Question
Hi;
I have just re-planted a beautiful mature rose bush; a single main stem with lots of branches on top.  My neighbor threw some branches over the fence and broke it about half way up the main (and only) stem; I have temporarily taped it with electrical tape; but do you have any suggestions how I can save this bush?
Thank you so much in advance;
Heather


Answer
Breaking a cane or even a main stem will not kill a rose. Your rose will definitely survive. If you have aligned the broken stem and taped it tight, there is every possibility that it will join again. I would add a couple of stakes close to the stem on either side to make sure the join doesn't move in the wind. Tightness of the tape is imperative, it must not move at all. However if you are in an area that gets a cold winter, then it will not join as the sap will have already gone down to the roots and made the rose dormant. You need active growth to make a broken cane re-join again. If the rose is dormant you will not know how well it has joined until it starts into growth the next spring.
If you can't save the upper part of the rose bush, then make a clean cut below the break and the rose will continue to grow. Cutting a top off a rose is how a person makes a tall, lean rose bushier. Keep in mind that a rose will grow back from only one inch canes. Hope this helps.