In December we throw a big party where we keep some of our homebrew outside in the garden. At the last minute this year we decided to set up our pop-up tent, but to fit it, I had to prune some very large old rose canes.
After chopping everything up I had around 8 logs like that, and since we were going to have friends out there I used a couple of the sections to shore up two of the wobbly stepping stones strewn around the garden.
To my surprise, five months later as I was transplanting the last of the seedlings I had started over the winter, I noticed shoots. My logs have rooted. A few times in the past I have gone to great lengths to root rose cuttings, using canes that were a little less than the thickness of my thumb, cutting them in early spring as the plant hormones are already favoring growth, dipping them in rooting powder or solution to further stimulate them. But following the rules, still only one in three or so have succeeded. I would never have tried rooting something this big, at the onset of winter, outside.
With one of them, I just moved my stepping stone to give the new bush some room. I dug up the other log and gave it a pot with potting soil and plenty of worm compost.
Six weeks later…
I expected the bush that I transplanted to do even better. I have given it ideal soil, more room, good drainage. It sent up more canes…
…but after a few weeks I noticed that so far at least it is struggling with some classic rose pests. With only stubbly roots and having just been moved, it is starting out pretty weak and I am curious whether it can outgrow this first wave of attacks.
That’s quite an onslaught for a tiny new rose.
I have planted more beneficials this year and am trying to test out whether attracting various predators (with various smaller flowers and herbs) can keep our little garden in balance this year. And of course occasionally I will search and smash some bugs. I am very curious if these two new bushes will someday grow huge like their parent…
