Drooping Rose

Stefmatthews

Hi all

This is my first post on here and I wonder if you could help. I am a relatively new gardener and have never grown roses before. I planted a Lady of Shallot climbing rose about a year ago and it did well. This year it's really shot up and looked great. Small amount of black spot which I removed. It has loads of buds on it and 2 flowers appeared last week which were beautiful. However after a few days both of them have become very droopy and lifeless. The stems and leaves of the plant look fine. What am I doing wrong? Any tips on how to prevent this happening to the other 30 buds I have?

Many thanks

Stef 

Nollie

Hi Stef, I think it’s just it’s youth, mine is about the same age as yours and I too am training it as a climber against a wall. I have to keep tying in whippy growth, prop up the lower stems with pea sticks and the blooms do droop when they are fading. It should get stronger in time so I don’t think you are doing anything wrong. Marlorena is one of the resident rose experts on here and I am sure she will have more sage advice for you.

Marlorena

I would like to see a photo of the problem, otherwise it's a tall order to guess what's wrong..
However, from what you are saying, you had 2 blooms on it last week which were beautiful and now they are droopy.  Well, they don't last that long, and will eventually droop and the petals will fall off, I'm sure you must know this, or am I misunderstanding the issue here..?

Here is my 'LoS' today.. which is 3 years old... I can't remember how long the
blooms last before they droop and fall off..

Marlorena

Sorry Nollie, I didn't see your post above mine there, you just got in first.  Perhaps Stef can show us a picture so we can understand it better... I hope so... otherwise do give it time because as you can see it's a stunner [if you don't object to the colour]..

Stefmatthews

Hi both - thank you for your replies, much appreciated. I am very much a rose novice but they definitely lasted much longer last year. I will add some photos. The spots only appeared on the second flower today (maybe they're normal though). The spotty one only bloomed about 1 week ago. If this is normal, at what point should I deadhead them? Thank you again for your input!

Stefmatthews

Stefmatthews

Marlorena

oh ok, thanks Steph for taking the trouble with the pictures... They both want coming off, just snip off back to the next set of leaves, no need to be fussy, the rose doesn't care and it will just shoot out again... but those are spent blooms now.  When your rose is a bit older, you will find they don't fade quite so much like that.. especially the top one, I don't think I've seen a faded bloom on my plant like that, apart from maybe the first year... 

Marlorena

I hope this puts your mind at rest but here are a couple of photos of this rose in my garden, the first year I had it, when to be honest, I didn't like it too much, as the colours faded quickly and the blooms drooped fast, much like what you have... you will see a vast improvement this year, and next..

Believe me, when an Austin rose hits year 3 in a garden, you see a totally different rose from the wimpy thing you had in year one, or two..

these are from 2015..

Stefmatthews

Thank you Marlorena, that does put my mind at rest. I shall look forward to next year! Luckily I have lots of buds so I shall take these drooping ones off now. Are the spots normal then? 
You've been so helpful, thank you!

Marlorena

You get those spots sometimes on roses in damp weather, when the blooms are fading...   nothing to worry about... your rose is doing well, and will be so much better perhaps later this year even... wait and see...you'll be amazed....