noting that in at least general terms, IE USDA zone and a state should be added to your signature block.

Those bark chips are what conserves moisture, and as they decay--feed your rose. You could add some compost, but you must replace yearly with bark mulch.

Thanks for that very detailed advice imafan26.

The roses really are doing well to survive given the fact they've been completely neglected and hopefully your help will allow me to get the best out of them.

In the week I've been feeding them and protecting them with bug spray they already seem better.

I'm based in the UK so our coldest time is end of December through to end of February so I'll trim them back as per your instructions then.