Is the rose bearing flowers? If the rootstock has been allowed to grow suckers, it is quite possible that they will be covered in thorns. The rootstock flowers will be wild roses like the ones growing wild in hedgerows.
The rootstock is the part of a rose onto which the variety is grafted. A rootstock, which might be rugosa or a wild rose is grown for a year. A bud is taken from the base of a leaf of th variety you want the rose tree to be and is grafted on to the base of the shoots on the rootstock. If you look at a young rose, you can see where the join is - called the union. The idea is to provide a vigorous root system which the variety might not have. Quite often, the rootstock will send out shoots which you would see at ground level, below where the proper rose is growing. These are suckers and if you allow them to grow, will flower. The flowers will be like the wild roses you see in the hedgerows. If you don't remove them they will eventually take over and the nice variety will disappear. I used to help my dad who made countless standard rose trees using briars from the hedgerow and any leaves to get the buds he could find. Although he did make some with several grafts of th same variety, he made lots with several different varieties on one tree. That way you can have a red rose, a pink, a white and a multicoloured rose on the same plant! He used to be quite crafty when we went to country shows where rose growers were displaying their roses. He would ask if he could have some of the waste bits they had trimmed off. I think they must have thought him a bit eccentric and never said no. We had a magnificent rose garden at absolutely no cost whatsoever.
Sunnyspot, I think Joy* is talking about the base of the plant. In some instances, the rose has suckers, which are shoots growing from the bud union which is the point where the rose had been grafted. Roses that are planted quite proud will often have a knobbly bit sticking out from the base of the soil. Growth from below the knobbly bit may mean it's a different type of rose growing entirely, and not the rose you had growing before.
I think it might be a good idea to see what the base of your rose looks like. Do you know the name of the rose? Some roses are advertised as thorn free, but this tends to be from over 2 feet upwards. Very often, the lower thicker branches do have thorns.
Hi there ive attached the pictures of the roses. Ive tried to look at the base but cant see much. struggling with bindweed also ... seem to spend most of my time weeding these days! Ive also attached a picture of a courgette im growing in a pot , the leaves look unhealthy , i wasnt sure if growing in a pot is not a good idea....
Hi there Sunnyspot. Your rose looks lovely, such a rich colour. It's odd that a thornless variety suddenly becomes thorny but when you think about it, there must be some wild genes in every cultivated rose which might switch on. Having thorns is probably what every rose prefer, we just take advantage of some types not having any, so perhaps its genetics which has affected your rose. Very interesting!!
As to your courgette if you think of the size of the vegetable it grows it certainly needs to be in the ground! The recommended planting distance is a metre between plants.
Thanks joy. I’m still learning as relatively still beginner but learning lots , so all helps! And feel I know a tiny bit more about roses now. As for the courgette , yes k67 I did wonder about space per plant. I’ve read lots about courgette and potato s in containers and have found with potatoes ultimately better results in ground as water retention, space etc all better
Do you think I could transplant this into some open ground now it’s flowering? Or will it kill off the plant?... I’m watering every day and feeding once wk with liquid organic seaweed
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I think it might be a good idea to see what the base of your rose looks like. Do you know the name of the rose? Some roses are advertised as thorn free, but this tends to be from over 2 feet upwards. Very often, the lower thicker branches do have thorns.
ive attached the pictures of the roses. Ive tried to look at the base but cant see much.
struggling with bindweed also ... seem to spend most of my time weeding these days!
Ive also attached a picture of a courgette im growing in a pot , the leaves look unhealthy , i wasnt sure if growing in a pot is not a good idea....
As for the courgette , yes k67 I did wonder about space per plant. I’ve read lots about courgette and potato s in containers and have found with potatoes ultimately better results in ground as water retention, space etc all better