Sure am, Zuzu...
You can tell I am weary.
I was planning to write to you because I did talk to Kim about your Dr. H question.
Typical of Kim, he asked me what my theory was as that is how he teaches.
I think the reason the Dr. H climbers you have allowed to grow in your garden have the larger root mass of a climber. The budded HTs and floribundas do not require as large of a root mass, so any damage done to the root stock would immediately impact the rose. With the larger root mass of the climbers, the gophers are still eating the roots, but since there are more of them, the plant is not impacted by the damage they do to the roots.
He agreed that it was a good theory and was probably the best answer and reminded me that it was only theory because no one has tested it.
So there you go. The above was supposed to be a t-mail. I'll copy and paste it now and send it along. I am still weary and know I'll be doing a lot of watering tomorrow.
Smiles,
Lyn
