[AlaninCarlisle]

I've got a rose-bed where the soil is obviously suffering from rose-sickness. I've tried every trick in the book to cure it but short of actually digging out all the soil to a depth of two spades and replacing it (no mean task as it's 12ft x 15ft), sadly roses seem to be things of the past there as they snuff it one by one.

What can I replace them with for 6 months of colour and relatively low maintenance? The bed gets full sun, is about 2ft above ground level, is south facing and reasonably sheltered. Other than rose-sickness, the soil is good loam and I have a plentiful supply of rotted horse-muck

[mumofstig]

I'm still thinking about rose replacements but this is good for treating soil-sickness. I read somewhere that the RHS use it on their beds (sorry can't find the specific link atm to confirm that atm)

http://www.rhododendrons.co.uk/Product/18124/agralan-revive-500ml.aspx

[Agatha]

Have you tried microrhizal fungi? (Sorry, I think that's the wrong spelling, but near enough!)  Putting the right amount into the bottom of the planting hole is supposed to overcome rose replant problems - I tried it at a client's last year and it seemed to work - she not only replanted an old rose bed with new roses, she also changed the position of each rose about 5 times over a month and they are all thriving a year later.

[Trillium]

Can I ask if other roses were planted previously in this bed? If so, you'll never solve the problem as roses excrete something that will kill off other roses that follow.

[AlaninCarlisle]

Yes Trillium. When we moved into this house 31 years ago it was an established rose-bed. As the originals died off I replaced them but most have also died out in turn. An hour of internet research has me convinced that there only two possible courses of action: either replace ALL the soil or plant something else. It's the "something else" that I struggle with. Something herbaceous to give 6 months of blooms

[AlaninCarlisle]

My wife has specified what she would like as a replacement for the roses. Problem is that I doubt anything fits her spec!

1 Need to grow no higher than 18 inches.
2 Retain greenery through winter
3 Summer colour

[LilacSandy]

What about a heather or Lavender hedge.

[AlaninCarlisle]

I think I'll try some heathers Sandy. Lavender usually succumbs to our winters her

if anyone is interested, this is the RHS website on rose-sickness that I found http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=572

[Trillium]

As I mentioned before, the old roses put out toxins to discourage other roses from 'squatting'.  Walnuts and pineapples are also famous for this.

If you really want roses in the same place, you'll have to dig down  at least two feet of soil and as wide as the rose roots would spread and discard this soil (to some other part of the garden). Replace with fresh soil from either a new part of the garden that's never grown roses or purchased in soil.

It's a lot of hard work if you really want roses, but will pay off if you're willing to do the work.

[mumofstig]

I've successfully planted roses in cardboard boxes of soil, as mentioned on the RHS site 

[AlaninCarlisle]

Yes, I read about cardboard boxes too. Seems a lot of faffing but a lot less than digging out all the old soil and more appealing than heathers etc so may just give it a try with a couple before abandoning roses completely there. Would boxes about 1 ft x 1ft x 1ft (hold 12 bottles of wine be big enough?

[sunshineband]

A heather bed sounds rather good 

[mumofstig]

Would boxes about 1 ft x 1ft x 1ft (hold 12 bottles of wine be big enough?

IIRC mine were about 2ft x 2ft x2ft

[Hamani]

Rather than give up just yet, have you considered planting it with annuals for a year or two then trying again with roses?

Also, can I ask if you were planting bareroot or potted roses?

- Gary.

[AlaninCarlisle]

I've planted (and lost) both bare rooted and potted roses plus about a dozen from the original collection in the past five years