[sueanthony]

Hi, can anyone tell me why my rose seems to just be growing longer and longer straight stems without any flower heads forming at all.  I did prune it early on in spring but I don't think I am very good at it.  The stems are all so long now if there were flower heads forming no one would be able to see them, or more importantly smell them!  The general look of the rose is very healthy, no blackspot or any disease.  Mind you there might be lots going on up skywards (which I can't see)

Thanks very much

[DavidT]

Any chance of a pic or two Sue? How hard back did you prune it? Are these shoots growing from beneath the graft?

[mobilekat]

Sounds almost like suckers- are they VERY healthy looking and VERY fast growing?

My rose is prone to these, and you have to cut them off else all the growth is wasted there and none in 'real rose' growth!

[sueanthony]

Any chance of a pic or two Sue? How hard back did you prune it? Are these shoots growing from beneath the graft?

[DavidT]

Sue, the pic wont enlarge, can`t make it out.

[sueanthony]

Sue, the pic wont enlarge, can`t make it out.

Let me try again, sorry only got my camera phone

[mobilekat]

I think they look like suckers to me- tend to be very healthy, fast growing and useless!
Chop them off!!!- also tend to be very soft growth so easy to remove!

Unless anyone has any better ideas?

[sueanthony]

I think they look like suckers to me- tend to be very healthy, fast growing and useless!
Chop them off!!!- also tend to be very soft growth so easy to remove!

Unless anyone has any better ideas?

I think you are right, ticks all the boxes.  At least if I do it now, I might still have a chance to get a flower or two before the end of the season.  Thanks  X

[sueanthony]

I think they look like suckers to me- tend to be very healthy, fast growing and useless!
Chop them off!!!- also tend to be very soft growth so easy to remove!

Unless anyone has any better ideas?

I think you are right, ticks all the boxes.  At least if I do it now, I might still have a chance to get a flower or two before the end of the season.  Thanks  X

Well the deed has been done, not a sucker in sight, hee hee

[mobilekat]

and now sit back and wait for the rose to behave
Or in the case of mine, semi-behave and throw up a few more suckers- we went away for a couple of weeks once, and the neighbours got scared by one it threw up that shot over the fence!!- they thought we had robo-brambles! :blink:

[sueanthony]

and now sit back and wait for the rose to behave
Or in the case of mine, semi-behave and throw up a few more suckers- we went away for a couple of weeks once, and the neighbours got scared by one it threw up that shot over the fence!!- they thought we had robo-brambles! :blink:

No way......oh heck, I am so rubbish with my roses, really haven't got a clue how to care for them, they are real divas!  I must admit they do wear nice perfume though so worth the effort.  I'll keep an eye on them with the secateurs X