Question
QUESTION: I bought a Fairy rose pink in color, it is planted in full sun I water regularly the canes are long and health looking leaves on the ends of the canes it has no thorns it is 2 years old and has never bloomed. It is in a rose bed with other roses that has bloomed beautifully. Is it the plant itself or something I've done or haven't done? I live on the coast of Mississippi. Some of my roses even bloomed most of the winter. But my pink Fairy has not bloomed since I bought and planted it. Please help

ANSWER: Hi Sallie,

Let's try this.   Since we are near fall, let the plant go dormant and cut it back hard when normal pruning time is for your area next spring.  This hard pruning should trigger the 'blind shoots' to put out lateral breaks and then bloom from there.   

From what I can read/find, it is an anomaly that a rose will at certain times just put out healthy growth and no blooms but they will do it.  

Hope that gives you  some way to approach getting it to bloom.

Jay

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Since I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast we have very mild winters. Some of my roses bloomed thru the winter last year so when do you recommend cutting them back? Also how late in the year should I feed them? I'm getting my beds remulched for cold weather should I add anything to the soil around them? Some are still blooming.
Thanks Sallie

Answer
Hello Sallie,

I would only trim back(no more than 1/4 the total height) any rose that is very tall and could get whipped by the winter winds.  

You may want to stop anytime feeding.  If it looks like you can still get some blooms, a fast water soluble fertilizer is ok since the plant uses it quickly and will not casue too much new growth.

I would just mulch for the winter and not add anything.

Enjoy your fall roses and get ready for next year.

Thanks,

Jay