Rant: My rose bush got attacked by a runaway lawnmower

I was out in my backyard in Austin last Saturday, just pruning my prize-winning 'Double Delight' rose bush I'd been babying for 2 years. My neighbor's kid was mowing his yard and somehow lost control of the thing, it jumped over the fence and chewed through three of my best canes. I stood there frozen for a solid 10 seconds watching the blades shred the blooms. I ended up having to cut the whole bush back to 12 inches tall and treat the stumps with wound sealant. Has anyone else had a plant get mangled by something wild like that?

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rivera.keith2mo ago

You treated those cuts with sealant, right? That's the only thing that saved mine when my neighbor's kid did the same thing with a weed whacker last year. I'd keep an eye on it for dieback the next few weeks and water deep but not too often. If it starts pushing new growth from the base you're probably fine, just don't fertilize for a month.

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diana_park2mo ago

Used to think sealant was overkill and just let the cuts air dry. But last year my hydrangea got sideswiped by a garbage truck backing up and I skipped the sealant. Half the main stem died back three feet before it stopped. This year I'm sealing everything like crazy. That 'Double Delight' is tough though, it might surprise you. Give it time and don't start fussing with it too much.

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