Why do other people's rose flower walls bloom fully in 2 years, while yours shows no growth?

This is day 853 of Lanyao's daily original article

This article is one of Lanyao's original theories

Excerpt from the "Three-Step Method for Growing Roses" series

Two days ago, Lanyao shared how to handle rose basal shoots, and then in the backend I saw a flower friend leave a comment asking:

Do climbing rose basal shoots need pruning and training?

Here Lanyao offers an apology. The earlier sharing about pruning rose basal shoots referred only to shrub roses. If it is a climbing rose, the basal shoots do not need to be pruned; on the contrary, we also need to protect the rapid growth of the basal shoots.

Why do climbing roses need their basal shoots protected for rapid growth?

The rose seedlings we buy on the market are mostly small seedlings, and the price is affordable. Of course, many people also choose large gallon-size seedlings, thinking that larger seedlings will climb quickly.

In fact, the biggest difference between large and small climbing rose seedlings lies in the root system, not the branches.

The large climbing rose seedlings we buy have branches that are at most only 1.5 m, and they are generally rather thin and weak. Such branches are far from enough for us to build a flower wall or flower arch.

So when a climbing rose sends up basal shoots, we need to protect the rapid growth of those basal shoots as much as possible. Strong basal shoots are the main force for future blooming, while those old, relatively thin and weak branches should all be pruned away in the future. I will explain this in more detail later when discussing climbing rose pruning.

So do not think that just because you bought a large gallon-size seedling, your flower wall dream can be realized immediately. Tying the branches straight onto a support is the most wrong approach; perhaps a year later your climbing rose will still look the same as before.

When many flower friends come to Lanyao for advice, they have tied the old branches of their climbing roses perfectly straight, and after growing them for a year they still see no growth.

If you are doing this too, then after reading this article by Lanyao, go loosen the ties on your rose right away!

Why can't climbing rose branches be tied straight?

First, the more than one-meter-tall large gallon-size climbing roses we buy do not have strong enough branches themselves, and the growth vigor of the old branches is not vigorous enough. We all know that roses need frequent pruning, and climbing roses are no exception.

Plant growth has apical dominance. If we tie the old branches straight, then under the influence of apical dominance, nutrients will be transported preferentially to the upper part, but the branches themselves are weak, so naturally they will not produce strong buds.

Second, due to the limitation of apical dominance, plus insufficient nutrients in pot cultivation, it is very difficult for the base to send up basal shoots. If no basal shoots emerge and the old branches grow thin and weak, the final result is stagnant growth.

So how should they be handled to grow basal shoots?

The method is very simple: break apical dominance and let nutrients flow back to the middle and lower parts of the plant, then the buds at the base will easily sprout.

How do you break apical dominance?

We all know that pinching out the growing tip works by breaking the plant's apical dominance, but here it should be noted that for climbing roses I cannot use the pinching method.

Because pinching the thin and weak branches on the old branches is already meaningless, and the basal shoots are our key protected objects. In other words, climbing roses simply have no tip to pinch.

Then what about pruning? Can cutting the branches shorter promote basal shoots?

Logically, cutting rose branches shorter can promote the production of basal shoots. For shrub roses, heavy pruning in winter is exactly this principle. But for climbing roses, there is no good timing for us to carry out heavy pruning.

In fact, when it comes to heavy pruning climbing roses in winter, most flower friends cannot bear to do it. Lanyao himself is someone who loves flowers and grows flowers, so of course I understand, and therefore I do not recommend the heavy pruning method.

Moreover, heavy pruning is not good for climbing roses.

First, if you cut them short during the rose growing season, the rose will lose many leaves. As Lanyao said in earlier articles, rose leaves can provide nutrients for the rose through photosynthesis. When leaves are reduced, the nutrients produced by photosynthesis will inevitably be reduced as well.

This is also one of the reasons why, after heavy pruning roses during the growing season, you find that the new shoots grow thin and weak.

Second, after pruning, if water management is not good, roses can also easily die.

What then is the correct method for promoting basal shoots in climbing roses?

It is actually very simple. You only need to lower the rose branches so that they droop naturally, or guide them manually so that they droop or remain balanced with the ground.

Whether rose branches droop or remain balanced with the ground, both can break apical dominance and make nutrients flow back to the middle and lower parts, which is beneficial for the production of basal shoots.

After basal shoots appear, how should they be protected?

When a climbing rose produces basal shoots, first ensure that the supply of fertilizer and water is sufficient. Second, after the basal shoots grow to a certain height, we need to set up supports for them so that they maintain upright growth.

Pay special attention not to let the basal shoots be broken by wind or damaged by small animals. Lanyao's climbing rose has had basal shoots broken by a dog. Heartbreaking.......

Seeing this, I do not know whether you have got the theme Lanyao talked about today. To be honest, Lanyao's head is spinning badly right now, cervical spondylosis is severe, compressing the blood vessels and nerves, causing insufficient blood supply to the brain........

If my theme today has gone off track, I hope all flower friends will forgive me. Here I express my thanks to the flower friends who have always supported Lanyao. Thank you, because with your support, Lanyao can keep going to this day. Thank you everyone!

Lanyao will continue to work hard, and I hope Lanyao's articles can bring a little help to all flower friends.Welcome to follow my WeChat public account: Lanyao Garden (ilanyao)

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