A small part was still connected so I put some drywall putty around it to keep it together and tied it to some sticks to keep it up. Is it better to just remove the whole top part and cut it just below the break though? The trunk has no leaves, it is just a stump a few inches above the ground.
2007-04-20 12:52:38 · 4 answers · asked by romanseight 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
to live and breathe a plant needs leaves. Check the stick to see if there is any green in it. Cut the brown of the stick down to where it starts to be green then put a little mud on it to seal the cut. I don't know that drywall putty works. My thought would be to either use mud or some concoction you'd buy at the hardware store specifically for plants. But I might try electrical tape to hold it together. I would think if it's a stump (and depending on the area where you live) the plant probably looks dead because it's just coming out of winter. But it should be starting leaves already so I'm perplexed even if it's still snowing there (just because it's springtime). For winter you need to hump up some leaves around the rose bush to keep it warm. When it greens up you'll be able to see what's dead and what isn't. If it doesn't green up soon I suggest you replace it. When you remove it check to see if there is any life left in the roots as you still might be able to salvage it.. Maybe it needs a dose of rose food.
2007-04-20 13:02:12 · answer #1 · answered by sophieb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have to disagree with the two previous answers. The drywall putty, I agree was a bad solution but you probably panicked and figure anything was better than nothing.
You say that the stump is only a few inches above the ground. Most rose bushes are grafted and there is an obvious 'union' at the base of the plant, where the upper part was grafted on to the lower part. This appears as a swelled up, knobby kinda thing. If the break was above this 'union', it may still survive. If that is the case, remove your drywall putty and 'stick' support, keep it watered if it needs it and wait and look for any signs of growth. Mother Nature has her own kind of bandaids. :) If nothing is happening in a few weeks dig it up and replace it.
If the break was below the union or graft, chances are VERY slim that it will recover.
2007-04-20 13:14:42 · answer #2 · answered by Scorpioforu 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the dry wall putty will do no good the part above the break will die soon try cutting below the break it might survive
2007-04-20 12:58:57 · answer #3 · answered by thomasl 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What you did should work as long as lined up the top part up as best as you could with the lower part.
2007-04-20 12:56:15 · answer #4 · answered by Misty Eyes 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋