|
 tool shed |
       |
| Gardening for the Birds |
|
Rosesby Lisa Napolitano The centuries old quest for a perfect blossom has come at a price however. Hybrid Teas, in particular, are an example where disease resistance, hardiness and fragrance have been sacrificed to achieve the desired form. But, there are many roses available today that are easy to grow and still offer showy, recurrent flowers, some with outstanding fragrance. Dream, Flower Carpet, Simplicity, Renaissance, and Generosa Roses are just a few of the new roses developed by modern breeders that require less care with improved disease resistance. Some Antique Roses (a rose originating prior to 1867 and the development of Hybrid Teas) are being resurrected due to their robust qualities, heavy petal count and classic rose scent. Many of today's roses are being grown on their own roots for increased hardiness and to eliminate the suckering problems that can occur with grafted or budded stock. Fewer numbers can be obtained from the propagating stock, but the benefits far outweigh the cost. SELECTING ROSES Roses are available by mail order and from nurseries. Mail order roses usually are bare-root and dormant while nurseries offer both bare-root and container grown plants. Bare-root plants should be purchased and planted as early as the ground can be worked, while container grown roses can be planted anytime. Choose plants that are rated for your hardiness zone and if you are looking for the easiest roses to grow, select disease-resistant, own root roses. Choose bare-root plants that have plump (not shriveled), green stems, damp roots and little new growth. Dried out plants will be light while well-hydrated plants will be "heavy". Avoid water logged or light plants and roses with weak or brown canes. Container grown roses should have strong canes and new growth, clean foliage and well-formed structure. Look for canes growing in all directions so that a shapely shrub will result. Plants that are of lesser quality will require more time and effort to develop into strong, attractive specimens. It's a question of paying now or paying later. PLANTING & CULTURE LOCATION - Choose locations with good air movement and at least 6 hours of direct sun. A shady spot will result in spindly growth and fewer flowers. Morning sunshine and air movement is essential to dry the morning dew, limiting the development of foliar diseases. Avoid cold pockets and windy, winter exposures that lead to winter injury. SOIL - Well-drained soil is another vital element of good rose culture. If the chosen site is poorly drained, plant your roses in raised beds, cultivating to a depth of 12-14" and mixing in 4-6" of compost, peat moss or humus. Optimally the bed should be prepared 2-3 months prior to planting so that the soil can mature. Whether the soil is poorly drained or well drained, roses will benefit from the incorporation of compost. Compost has nutrient properties and is rich in trace elements and soil microorganisms that are vital to plant health. Compost will also improve the moisture holding capacity of soil, trapping nutrients in the root zone for the plants to take up as needed. Earthworms will also be attracted to the organic matter, aerating the soil and further releasing nutrients bound up in soil particles. Earthworm castings are nature's perfect fertilizer and as a bonus, earthworms destroy soil pathogens. FERTILIZING - Before any fertilizers or amendments are added, soil should be tested so that pH and fertility can be accurately corrected. Roses prefer neutral soils with a pH between 6.5 to 7.5 and medium to high fertility. Organic soil amendments offer slow release forms of nutrients that do not harm soil organisms or destroy soil structure while conventional fertilizers are water soluble and faster acting. There are organic fertilizers that are faster acting, such as fish/seaweed emulsion. Adjust pH and fertilize according to the results of the soil test, recommendations are usually given with the test results. Fertilize through the growing season with a well-balanced fertilizer, according to package directions. Scratch dry granular fertilizers into the soil surface or foliar feed with a pressurized or hose-end sprayer. Suspend fertilizing after July so that growth can harden off before winter. Once the initial baseline of soil conditions is established, soil should be retested every 3 years and adjustments made. BARE-ROOT ROSES - Soak the roots and canes of bare-root roses for 12 hours before planting. Plant on cloudy days or in the evening to avoid the drying effects of the sun. Own root roses should be planted at the same depth as they were growing, while budded or grafted roses should have the soil surface 2-4" above the union. The planting hole should be 18-24" wide to accommodate important surface feeding roots. Trim off any brown or damaged roots and spread the roots on top of a cone of soil formed in the bottom of the planting hole. Fan the roots in all directions and fill the hole half way with amended soil. Fill the hole with water and allow it to drain. Wiggle the rose occasionally to release any air bubbles and fill voids with soil. Do not compress the wet soil. As the water drains away, the roots will be in firm contact with the soil with just the right amount of air spaces. Completely fill the hole and create a ring of soil around the edge of the planting hole. Fill the ring with water and let it drain. CONTAINER GROWN ROSES - Plant container grown roses on a cloudy day or in the evening to avoid the drying effects of the sun. Own root roses should be planted at the same depth as they were growing, while budded or grafted roses should have the soil surface 2-4" above the union. The planting hole should be 18-24" wide to accommodate the important surface feeding roots. Remove the rose from the container and tease the roots. Cut any circling roots of pot bound plants so that they do not travel more than 1/3 of the way around the root ball. Trim off any brown or damaged roots and score the bottom or the root ball with an "x". Cutting the roots will encourage new lateral roots to develop. Place in the planting hole and fill the hole half way with amended soil. Fill the hole with water and allow it to drain. Wiggle the rose occasionally to release any air bubbles and fill voids with soil. Do not compress the wet soil. As the water drains away, the roots will be in firm contact with the soil with just the right amount of air spaces. Completely fill the hole and create a ring of soil around the edge of the planting hole. Fill the ring with water and let it drain. MULCH - Any good mulch can be used with roses and will keep soil and pathogens from splashing onto the lower leaves. Placing several layers of newspaper under organic mulch will suppress perennial weeds and stabilize soil moisture and temperature. Landscape fabric is an ideal weed barrier under stone mulches. WATER - Without sufficient amounts of water, your roses will not be able to absorb nutrients and will be more prone to disease and insect invasion. Roses should be watered in the morning so that they can use what is needed during periods of peak photosynthesis. Hand water with a watering wand or use soaker hoses, buried under soil or mulch, to keep foliage dry and prevent fungal diseases. A weekly morning shower is recommended to wash off dust, fungal spores and small insects. DISEASES - Remove any spotted, yellowed or brown leaves from plants or surrounding ground and do not water foliage in the evenings. A biweekly foliar spray of compost tea will help to control many diseases and a monthly application of this modified Cornell University Organic Spray will help to control blackspot and powdery mildew. Organic Spray Formula
After an accurate diagnosis is made, chemical disease controls are best used under the direction of a nursery professional. Rose fertilizers formulated with systemic disease and insect controls should be carefully spread according to the manufacturer's recommended application rates. INSECT CONTROL - After a pest is identified, chemical or biological insecticides should be used under a professional's instruction. The Organic Spray Formula above, Insecticidal Soap and Hot Pepper Wax Spray all help control spider mites and aphids. Caterpillars can be controlled with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). The stem swellings of gall wasp larvae should be removed and destroyed. Japanese Beetles grubs can be controlled with Milky Spore or Beneficial Nematodes and the adults with Neem Sprays or hand picking. Ladybugs, lacewings and other beneficial insects can be released in the early spring and other predators (spiders, wasps and hornets) should be encouraged to make your garden home. Birds and toads should also be made welcome. Under-plant roses with chives as a way to control spider mites and aphids and any member of the mint family planted nearby will help to draw beneficial insects into the garden. PRUNING ROSES TOOLS - A set of pruning shears and long handled loppers are the most used tools with bypass types preferred over anvil types. Keep tools sharp for clean efficient cuts. Also handy though not necessary, are a pruning saw and small knife. Leather Gloves are an absolute necessity and if you can find Gauntlet types, all the better. Don't forget the floppy straw hat. Not only will it protect you from the sun, insect repellent can be sprayed on the hat instead of your skin to keep pesky gnats and deerfly at bay. GENERAL RULES - The best cuts are 45 degree angled cuts sloping away from a bud, 1/4" above that bud. Cut out weak, dead or broken branches and thin older wood each spring when the forsythia start to bloom. Keep the interior of plant open for air circulation by pruning back to outward facing buds, encouraging growth in all directions for a shapely plant. Crossing branches can lead to disease so remove one of the branches, preferably the older cane. Remove spent blossoms unless colorful hips are desired. Dead-head back to an outward facing, five leaflet leaf. Remove suckers by digging down to the root and ripping them out. NEWLY PLANTED ROSES - Remove any weak or broken stems. Trim canes back to green bark with white inner wood, 1/4" above an outward facing bud. Spray bare-root canes with an anti-transpirant (Wilt-Pruf) to prevent dehydration and prune back to four or five buds per cane. Remove any flowers or buds when planting to encourage root development. ESTABLISHED ROSES - Prune lightly in fall only if the plant may be susceptible to breakage under winter snow and ice. When the forsythia begin blooming in the spring; thin out older canes, remove any damaged or weak growth and eliminate crossing branches. If older shrub roses have reduced flowering, cut back the plant by 1/3 and remove older canes to encourage the production of new vigorous growth that will produce more abundant blooms.
WINTER Water roses well until the ground has frozen. A hydrated plant will suffer less winter injury than a dry one. All foliage should be removed from roses and the surrounding ground to minimize the spread of disease. Trim branches only if there is the risk of heavy snow or ice that could damage the plant. Tying the branches of tall shrubs together can also provide protection against snow loads. Mulch after the ground freezes to discourage mice and voles from nesting. Tender roses can be enclosed in rings and insulated with straw or leaves. Lay climbing rose canes on the ground and cover with mulch or wrap canes with bundles of straw or similar insulating material. Remove any mulch or insulation gradually as the weather warms in spring. Potted roses can be over-wintered in their containers or planted temporarily in the ground. Bury the container in a protected location, preferably in the shade, and keep well watered until the ground freezes. After the ground freezes, mulch as you would any rose. More tender varieties can be kept in a cold garage or shed to achieve dormancy, just remember to water every couple of weeks.ROSE CLASSES Alba - Once blooming old European rose with long arching canes. Antique - Roses developed prior to the 1st Hybrid Tea, 1867. Bourbon - China x Damask, tall, fragrant, cupped blooms Centifolia - Damask x Alba?, aka "cabbage rose", hundred petals China - China native with reblooming traits Climbing - Long arching canes, reblooms Damask - Ancient Persian rose, fragrant (perfumes), arching English Garden (Shrub) - Combines reblooming with form and fragrance of old garden roses Floribunda - Flower clusters, short, suitable bedding plant Gallica - The oldest class of roses, hardy once blooming, compact Garden Rose - Hybrid Teas, Floribundas and Grandifloras Grandiflora - Tall Modern Rose, clustered, high-centered blooms Hybrid Perpetual - Victorian/Edwardian Eras, tall, fragrant Hybrid Teas - Tea x Hybrid Perpetual, Long stem of Hybrid Perpetual with the high centered bloom of the tea, 1867 La France Miniature - China rose hybrids under 18" Modern - Roses developed after the Hybrid Tea in 1867 Multiflora - Species rose with strong root stock Noisette - Climbing rose developed in Charleston , SC 1800s, first repeat bloom climber, slender canes, thrives in warmer climates Old Garden - Rose Classes developed before the Hybrid TeaPatio - Miniature Tree Roses between 18 and 24" tall, taller than miniature but shorter than floribunda Polyantha - Multiflora x China , hardy, short, clusters, rebloomer Portland - China x Damask/Gallica, fragrant, short, upright, reblooming rosette Rambler - Vigorous climber, clusters, once blooming Rugosa - Chinese species rose, fragrant, once blooming, large hips Shrub - Flowers held close to foliage, need little tending Tea - Rosa gigantea x chinensis, sweet scent, high-centered bud, nodding stems Tree - Ro se budded or grafted onto a 36-48" stem or standard Enjoy the work of Rose Breeders past and present who have given us such a vast array of colors, sizes, fragrances and shapes. Learn more about roses, talk with your local Nursery Professional, visit a rose garden, read a book or join a Rose Society. Become a part of history and plant a Rose. |
|
Copyright © 2004 Garden Talk. All rights Reserved
webmaster@lenandlisa.net