Using the idea of finding the rootstock/bud for pruning roses in your reply to “cultivating more patience than plant growth”, and following suckers to the ground and removing them, peeling to the ground, I found this large cane which must be 18 inches, and have what looks like Dr. Huey. I thought Dr. Huey was a rosarian, who cultivated roses.
Should I take the whole cane out at the bottom, even though this has bloomed, as in the second photo, so that the energy goes to the original plant? Image 2023 has a cane coming out of the bottom of the rootstock, whereas the green cane coming out of the top is the original flower, if I understand the process of healthy pruning.
I think what you’re saying is that Dr. Huey is to a rose what a weed is to a garden. Image 2012 is what I thought was a “real rose”, and thought it looked like the Flower Carpet red rose.
Am I on the right track in pruning/training?
Second picture from this question
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners.
Looking at the picture you sent it looks like everything above the graft is dead and the green branches are from the root stock. If in fact the top branch is the original rose it looks like you will not get any other shoots from the graft as they would be showing by now. At this point anything you see blooming will most likely be root stock and not the original rose that was purchased. The decision at this point would be, do you want to keep the root stock plant or would you prefer to remove it and start with a new rose. This is a personal choice. If you are looking for the traditional rose plant and hope for a lush plant and reblooming then you may want a new plant.
The Dr.Huey Rose is named after the the Rosarian Dr.Huey and is often used as a root stock. When choosing rootstock for grafting you want a strong resilient plant. These plants are chosen for their strength not for their flowers and usually only bloom once a year. Onto this root stock is grafted a more sensitive rose that is not as resistant to weather and other factors but is chosen for their flowers and reblooming. The root stock is a stronger plant and will take over if allowed. this is why you would prune branches from below the graft right down to the base. This allows for nutrients etc. to be available to the graft.
I am attaching our Rose pruning guide. I am not sure if you have had a look at that yet.
Good luck with your rose.