These are growths from the stock on which the rose has been budded. They occur not only on rosebushes, but also on climbers, ramblers and even standards. All suckers come from below the budding union and can be easily identified by drawing soil away to check this point. Also, the colour and number of leaflets is different from that of the cultivated variety. Cut the suckers right out at the point of origin on the roots (or, with standards, the stems) or neck of the stock. Use a sharp knife, which will make a cleaner cut than shears. All side shoots along the trunk of a standard should be removed as soon as they appear. |
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