Suckers , what are they for and what do you do with them?

Hi Robgil while most of the hybrid teas and floribundas have just 5 leaves many of the roses belonging to the other groups have 7, 9 or even more leaflets. There are no hard and fast rules to distinguish a sucker but as a generalisation the suckers have 7 leaflets and are a rather pale green as are the stems which are often smooth with few thorns. If they flower they will have 5 petals and will be a very pale blush white. Suckers come only from the rootstock on which the garden rose is budded and so will only come from below the bud union. The young growth from some roses can be very vigorous and look out of character and rather sucker-like, so do check carefully before pulling these off otherwise you may well ruin the plant.

Tackle each sucker as you find it and this will make removal very easy. If you trace the sucker back to the root, you can then simply pull it off.
With newly planted roses you will have to put your foot on the base of the plant and then pull the sucker off. It is better to pull the offending stem off rather than cutting because it will not grow back. If you cut it, it will most likely come back. Once the sucker is removed you can then put the soil back and heel in.

 

Hi Kristen ,this is only the way that I have all ways planted Roses
I Always bury the bud union on a grafted rose. to my mind this prevents Wind Rock.
This happens when winds coming blowing through your garden and the tops of your roses start whipping back and forth. Down at the base they are also affected by the winds, and if the bud union is too far out of the ground they start rocking down to their roots. This loosens the soil and could tear the smaller roots.
Loosening the soil means air could get down there and dry the roots out. Tearing small roots can impair the plant’s ability to take up nutrients and water. Worst case scenario the plant itself could completely tip over and rip out of the ground or break off.
Budded roses generally have a long stem between where the roots flare out and where the canes flare out. If you plant the bud union (where the canes flare out) above the ground then the only thing supporting that entire plant is that long stem. It’s too thin and can’t do it.
By burying the bud union, the area where the canes flare out is below the ground. So at soil level the plant has three, five or more canes to anchor it when those winds come howling.And that prevents wind rock and potential damage to your roses.