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Rose dieback?

tarausftarausf Posts: 9
in Problem solving
Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone can help me - the standard rose that one of my mother’s friends bought as a memorial to my mother seems to be suffering from dieback. It has never been a strong performer and often seemed to struggle a bit, shall we say, but after some serious struggles in the hot weather, I cut the foliage back, addrd fresh compost (it’s in a pot) and it seemed to rejuvenate. The stem was still lovely and green. But it’s now turning a dark brown and the green is fading fast, and the leaves are drying, even though it’s well watered. 

I’ve never encountered rose dieback before, all my roses have flourished with minimal effort from me. I’d like to be able To save this as it was bought in memory of my Mum, but, it’s obviously NOT my Mum herself so I have perspective on the issue! But any help anyone can offer would be so welcome! What should I do?

Tara
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  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    That's very upsetting, Tara, I'm sorry to hear about your rose. Roses do tend to suffer in containers and yours has obviously disliked the hot, dry summer. I think the best thing you can do is wait and see. Be careful not to make it too wet. I am rather fearful that it won't make it, but don't give up yet.
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,263
    Hello Tara. What size of pot is your rose in? Is it mini standard? It would help if you could post a picture of the rose so that we can give constructive advice.
    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • tarausftarausf Posts: 9
    Ok, thanks Ladybird, will do!
  • tarausftarausf Posts: 9

  • tarausftarausf Posts: 9
    edited August 2018
    Sorry, formatting is a bit weird on my phone - one photo to give scale (next to bistro chair!) one to show shrivelled leaves, and one out of focus I am afraid to try and show colour difference between green and black. 

    @Posy I fear you are right, the black is spreading across the stem at an alarming rate. The advice in rose dieback seems to be cut off the affected stems, but obviously that’s not going to work with a standard! 
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,263
    Oh dear. Sadly Tara, I think that the stock your rose has been grafted onto is dying or dead and this is why the 'stem' of your rose is turning from green to brown. I do not think that your rose will recover from this. Very sorry.
    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • tarausftarausf Posts: 9
    Oh no worries @Ladybird4 thank you for taking the time to have a look! I suspected it was going to die but thought I’d come on here to ask the experts! Where do you think it went wrong? Could I have done something more? 

    Just the latest instalment in ‘Gardening teaching you life lessons’!

     Interesting that roses often struggle in containers - is that that they don’t flourish like they would in he ground (understandable) or there’s something about containers that put roses in peril? 

    Thanks again
    Tara
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,263
    It can be numerous factors Tara. Roses can grow well in containers but care has to be taken in the watering and feeding regime. Its easy to overwater as well as underwater. Roots need air to survive and when a pot is saturated so that all the air is displaced then roots will die and rot and the whole plant will collapse. In the excessive sunshine (hoorah) that we have had this Summer dark coloured plant posts should be shaded as they absord heat far more readily than light coloured pots and the roots can suffer from over heating too. I hope that you manage to replace the rose because of the sentiment involved.
    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,980
    edited August 2018
    I think one of the problems with roses in containers (along with those mentioned above) is that they are often planted in a lightweight multi-purpose compost which is not adequate for their needs.  MPC on its own is only suitable for short term planting like pots of bedding plants etc.

    I would use a mixture of John Innes No 3 loam based compost with the addition of a little MPC or homemade garden compost, at a ratio of approx 4:1  for roses in containers.  

    I don't know what sort of planting medium you used so just adding that for general info.   I hope you don't mind me saying that the other plants in your pics look a bit hungry and as if they could do with some tlc ... it's been a hard summer for container plants and gardeners alike  ;)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • tarausftarausf Posts: 9
    Haha! No offence taken at all
    @Dovefromabove i think it’s an understatement to say these photos are not great evidence of my plant husbandry skills  :D ! I’ve been away from the garden a lot this summer and it’s suffered from my absence....

    But thank you all @Posy @Ladybird4 and @Dovefromabove for your help. I was under the impression that relative to many perennials roses were pretty hardy things, and there are other roses in light coloured plastic pots that my Mum planted and she loved, so am keen to learn lessons from the standard’s sad demise to make sure these others continue to do well. I will be less complacent with my roses from now on! 

    Thanks again

    Tara x
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