EasyBloom Forum

I'm wondering if a rose plant can get too old? I ask because I have seven grandiflora bushes that I became the proud owner of when I bought my house. I think they have been here for 10-15 years, but it could be longer than that (if it is possible). Two of them look pretty sad. They look better than they have in the previous two years, since I've been trying to "bring them back". Both of them have only one cane growing off the root stock. One of the two has yellowish/ greenish spotting on the leaves. Part of me wants to do what I can to save them, but another part of me just wants to dig them up and plant new bushes. What do you think? Did I give you enough information? Thanks in advance for your expertise!!

Hey Elizabeth...Plants' metabolisms will slow down as they age, but this really won't affect your roses output in any significant way. Plants have a different way of growing than animals do. Since plants cannot move around they have to have a tremendous ability to adapt to their environment. They can regrow appendages that are pruned away (I would not be able to do the same if I were "pruned"). This ability to make new plant parts allows the plant to produce new stems and roots that will act like young plants. It is true that the base of the plant will be old, but the part of the plant that has the flowers and leaves that you would be interested in is essentially new.

As for the yellowish/greenish spotting, that can be a number of things. Spotting is normally a sign of viral or bacterial infection (don't worry...plant pathogens do not infect people). Yellowing of leaves can also be a sign of low soil fertility (normally the symptoms are not manifested as spotting though). Here's the kicker though: if a plant is not as healthy as it could be, it could be more prone to pathogen infection. So if it is not getting enough fertilizer, the plant may be more prone to infection. My question is: how often do you fertilize your roses?

Now as for pulling up plants or keeping them, I am usually impartial. If you have an emotional attachment to the plants, of course I would recommend you try anything possible to keep those plants going. But if not, I have always felt that those plants are there to look pretty. If they aren't looking pretty, you might as well put something in its place that will look pretty.

I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions. Cheers...Dr. Robby