? on roses

[Kathy_SD]

I have never had luck keeping roses alive so I quit trying to grow them but bought a yellow rose bush 4 years ago. This year it has grown nicely but not one bud so no roses. I looked on the web and they said to cut below or above a 3 leaf but all mine have 5 leaves. I have fertilized with bloom booster but that didn't help.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. If you tell me I am doing something wrong I will try to change that next year or I will just pull it and throw it away.

[luvmyb_b]

My father-in-law who started our rose garden always said to deadhead to above the spot where you first see 5 leaves.

I found this in a Google search ...

 Remove the spent bloom by making your pruning cut down the cane, just above an outward-facing set of mature leaflets. Mature leaflets are usually 5 to 7 in number; immature leaflets only have 3 leaves. If you prune back to only 3 leaves, you will not get any new growth or re-bloom.

Not sure how that would help you, though, since you aren't getting roses.  Perhaps you need to do something with your soil, Kathy.  I know he amended the soil in our bed, but we haven't done anything in the 10+ years we've been here.  I recall him doing a compost tea, and I think he also added bone or blood meal to the soil around the plants.  Wish I could remember which it was, or maybe both?

[carross]

Roses like lots and lots of water. I remember that from long ago. I lost all my roses when we moved and never replacement.

[pippin3]

Did you prune it in the spring?

[flowerpowerz5]

Kathy cut to the first 5 petal leaf. If the branch or stem is spindly and no buds on it cut it to1/4" of the stem. It will take a couple of weeks to see new growth. They do need water but not everyday.Hope this helps. I will try to get pictures for you.

[Kathy_SD]

Aug 13, 2016 10:13:25 GMT -5 pippin3 said:

Did you prune it in the spring?

No I did not prune it this spring, does that make a difference?

All, and so many, branches have 5 leaves on them, no 3 leaves at all, so I would be pruning all the way to the ground???

[Kathy_SD]

In this heat we have had I have been watering at least every other day.

[pippin3]

Here in Texas we prune around Mother's Day but we used to have 120 rose bushes and yes, pruned every year. Do you have a County Extension agent..he can tell you when and how to prune in your zone. They were very helpful to us.

[Gayle]

First of all I wouldn't do any pruning this time of year unless it is overgrown. And then only those branches that are "stretching"; definitely no heavy pruning. Pruning is done in late winter/early spring & I'm not sure it helps with the blooming or not.  If you prune now & new growth starts you might just get cold temp while they are still new & that will kill them.  BTW I have never paid any attention to the 3 & 5 leaf thing.  Again not really sure it helps with blooming.  I've never done it & had no problem with blooming til it got too shady.

Are they getting enough sun.  Mine all quit blooming when the trees in the back yard wooded area got big & started blocking the sun.

I'd try some type of fertilizer for blooms but may be too late for this year.   It should have a higher middle number.  That is the one that makes things bloom (Phosphate, I think).  Too much nitrogen makes good growth but no blooms.   And that's true for anything.

[sweetgum52]

I'm glad this post came up. Trying decide what kind roses I want plant this spring.

[Kathy_SD]

Aug 13, 2016 10:45:07 GMT -5 Gayle said:

I'd try some type of fertilizer for blooms but may be too late for this year.   It should have a higher middle number.  That is the one that makes things bloom (Phosphate, I think).  Too much nitrogen makes good growth but no blooms.   And that's true for anything.

Gayle I have used bloom booster fertilizer 3 times already this year.

I will have to find out when to prune in my zone.

[flowerpowerz5]

Gayle it's dead heading the spent blooms. I have continuous blooms all summer from doing this.

Kathy try pruning it in the spring I usually do it when the new leaves starting coming out. Any dead wood I just prune it out. I will go take pictures when I cool down from mowing.

[Kathy_SD]

Thanks Sandy. You have such beautiful roses so I will trust whatever you say, lol.

[flowerpowerz5]

I just went out and took pictures before another thunderstorm comes. Now tinypics is not working. I feel like everything is against me today! LOL!

[flowerpowerz5]

This where I would cut it in the spring. See how close to the ground my hand is  4-6" tall.

This where I trim the dead flowers off. If the branches are to long and not sturdy I just trim farther down until you find another leave with 5.

This one is just leaves I call growing wild it's softer than regular stems and blows in the breeze. I cut that all the way down to the base where it started growing from. Hope this helps :)