Roses - Suckers?

For the first time ever, this year I have a rose bush.

I have read about how important it is to remove the "suckers" from your rose bush, but I get dreadfully confused when reading how to identify a sucker.

Could someone explain in Numptie terms please? I'm sure my rose bush will be just as grateful as me.

Thanks

Emma

 

Hi,
Suckers on roses will look different from the rest of the plant - smaller leaves and in my experience the stems tend to be a lighter colour - if you can picture the leaves off a rosehip - they tend to be more like that.
Oh and I think that they grow low on the root stock.
Cheers
Rob

 

They do indeed look different from the leaves and growth of the main grafted plant as Moosease says - and more vigorous. However, the one certain way is to trace the growth down to the base, if its below the graft its a sucker, and should be torn off - pruning don't work.

 

Thanks for the help, but I need some more (I really know nothing about roses).

How do I recognise the graft?

Emma

 

just out of interest why should you remove the suckers?? Does it put a drain on the main plant's nutrients?

My rose bush which I bought in feb as one sturdy "sprig" in the pot has grown really well but so far have only had two flowers out of it.

Some leave have now gone brown and you only need to touch the leaves and they drop off. I have sprayed it with bug clear but I take it this is rust or something?

 

If you take a look at the base of the bush, you will find a knobbly thick bit, that should be just above the ground. That is where a selected rose has been grafted - often by "budding" onto a vigorous root stock - something like a briar rose, or the like. Suckers are growths that come from the root stock, and thats why they are removed - I am advised the best method is to tear them off rather than prune them.

Andrew - in respect of your rose, - rust on roses usually shows are patches of reddy/orange usually starting quite small on the leaves. Black spot, black blotches, before the leaves yellow and then fall - both should be treated with specific fungus spray rather than bug spray. However browning leaves, can mean the plant is struggling for water.

[ 10. August 2005, 08:11 PM: Message edited by: Fran ]

 

Cheers Fran - I will probably post a pic tomorrow but at the base of my plant just above the root, there are three main stems so to speak shooting up and all are of an equal size really. Should two of them have been torn off when they started growing months ago?

And can you recommend any certain brand in particular for the fungus problem?

Sorry for all the questions!