I'm sure others can help with his issues but I just wanted to say that I don't put any rose into the ground until it has 2 gallon roots. Especially since you get cold temps. This way if it dies to the ground due to cold it will likely come back from the roots.

Try fish emulsion and water. Spraying it won't help what appears to be a systemic issue. Just MHO. Stretch out and wait and just let the rose recover. It will likely be fine!!!! Susan

Dead growth doesn't do you any good. You should probably cut it off. Some of those dark red/purple blotches look remarkably like downy mildew (Peronospora sparsa) -- a fungal disease.

We saw a great deal of it here some years ago, when we had months of damp, cool weather. In fact, in that period, the disease was all through the growing grounds out in Wasco/Shafter.

There are chemicals you can spray on it -- but I quit using the cr*p when it melted a plastic measuring spoon. (YMMV) You can Google chemical controls for Downy Mildew, and see what chemical they're recommending, these days.

The disease is very closely related to the peronospora species that causes Avocado Root Rot. Avocado farmers here invested a lot of money in studies to find a control. They finally concluded that what worked best for their trees was to mulch out to the drip line with fresh horse manure. (Note -- not composted.)

In desperation, we tried the same thing. The resulting bacterial colony appeared to strengthen the plants to the point where they could fight off the fungus.

I don't know that we will ever again be damp again to have to worry about it, but if we ARE, I know what I will do.

Susan's advice is great, too. And the fish emulsion might well work as good as horse poo. And I agree. Nothing here goes into the ground unless it is jumping out of a good-sized container. For us, usually a 5-G.

I would be inclined to very carefully dig it out and place it in a pot. I would want to have better control over moisture levels, soil, etc. until it becomes more established. Depending upon the condition of the plant, this has not always worked, but more often than not, it has, as I am better able to nurse the plant back to health. It is a Jesse Hildreth, which may still be difficult to come by. That would make it a tough call for me. I hope your JH regains its health.

Lynn

I really appreciate the help, Susan, Jeri and Lynn. In retrospect, I should not have put him in the ground. I have an alcove off our bedroom that is sheltered, warmer and dry and would have sheltered a pot baby so much better. I only realized this after the fact when I picked up a Eugene de Beauharnais band from RVR 12/15 and tucked it back there after replanting in a one gallon pot and it is doing great. The Oct 2015 was never ideal as a planting time for Jesse, but that's when the email came as to availability. The big trouble all started with the freeze/thaw cool wet weather on the new growth in March 2016. It does have the downy mildew look, Jeri. I'm not a chemical person either. I do have horses being ridden in front of our property on occasion, so I could run out and scavenge some fresh manure. So, I think I will cut off the worst parts, and possibly try weak fish fertilizer and pray for new growth. I'm contemplating digging him and putting him in a pot for his recuperation, but I don't want to stress him further. Again, thank you all.

If it were me, I might well dig him ... but that could be wrong . . .

I have no advice, Sheila, since that's been pretty well covered here, but just want to say I'm sorry that this rose, of all things, should have problems. I also planted mine straight into the ground, which is what I normally do, but we have no freeze/thaw cycles to worry about or huge swings in temperature. Mine is doing fine and is growing and putting out some buds, albeit slowly, but as long as it's healthy I don't care. I wonder if any more are available. Have you inquired?

Like the Beatles sang'"Let it be. Let it be. Let it be. Let it be." Weak fish emulsion every week. Cut off nasty canes. Digging it up gonna cause more stress.

Jeri, Susan, Ingrid I really appreciate your help. I do think I could get another from rosepetals per my checking the website. I'm sure the timing would be better, but I would like to give my current one a chance to recuperate. I think I could dig him very carefully, but the question of whether it would do more good than harm would be open. I'm thinking. I'll do the cut back and fish for sure. My other struggler "Shorty" Delizzy has grown a bud which I pinched off and it seems stable and has stopped going downhill at least. I'm not sure I have ever seen a more pathetic sight than an ill baby tea band.

Indeed. But they grow up quickly. The weaklings just get stuck somewhere that I don't look at them daily and they seem to do better than when I am hovering. 6 weeks goes by and I'm like DANG that one rallied!

Too much babying not good for them.

If Jesse dies order one for next spring and grow it into a 2 gallon before you put it in the ground. It's just part of learning. Sometimes roses just die.

Rosette Delizzy is a vigorous rose. She will come on when it gets hot.

Dont beat yourself up!

" Sometimes roses just die."

A guy told me that years ago, and it's true. Sometimes, they just die. Chalk it up to fate, and try again.

Now, I did dig him up and put in a 2 gallon pot. (Along with trimming, fish fertilizer). Here's hoping. Susan, if he circles the drain worse, you were right. I'll continue the weakly, weekly and cross my fingers. He seems to be in Limbo along with sunburned "Baby Austin" and weak "Shorty Delizzy". All in all, I'm grateful I only have three in the sick bay. All of these would have been better off in a one or two gallon pot in the alcove from the beginning. Again, thank you Jeri, Susan and Ingrid and Lynn.

You are very welcome! It's great to see your enthusiasm!

Now that it is in a pot, I would not continue to fertilize it, even with fish emulsion, until it shows signs of rebounding. Just water, patience, and protection from winds etc.

Lynn

What Lynn said.

Late to the "what I'd do party," Sheila, but I would have done exactly what you've done. Also, I would incant "heal, baby rose, heal" over the pot every now and then and with equal frequency wave over it a capped bottle of fish emulsion.

Thanks for that tip. I didn't know fish fertilizer was a problem in a pot. I'll stop that.

What Anita said! There are some roses I have that just don't have much oomph. I find that if I put them somewhere they get ample food and water but don't look at them everyday I am pleasantly surprised with the amount of growth after several months.

After 3 years my Annie Laurie McD is showing some vigor! And what a beauty!

Susan

Yes, for sure. My own plant, which has a year less time in the ground as the Cemetery's plant, is just now starting to grow vertically.

I remarked when we were there last week that the cemetery's plant has greatly increased in size. It was easier for me to see it, because I hadn't seen it for a year.

It's a rose that REALLY needs to get big roots under it before it does much. FWIW, 'Le Pactole' (which I suspect is closely related) did much the same thing on its own roots.

Here's the plant in the Cemetery, last week:

Anita, Susan, Jeri, Lynn, Ingrid, I cut off some cane, but not all the blotchy cane. These were the new canes that produced the two lovely buds in the below picture. (Not Ingrid's quality porcelain). The inside of the canes looked white and perfect so must they still go? I will trim more if I must. I think I'm a bit confused between frost damage on the new canes and contagious disease. I am prepared to be patient and will be happy to do so, if Jesse could just recover. The point not to over fuss and kill him with kindness is also good. Thank you again.

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Honest truth? I can't see the canes well enough to make an accurate suggestion. I guess, if it were me, I would choose to err on the side of caution, and leave them.
But that could be wrong.
When we had widespread downy mildew -- years and years ago now -- we lost some roses, before we got it under control -- so I just don't have a magic bullet.

I know what we did, and it worked. But this is a very tiny plant, and wouldn't take much to tip the balance, either way.

Jeri, I trimmed one branch more, and took closeups. I really appreciate your looking at these photos, sad as they are.

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OK. If it were me, I would probably not cut those canes off.

But I would watch them very, very carefully for further decline.

If you can control the problem long enough for the roots to push some additional growth, they might be fine.

I'd just leave them for now. You can cut off dead stuff anytime and leaving it on won't really hurt anything. Just keep it watered and be patient. I think it will recover.

I agree with Seil. I think this little plant has a good chance to make it just fine.

Thank you all for your thoughts. I will watch carefully and water. Obviously, avoiding all this stress would have been the best for Jesse. That would have included being in a pot where I could have tucked him in the alcove when he made all that spring growth a month ago to avoid the later frosty spell. I also could have had him in fluffy pot mix instead of soil. I'll keep you posted.

Well, you have had your weather crosses to bear this spring, and so have we. All any of us can do is do our best, and sometimes, we guess wrong.

I believe I do see some signs of damage on the canes which could be canker but roses can overcome this and I would just wait and see, as others have suggested. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, Sheila. At this time of the year you should soon see new leaf buds.

Came across Nature's Nog today in my garage. Obscenely expensive but it's a supplement. Not really a fertilizer. Might consider that. Or folks use Superthrive here. Don't know about the efficacy of either one but let's face it, we rose people are suckers for stuff like that. Love to know if anyone has opinions on either?

Susan

Well, ANYTHING like that -- I would greatly dilute.

FWIW, my Jesse Hildreth did a bit of growing backwards after I received it. I think I got mine late-September. I did keep it in a 1-g pot, and snipped off a few yellowish canes. This spring it's looking better; last week I repotted it to give it fresh dirt, and that seems to have prompted a bit of new growth. I'm not usually a bud-pincher, but I have taken a few off of this little one.

A small plant I got last year of 'Mrs BR Cant' sat and sulked for months; I got used to it looking puny, and tried to remind myself that worrying about MBRC was pretty silly. The other day when watering plants and looking for aphids, I had to ask myself what that rose was with the gorgeous new foliage... Yup- MBRC. Hoping that "Jesse" will follow her lead.

It is reassuring that I'm not the only one seeing slow development with "JH"; I'd feel bad if everyone else were bragging about their ginormous 6-month-old plants...

Virginia

Virginia, I love these survival stories and it does make me feel better to know I am not alone. That is so encouraging that these setbacks can be overcome on occasion. I am trying the "Heal, baby rose, heal!" chants also, Dara, too.

Sheila, I'm sure the chanting- and perhaps just being left to get on with growing- will do wonders. I do agree that JH is probably better off in a pot until he attains more size and root mass. I'm hopeful he'll do well for both of us.

Virginia