Wednesday, July 21, 2010

deadheading roses


deadheading roses
Originally uploaded by vickylw
The David Austin rose shrub I almost got rid of two years ago due to lack of flowers has come back stronger than ever. Fully loaded with blooms in May (or so I was told -- I was in Texas at the time), and now a whole new crop of roses coming on. Plus a couple of spent blooms like this one. I think it took me seriously when I cut it back to just above the soil.

12 comments:

  1. Oh, lovely, Vicky! I have NO luck with roses...bet these smell heavenly.

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  2. *G* Maybe you don't threaten them enough!
    And yes, David Austin roses do have a wonderful smell.

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  3. That must be it! Mine always seem to get aphids, or that weird bloom on the leaves. I don't like poisons, so I'm not much good with them--there MUST be less aggressive methods of control!

    Did you get your rose at Olde English?

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  4. David Austin roses are old fashioned types that don't need all the poisons and they resist what plaques modern roses. I don't use anything other than compost, natural food and water.
    I bought it mail-order; locally they only sell the current fad hybrids.

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  5. Well cool, thanks! Maybe I'll try again...Olde English carries them every spring.

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  6. I did the same to my friends rose bushes. I read that its good to cut them back, so the first year tenaciously trimmed, tying to make sure I was doing it right. The next summer only a few straggly blossoms and lots of leaf dust, some type of mold I presume. Anyhow with nothing to lose my friend cut all the stocks to 16 inches above ground. Well last summer there was beautiful greenery, no mold, no flowers on one bush and 2 on the other. I was fearful I gave Bad advice. But lo an behold, this year the roses blossomed profusely. My guess is that the flowers grow on the 2nd year stocks.

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  7. Hi, Teresa! I had already planned on removing this rose shrub, so I cut it completely back TO THE GROUND in the autumn two years ago. What a surprise when it came back with a vengeance!

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  8. Roses need lots of sun, lots of food, lots of water and lots of air around them. The Austin catalogue is to drool over and gives excellent pruning instructions, etc. Also on the web. My favorite is 'Abraham Darby.'

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  9. Roses need lots of sun, lots of food, lots of water and lots of air around them. The Austin catalogue is to drool over and gives excellent pruning instructions, etc. Also on the web. My favorite is 'Abraham Darby.'

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  10. Austin roses are definitely the best I've ever tried growing! With this year's early spring, it was covered with roses in March! and I have had some roses bloom as late as Thanksgiving day.

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  11. Oh, it must smell heavenly around your house!

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  12. Not any more. The wind has pretty much blown the first rush of roses away, but more should come on soon. Right now the clematis is in full bloom (planted just behind the roses) and trying to invade our porch.

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