I've been doing this regularly, which entails essentially getting
inside the thing. It is rewarding me with rebloom! After a brief
hiatus after the first flush, it has pretty much stayed in bloom.

Cass, do you deadhead this rose? You had mentioned that it pretty much
had just one bloom at a time--and mine did last year in its first
year. But this year it is staying full, and very pretty.

For those of you who are not familiar with this rose, it is a single,
a china from the 1890s, with five petals and a pleasing, mounded bush
shape. It buds coral and each flower runs the color gamut from orange
to yellow to pale pink to hot pink. (I hope I got the order right!)
The catch about deadheading is that it makes many many many many
blooms. It is a zennish thing, hanging out with a good-sized mutabilis
long enough to find all the spent bloom nubbies and remove them.

Shiva wrote:

I've been doing this regularly, which entails essentially getting
inside the thing. It is rewarding me with rebloom! After a brief
hiatus after the first flush, it has pretty much stayed in bloom.

Cass, do you deadhead this rose? You had mentioned that it pretty much
had just one bloom at a time--and mine did last year in its first
year. But this year it is staying full, and very pretty.

Yes, once I figured out that it sets a lot of hips if you don't. I've
been awarded one nice long 6 foot basal this year. The thing has taken
a long time to grow. I have an OR in a pot as insurance, and it is
doing a lot better, for some odd reason. Blooms constantly, neat smoky
colors.

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 12:00:53 -0700, Cass
wrote:


hiatus after the first flush, it has pretty much stayed in bloom.

Cass, do you deadhead this rose? You had mentioned that it pretty much
had just one bloom at a time--and mine did last year in its first
year. But this year it is staying full, and very pretty.

Yes, once I figured out that it sets a lot of hips if you don't.

They're cute, aren't they? But deadheading is a damned near daily
activity when Mutabilis is going strong. I figure this rose makes so
many little blooms, I could leave half of them on and see if the hips
are pretty in the winter! It does, however, blackspot. I think Alice
said it didn't, or was resistant. At this point in time, due to the
rain and my own work-related neglect, "resistant" equals "has a leaf
or two."


I've
been awarded one nice long 6 foot basal this year.

Whoa, now THAT is a basal!


The thing has taken
a long time to grow. I have an OR in a pot as insurance, and it is
doing a lot better, for some odd reason. Blooms constantly, neat smoky
colors.

Hmm, mine hit the ground running and never stopped, but it was pretty
big when I got it. I have never paused to think if it is grafted, but
it must be. I got it potted at a really neat local garden center
called Logan Trading Company--it is in an old train station off the
beaten path. Everything is overpriced there. I usually allow myself
one or two potted from there a year but missed the season this year.
Now there is just a pile of overpriced diseased roses left, I imagine.

Smoky colors? Interesting. Mine are very sherbety and clear.

In article m, Shiva
wrote:
Cass wrote:

Cass, do you deadhead this rose? You had mentioned that it pretty much
had just one bloom at a time--and mine did last year in its first
year. But this year it is staying full, and very pretty.

Yes, once I figured out that it sets a lot of hips if you don't.

They're cute, aren't they? But deadheading is a damned near daily
activity when Mutabilis is going strong. I figure this rose makes so
many little blooms, I could leave half of them on and see if the hips
are pretty in the winter!

They're pretty but not as conspicuous as you'd think. I just snap off
the spent blooms. Too much work to use pruners.

It does, however, blackspot. I think Alice said it didn't, or was
resistant. At this point in time, due to the rain and my own
work-related neglect, "resistant" equals "has a leaf or two."

Mine blackspots, too. I've looked at it and think the blackspot is a
function of new growth. Wherever the plant sends out new growth, it
kills off the foliage between the new growth and the old bloom as well
as the leaf set of the bud that sprouted. All that foliage spots before
it drops. Defoliation isn't a problem here, tho. The little plant in a
5 gallon is growing so fast there's a considerable amount of foliage
being killed off. My potted roses spot more than those in the ground
anyway.

Shiva wrote:

Smoky colors? Interesting. Mine are very sherbety and clear.

Heh heh. Words are inadequate to describe color and scent. I'll concede
sorbet-colored and matte. Might be climate difference. Mine is never
brightly colored.

On Wed, 25 Jun 2003 09:24:35 -0700, Cass
wrote:


They're pretty but not as conspicuous as you'd think. I just snap off
the spent blooms. Too much work to use pruners.

Me too. Plus, there are usually buds among the spent blooms that
pruners would cut off.


Mine blackspots, too. I've looked at it and think the blackspot is a
function of new growth.

OMG what a sinister thought!


Wherever the plant sends out new growth, it
kills off the foliage between the new growth and the old bloom as well
as the leaf set of the bud that sprouted. All that foliage spots before
it drops. Defoliation isn't a problem here, tho.

Cass how can that be? If anyone has bs bad enough, the plant drops all
its leaves? Or do you just mean on Mutabilis? Mine has not
defoliated--it has too many leaves. Just the HTs and GFs and FBs are
doing that. Big time. The babies look the worst. I'm getting out there
Sunday to spray no matter what. But then, I think it is supposed to
RAIN Sunday! Grrr ....


The little plant in a
5 gallon is growing so fast there's a considerable amount of foliage
being killed off.

This is the weirdest concept. I'm going to have to think about this
one. I'll now be looking sideways at my Mutabilis!

In article m, Shiva
wrote:

On Wed, 25 Jun 2003 09:24:35 -0700, Cass
wrote:

Wherever the plant sends out new growth, it
kills off the foliage between the new growth and the old bloom as well
as the leaf set of the bud that sprouted. All that foliage spots before
it drops. Defoliation isn't a problem here, tho.

Cass how can that be? If anyone has bs bad enough, the plant drops all
its leaves? Or do you just mean on Mutabilis? Mine has not
defoliated--it has too many leaves.

It goes through bloom-start new growth-blackspot old foliage and drop
it-grow more-bloom-start new growth cycles. I've never seen blackspot
bad enough that all the leaves drop. Just doesn't happen here. Maybe I
don't have enough blackspot-prone roses to completely defoliate. There
is blackspot, just not that much.


Just the HTs and GFs and FBs are
doing that. Big time. The babies look the worst.

Babies get the most spot here too. It's got to be the containers
harboring fungi.

The little plant in a
5 gallon is growing so fast there's a considerable amount of foliage
being killed off.

This is the weirdest concept. I'm going to have to think about this
one. I'll now be looking sideways at my Mutabilis!

It's not mysterious. It's a hormonal thing. The plant directs the
auxins to the new growth tips, in effect starving some older growth.
Take a look at every new stem that grows out of a basal on Granada.
You'll see it. The bottom leaflet is fine until after bloom. Then a new
growth bud somewhere will break and you'll probably see two leaflets
suddenly age and die. The two leaflets that will die are (1) the one
just below the new bud growth and (2) the one where the stem first
broke out of the basal. During that dying process they often show
blackspot or other fungal disease (tho the good ones just yellow), just
like healthy leaflets you cut off and drop on the ground.

On Thu, 26 Jun 2003 12:18:53 -0700, Cass
wrote:

In article m, Shiva
wrote:



It goes through bloom-start new growth-blackspot old foliage and drop
it-grow more-bloom-start new growth cycles. I've never seen blackspot
bad enough that all the leaves drop. Just doesn't happen here. Maybe I
don't have enough blackspot-prone roses to completely defoliate.

Or, you just don't live in as moldy a place as I do, or more likely, a
combination of both. Hybrid teas defoliate entirely here after four
weeks without fungicide. And it does weaken them, though I am very
good about lots of good feeding and lots of water to the root systems.




Babies get the most spot here too. It's got to be the containers
harboring fungi.


I meant mine in the ground, but I can see that.





It's not mysterious. It's a hormonal thing. The plant directs the
auxins to the new growth tips, in effect starving some older growth.

Ahhh, I see now!


Take a look at every new stem that grows out of a basal on Granada.
You'll see it. The bottom leaflet is fine until after bloom. Then a new
growth bud somewhere will break and you'll probably see two leaflets
suddenly age and die. The two leaflets that will die are (1) the one
just below the new bud growth and (2) the one where the stem first
broke out of the basal. During that dying process they often show
blackspot or other fungal disease (tho the good ones just yellow), just
like healthy leaflets you cut off and drop on the ground.


I certainly have seen this but never thought if the black spot being a
function of new leaf development. I believe that is how you put it.
Sounded like as long as Mutabilis is making new leaves you will have
spot.