crowns of plants, rose, help!

14 years ago

Hi all. I have a question regarding my Kaitlin Ainsley rose that I was so certain was dead. It came up with a couple stem sprouts with leaves today. The old stems are still dead.

After reviewing the plant, I realized I might have buried it too deep last year!!! If I covered the crown, that might have "killed" it off?

So, now that I know it is alive, should I raise it up a bit or leave it to make its own, new crown with the new stems?

It seems to be the only downward sloping part of the bed so I wouldn't mind raising it a bit.

Or, should I just leave it alone, let it come back to life and wait until next year to move it about?

Funny how two years of horticulture courses and an entire lifetime of planting and gardening could leave me completely unaware that covering the crown could kill a plant!! I guess it is a good thing that I never covered a crown before!

Thanks!!

(sorry the photos are so gigantic!!)

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Comments (6)

Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
14 years ago
Is it grafted or on its own root? If own root, it should be fine just like it is!

Gotta go,
Skybird
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
14 years ago
Maybe. I would expect it,esp if grafted. You'll know if the canes are different and the fls are red.

Dan
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jclepine
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks!!

It is own-root (I've only bought own-roots so far) so I'm not worried. I'll go ahead and leave it as is.

Thanks!!

J
windwhipped
14 years ago
J -

My knowledge of roses is severely limited, but I did get two David Austin roses last week and here are the planting directions:

"Position the rose so that the bud union is about 4" below ground level in cold winter areas and at ground level in milder areas." And under Winter Protection - " The chances of survival in cold winter areas (zone 5 and below) can be improved by deep planting initially and by burying the stems with about ten inches of partly composted shredded bark, sawdust or similar, once winter has set in."

The pictures that go with the instructions clearly show the crown and the first couple inches of canes below ground, so I would guess that planting it deep is not what is causing your problem - and raising it up might not be a good thing.

Are you sure the old canes are dead? They look ok to me, and my roses (the older ones) have just started showing signs of life in the last day or two. And the new ones - planted (deep) Friday, new growth showing today. WooHoo!
jclepine
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, Windwhipped! I feel like there is always something new to learn :)

I'm certainly not going to mess with it now. I did feed it when I fed the others as I did not want to give up on it. Good choice! (pats self of back)

I'm not 100% sure the canes are dead, they just look it to me. The four other roses have all had growth from their canes for about three weeks now.

I cannot complain, I want to see this rose in bloom and I want to see those gigantic red hips come fall!

I love David Austins! Which ones did you get? I haven't been brave enough to try any of those up here but I used to have a Graham Thomas and another one I forgot...Jude the Obscure?? The deer ate them regularly :(

Thanks for sharing!!

J
windwhipped
14 years ago
I got Gertrude Jekyll and Abraham Darby, both climbing. I am a little concerned, too, about how well they will do here, but I needed some new roses and I couldn't resist the pretty pictures. Besides, you never know until you try. Good luck with yours, and keep your fingers crossed for mine.