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My roses need help!

SafflowerSafflower Posts: 65
in Plants
We have/had a bad bindweed problem in my border. My hubby sprayed poison on them last year but I think some of the poison got onto my roses too. They hardly have any leaves on them and are covered in dead bindweed vines. Some of the stalks look brown but I can see some green ones. I'm going to clear the dead bindweed away but what should I do after that? Cut them back? If so, how far back? Should i water them like crazy? Any ideas are welcome. These are well-established plants. TIA for your help!

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  • OmoriOmori Posts: 1,673
    Yes clear the area. I would cut off any dead wood but leave anything green. Give them a dressing of compost and give them each a very deep drink (and continue to keep them well watered). I would also be inclined to give them a seaweed extract drench (follow the instructions for dosage/frequency). Your new growth may look very poorly for some time but with luck and TLC they will recover. 

    In the future for bindweed I would not spray openly, you should cut back the excess but leave some that can twine up a bamboo cane, and paint that with the weedkiller. 
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,069
    Moral of the tale, never let hubby anywhere near a poison bottle  :)  Do you know what he used? Sounds as if the bindweed was pretty entangled with your roses, so spraying one will harm the other. If a systemic weedkiller like glyphosate this will have been taken in by the rose leaves and be merrily working it’s way down the whole plant.

    Yes, water like crazy, buckets and buckets full, to try and flush the poison out. Keep doing this for a few weeks, pick off any dead or dying leaves. It’s a bit late for drastic pruning but this is an emergency, so cut out any dead or dying canes completely down to the ground and cut the healthy ones back by about a third. Keep your fingers crossed!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • SafflowerSafflower Posts: 65
    Yes, he gets overeager with I think! It was Roundup I'm sure. Thanks for the advice. Will provide an update if they get better! Part of it is my fault though because I have been very neglectful myself. I hope I can save them!
  • SafflowerSafflower Posts: 65
    Omori said:
    Yes clear the area. I would cut off any dead wood but leave anything green. Give them a dressing of compost and give them each a very deep drink (and continue to keep them well watered). I would also be inclined to give them a seaweed extract drench (follow the instructions for dosage/frequency). Your new growth may look very poorly for some time but with luck and TLC they will recover. 

    In the future for bindweed I would not spray openly, you should cut back the excess but leave some that can twine up a bamboo cane, and paint that with the weedkiller. 

    Thanks for the advice. I hope I can order some compost from somewhere. I don't really want to go to the shops with the virus. The seaweed extract is a good shout. Will give that a go. Yes, bindweed has been such a problem. Maybe we can get on top of it this year before it gets out of control.
  • OmoriOmori Posts: 1,673
    Some local garden centres have started doing deliveries, maybe you have one near you that you can use fingers crossed. If not I agree, not worth making a special trip with all that's going on. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 84,056
    Some folk think that weedkiller only kills weeds... it’s a bit of a misnomer really I suppose 😉 

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





  • SafflowerSafflower Posts: 65
    Dovefromabove said:
    Some folk think that weedkiller only kills weeds... it’s a bit of a misnomer really I suppose 😉 

    Yes, I know. He's burned patches of our grass before with weedkiller. Lessons have been learned! lol
  • SafflowerSafflower Posts: 65
    Dovefromabove said:
    Some folk think that weedkiller only kills weeds... it’s a bit of a misnomer really I suppose 😉 

    Yes, I know. He's burned patches of our grass before with weedkiller. Lessons have been learned! lol
  • SafflowerSafflower Posts: 65
    Thought I would give an update. Ok the plants are alive! Some are better than others. I cleared off all of the dead bind weed now.

    I have four rose bushes:

    Jacques Cartier
    Golden Celebration
    Brother Cadfael
    Gertrude Jekyll

    They desperately need some tlc! Will give them a good water and feed this evening. I've ordered some compost too. Any ideas for border plants also appreciated as you can see my border has been effectively Napalmed!!

    Before - a disaster zone!

    Jacques Cartier:

    Gertrude Jekyll (a thorny S.O.B.!):

    Brother Cadfael - has seen better days!!

    Golden Celebration - at least it's not dead!

    After:

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