Rose needs sun (I think)

Discussion in 'Rosa (roses)' started by Cactus Jack, Oct 28, 2009.

  1. Cactus Jack

    Cactus Jack Active Member

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    My wife bought a dwarf rosebush in a pot last Valentines day, a lovely gesture but not entirely practical, since we live in a apartment with no balcony or garden. I've kept it on a window ledge which gets a lot of sun, but it's just not enough. It has produced no flowers at all since she bought it, few if any new leaves, and its old leaves are now more yellow than green -- although they're not wilted at all.

    We are now moving home, in the next few weeks, to a house with a good, south-facing garden, and I will put the poor thing outside on arrival. Hopefully, good exposure to the sun will see some healthy leaf production, and with luck, a few flowers!

    The problem is that we still need to get through several months of winter yet, during which -- outside or in -- it still won't get huge quantities of natural sunlight. It's in such poor health that I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't have enough stored sugar to survive until the spring. Can anyone suggest ways and means of enhancing its chances?
     

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  2. jreidsma

    jreidsma Active Member

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    I used to have a mini rose and it flowered alot but after I had it about a month then it did what yours is doing. It died so I got another thinking the last one had a deases or something it flowered alot but then did the samething. My aunt had one and she planted it outside it did kinda good but did the same thing. So I dont know what to do about it. Watering seemed to help and putting it outside helped but thats hard to do in the winter. A lamp might help.
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Some of it looks like mite damage but I see no webbing. Potting compost probably has hardly anything to it, production greenhouse might have had an intensive fertilization regime - resulting in gradual development of severe nutrient deficiency after plant was shipped out. If neither of you fertilized yours this could explain the shared experiences.
     
  4. 2annbrow

    2annbrow Active Member

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    I'd assume the roses were "forced" in order to be in bloom at sale time. These little guys are like bulbs; when forced, they give their all, and are unlikely to bloom again for a full year. I've had some success with repotting in decent soil, cutting back any buds, and lots of TLC for a year - and NO "bloom food." When I put them in the sun the next summer, I usually get a good flush of new growth, and bloom.
     
  5. jreidsma

    jreidsma Active Member

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    Ya I never thought of that. But mine just died before most of the flowers opened up. when mine died I took the one last living one seperated it from the others and repotted it into miracle grow. It grew pretty well for a couple days but just died like the others. It seems kinda cruel to force plants to do anything.
     
  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Modern miniature roses are "everblooming", as are other classes marketed using that term.
     

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