Hello, I live in North York and planted a Die Velt rose (tea rose) 2 years ago. The soil is medium dry and other roses flourish nearby. I feed it with Miracle Grow shake granuals in early June.
There are 3 branches of which one flourished in June. The other are now stalks with only leaves flourishing? One is quite high but no buds? No insects under the leaves either? Should I prune this? Any suggestions? Thank you.
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with your inquiry.
I understand how frustrating it must be to have two thirds of your rose bush not flower!
Your two stems that did not flower are called blind shoots. They look like normal shoots but just don’t develop buds. It is not clear what causes some stems not to flower. It could be environmental issues – severe winters, incorrect watering, not enough sun, incorrect fertilization. Blind shoots are a common issue with hybrid tea roses. The following web site explains how to assess the health and environmental conditions of your rose: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/roses/no-blooms-on-roses.htm
Blind shoots should be cut back by half to a strong outward bud to stimulate further growth. If this is done early enough, it should produce flowers later in the season.