A disappointing display of flowers on rose bushes and climbers can be a result of ‘rose blindness’.  The term blindness in gardening terms refers to the failure to flower and is common in daffodils that become constricted (see below).

Reasons for Poor Flowering

• Due to environmental conditions in some years roses flower badly despite the best efforts of gardeners.
• An empty flower case can be caused by frost damage.
• Poor fertility in the soil and lack of trace elements and nutrients
• Excessive shade
• A build up of old wood and weak growths
• Infection such as this severe case of blackspot
• Some varieties are just prone to intermittent blindness

Avoiding & Curing Rose Blindness

• Careful positioning of your roses in the sun without too much competition from other plants.
• Improve cultivation to relieve stress, add humus, water regularly, apply fertilisers and fungicide if needed.
• Reduction in the amount of old wood to encorage new healthy shoots.
• Cut back a blind shoot by half it’s length to stimulate further growth

Cure for blind bulbs

Daffodil Blindness

A better rose with a super scent that a blind person would appreciate.