Branches are too thin to support roses

[Becky]

I've been having a problem with my standard roses - they were pruned right back earlier in the year and the new growth is thin and spindly. There have been quite a few roses but generally the weight of them pulls the thin spindly branches down.

We are still new to the garden (only moved to this house about 3-4 months ago) so I'm wondering whether I ought to just wait and see what they are like next year, or whether there is something we can do about it before then. Do you think this is the result of a bad prune earlier in the year?

 

[lovinglife]

Maybe they need some rose food? When I get thin branches I usually dead head back to the main branch. I gave mine some all natural fish fertilizer and WOW! They loved it and thanked me by many wonderfully smelly blooms. But, I really don't know much about roses, I just learn as I go, good luck!

 

[Becky]

That sounds like a good idea. We got some the other day so I'll give it a go!

 

[max222]

Here's what I know about roses. If you dig a deep bed, fill it with light material, and get out the rocks and heavy stuff, feed them like crazy, you'll have a beautiful bunch of roses. That's what I've always done with my roses. I'm not normally one to spend a lot of time spraying and feeding my plants, but roses are the exception. They're susceptible to so many things like rot and black whatever-it's-called that I spray mine pretty regularly and feed them a lot. Since starting that, I've had huge roses that smell fabulously and last forever.

 

[Becky]

Thanks for the tip max!

 

[maddie]

Spindly growth may also be caused by lack of sunlight. Are these plants in shade? We have had roses grow like climbers in my father's garden. When we pruned the branches of the mango tree that had grow all over the place the rose seemed to take it well. We pruned it a bit and then it was back to normal growing and flowering.

 

[firelily99]

Rose food is a good start and perhaps they aren't getting enough sun. How much direct sun do they get each day? Generally they do their best in full sun but will do well with at least six hours. They also like a slightly acidic soil in the 6.0 to 6.8 range and like it to be fairly loamy. Trimming them way down at the end of the growing season is always a good idea, it will promote more robust growth in the spring.