something ate my roots

» tristan68 - i think its voles, how do i save my roses, stimulate roots??? th

i think its voles, how do i save my roses, stimulate roots??? they ate the roots to the main stalk. should i soak them in water until roots form again?

-- posted by tristan68

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» CarolWallace - Re: i think its voles, how do i save my roses, stimulate roots??

In response to message posted by tristan68:
Are there any roots left at all? Or are you left with only the canes? If there are some roots, you may want to trim the bush way back, then soak the shrub in willow water (chopped upwillow twigs - tons of them - in water. Willow releases a natural rooting hormone. Or you can try a commercial rooting powder like Rootone or Hormex. If you use those follow the package directions and replant. But I have to say that unless you have some roots still remaining on the bush, your chances of reviving it are slim.

If you have only canes left, all you can attempt to root those. That way you can create one or more new rose bushes from the remaining stems.

You don't say where you garden, but if it is in a cold weather zone in winter you can use hardwood cuttings. You can find directions for that here. I always like a second source - and there is another articleon the topic here.

As to the voles themselves - they are a pain! They are the root system of my prized and expensive Forest Pansy redbud last year. There really isn't a lot you can do except to try to lay hardware cloth or small-holed chicken wire over the roots of your rose so they can't get at the roots. You can find detailed instructions here.

-- posted by CarolWallace

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