Hybridizing in the Winter in the South

This has been an usually warm Winter even for down here in South Texas. It hardly ever freezes here and was wondering if I could hybridize in the Winter. My roses bloom all Winter if I let them. What made me start to think of this is some hips on some roses that I thought were mostly sterile. I usually deadhead even in the Winter but I must have missed some because one H.T. which I surely didn’t know sets hips, Rio Samba has a huge hip on it I would say at least 2 to 3 months old. I saw another on Lady Hillingdon yesterday. It is much smaller but looks very healthy. Most of Lady Hillingdons blooms dry off very fast and this has been on there at least one month. Mrs Dudley Cross has some also but I knew it sets hips. I wonder if the weather has something to do with almost sterile roses setting hips?

Patrick

It could very well be that our extremely mild winters have odd effects on some roses

Hey Baxter I know where you live, better keep a good eye on those knockout hips. LOL. Well now that you told me this I will start looking at all knockout plants that I see. My wife will think I’m crazy or maybe its confused.

Patrick

You know Patrick, when you think about all of the biochemical and environmental factors that must come together to

Yes I know what you mean. Kind of like a watched pot never boils.

Patrick