How to Keep My Rose Plant Alive

Question

My son bought me a Floribunda Summer Flowering Rose plant (Burgundy Ice) for my birthday on 7th June. I planted it in the garden in a sunny position the same day and mixed some rose fertiliser in the soil to help it. It rained yesterday, but today it is drooping and looks very unhappy. I have watered it again this morning, but it doesn’t seeem to have helped. What can I do to keep it alive?

Answer 1

You might want to move her to a new location as it sounds like there may be something in the soils making her sick. Sometimes the root system is tightly bound in the pot and when taken out of the pot and planted the root ball needs to be roughed up a bit to get the roots loose so they will spread out more. I would check the soils moisture and make sure she is not too wet as well. If the soils moisture appears fine, then I would mix 1/2 cup of Epsom salts into the soils around her, then water her with a watering can with some Super Thrive mixed into the water. Hold off on any more fertilizer as perhaps that was too much for first planting and has burned some of the feeder roots. Keep her watered but not soggy wet.

Answer 2

Thank you so much for your helpful answer Roseman. After posting the question I also asked the gardener in Homebase (where the Rose was bought) and he thought the recent heavy rain may have upset the Rose, plus he said she may just not have settled in yet! However,I am happy to say she is doing fine now – she looks very happy and has stopped drooping. I am going to print out your reply for future reference. Many thanks again.