(Question)
Transplanted in early April. Four different plants. Thank you for your help. Very much appreciated
(Answer)
Thank you for your question. It is difficult to tell from your picture if there is any life in this plant; but, what we can see may be cause for concern.
Roses have a dormant period over the winter during which time the canes are leafless/budless. In late winter/early spring new buds start to form on the plant.
Take a close look at your plants for signs of life.
- look for small leaf buds that should have formed along the stems by now. These are tiny little red coloured buds that open up into leaves
- look for green or a reddy brown coloured stem.
- Another way to check if there is any life left in the plant is to use your secateurs or finger nail and scratch a tiny scratch along the outer bark. If there is green under the outer bark there is life. If there is no green underneath the outer bark (ie no green in the cambium layer) it is dead and you will have to trim back the plant until you find live wood. Work your way down the plant until you, hopefully, come to a stem with some green underneath. Remove all the dead stems of the rose.
- If you cannot find any evidence of life through those methods dig lightly at the base of plant to check the integrity of the plant’s root system. Push gently at the base of the plant to see if it is firmly planted. If it is loose and brittle and appears to have no roots it is likely that your transplant was not successful.
If you do find signs of life on one or more of your roses see: Pruning roses for care tips.
Hope you are successful with your roses.
June 12, 2024