Question
Roses
I have a bank of Rosa raguso (100 feet) and the lower branches have lost leaves and have no flowers. Is there anything I can do to solve this problem? I am located on the St. Croix river in New Brunswick, Canada opposite Robbinston Maine
AnswerIf your Rugosas are not the hybridized ones, in other words the newer ones, but the original Rugosa species, then this is not unusual. Many Rugosas will drop their older leaves which grow from the bottom of the plant. Because there are no leaves to support flowers, there are no blooms. Also when a Rugosas gets older, it needs to be rejuvenated by pruning the bush back hard and this will force out new canes and growth from the base. If you want the roses to hold a bank back, then I would only cut the bushes down across the tops as this will keep them bushy. Usually when you plant any Rugosas you let them grow for a couple of years until thy have pushed out 2 or more thick basal canes, then you cut out to the base all the very old twiggy canes and this will make a sturdier bush. For the roses in the very front of the bank, just because you can see them clearer, I would start to re-new them by just cutting out some of the old canes in the spring each year. Keep in mind that you can whack Rugosas right down to the base in the spring and they will come back as new rose bushes. But if your roses are old ones, say 10 years or more, then prune them back each spring until they look like you want them to.
