Bare canes on rose bush??

Dazlin · ‎03-14-2010

Is there anything I can do to encourage leave growth on my Sugar Moon rose bush?
I've already pruned, added fertilizers, and new soil on top. I do spray for disease regularly too. It had a rough season last spring through fall with blackspot, but all that's cut off and pruned. I live in Florida, so its already put out a couple of roses regardless, but I know the leaves are important. All my other bushes are flourishing right now with glossy leaves, and buds. Mr. Lincoln has put forth some gorgeous, fragrant blooms already. Mind you, they all suffered terrible blackspot and have recovered.
So what can I do for Sugar Moon? She looks terrible ☹

JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

Not much you can do to encourage leaf growth. It has to do its own thing. Don't over do with high nitrogen fertilizers or you will just get foliage not blooms.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼

Naturesbeauty · ‎03-19-2010

This might sound really crazy but it works.....coffee grounds. This works for my gardenias too.

gizmogal · ‎05-09-2014

Stop fertilizing. No more. Not for a month or more. I can assure you that you are creating imbalance in the soil nutrients it needs to recover from recent trauma and all that pruning. It will leaf if you just let Nature manage it.

You have nothing to lose following this advice. It’s not leafing now, for all your efforts. Stop working on it and see what happens. It will leaf.