Questions about Joseph's Coat rose

I planted an established Joseph's Coat rose a couple of months ago and it has more than doubled in height since I put it in the ground. I'm at the point of needing a trellis, but before I get one I have a question about training it to grow along a chain link fence that sits about 18 or so inches behind the bush. Is that too far from the plant to use as a trellis? Will bending the canes backward toward the fence do any significant damage, or should I just buy a regular lateral trellis and stake it right behind the plant?

Also, this specimen has been quite a prolific bloomer since I planted it and pruning has encouraged multiple buds, but to me the blooms seem small -- they're no more than about three or four inches in diameter. Is that normal for a Joseph's Coat? Are there any particular strategies or feeding products I can use to encourage larger blooms?

Thanks in advance for any information.

Rhonda Alexandria, VA, USA Zone 7

****************** Each of us, a cell of awareness imperfect and incomplete Genetic blends with uncertain ends on a fortune-hunt that's far too fleet
Reply to
Natty_Dread
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18" is not too far away from the support once the rose begins to throw those really long basal breaks. Right now, you're just dealing with growth from the secondaries and they shouldn't need too much support. If you find they flop, then stake them until those long basals are produced which you can slowly bend back to the support and *tie* (never weave a rose *through* a fence!) once they get long enough.

That's normal for *most* roses. Or even smaller. Hybrid teas are the ones that have those large blooms, and they grow them at the expense of an unattractive shrub which usually needs spraying every 7 days to prevent disease. I'm surprised that JC hasn't already defoliated from black spot for you as well. It very prone to disease. But, if you can keep the black spot under control, it is, as you said, a prolific bloomer. Feed it alfalfa, as that has a growth hormone in it. A couple of cups of alfalfa meal 3-4 times a year plus some manure and *lots* of water should keep it from being too hungry.

Reply to
Sunflower

Thanks, Sunflower! I appreciate the info. :)

Rhonda

Reply to
Natty_Dread

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