Rose Gardening

ROSE GARDENING




Many home gardeners feel that roses require special expertise and tha
you need to be a mystic or an alchemist to successfully grow backyar
roses. Not so. Most rose failures can be traced back to basi
mistakes that are preventable once you know what they are. roses hav
fundamental requirements and by following these six basic steps
successful rose gardening is not only possible, but also easy
enjoyable, and highly satisfying.





1. Buy Good Plants.



Buy roses from highly regarded local sources that specialize in rose
and other plants. These nurseries and garden centers are in the plan
business and sell quality roses. They will render advice on plant car
and will be able to assist you if there is a problem. Roses from thes
sources are usually graded “number 1,” which is the highest grade i
their industry, and come from reputable growers. Plan to spend more o
these plants but their size and overall quality more than off set th
difference in price. It is true that cheaper roses are available i
discount stores, but they are smaller and generally receive no car
once they are placed on the sales table. You will find yoursel
spending the first season nursing an inferior plant along and at th
end of the summer, when all is said and done, you have gained nothing.
Superior roses are available by mail order, also. Buying mail orde
greatly increases your choices and the plants arrive in excellen
condition ready for planting.







2. Start with Good Soil.



Everything begins with the soil. Sandy loam drains very well bu
doesn’t have enough of the organics that roses need to be ideal soil.
This is not a problem; we can build our own by simply adding organics.
These amendments are necessary, not so much for nutrition, but for soi
conditioning. They hold water, buffer the soil against wide swings i
pH, promote the growth of important microorganisms, and generall
improve the tilth of the soil. Amend sandy loam with compost, hors
manure, peat moss, etc, all of which are available locally.



Ideal pH for roses is a slightly acidic 6.5 to 6.9. Roses wil
tolerate pH down into the low 5’s, but beyond that, they becom
malnourished even with nutrients present in the soil. This is due t
the extreme acidity which prevents the rose from absorbing thes
nutrients. Our New England soil is naturally acidic, but this can b
overcome with pH monitoring and adding lime to the soil if necessary
particularly in the fall as it takes several months for any change i
pH to take place.



Tip. Horse manure can be used fresh and need not be aged. There ar
plenty of sources for horse manure in RI and stables are glad to be ri
of it for a nominal charge or, in some cases, free for the taking.







3. Six Hours of Sun (Minimum).



Shrubs that flower heavily need sun. Roses require a minimum of si
consecutive hours of daily sunshine to optimize their flowerin
capabilities. However, it is useful to know that varieties that hav
fewer petals in the bloom will tolerate the shade more than heavil
petalled roses which need ample amounts of heat and light to ope
properly. The color of the bloom is also affected by the amount o
sun…the more sun, the brighter the color.



Tip. Try growing roses in containers. This way they can be moved fro
place to place in a shady yard thus gaining additional sun exposure







4. Roses Love to Drink.



Roses require water and plenty of it. It is difficult to over-wate
roses planted in amended sandy loam. How much is enough? Don’t le
the soil dry out completely at the base of the plant. In coole
weather, water a couple of times per week. In the heat of the summer
everyday is not too much.





Tip. It is much better to give the plant a deep soaking, 4-5 gallons
twice per week than to lightly water everyday.







5. Roses Love to Eat.



Flowering shrubs like roses need regular feeding all season. Commenc
fertilizing when new spring growth reaches an inch or more, usuall
around the first of May. Feed large roses 1 cup of 10-10-10 monthly
through August, then stop. For miniature roses cut the regimen in
half. Triple 10 is a balanced fertilizer that provides the essential
elements of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium that roses need for
robust health. It is inexpensive and available everywhere. Augment
this with water-soluble fertilizers applied at the recommended rates.
Specialty fertilizers with trace elements are good, but not essential.
roses can’t read and they eat anything.





Tip. Cutting the dosages in half and feeding twice as often is a
superior method of fertilizing if you have the time.







6. Insect and Disease Control.



Insects can be controlled as they appear with a variety of methods.
Control of fungi, on the other hand, needs to be preemptive as
blackspot spores, for instance, are present on the foliage 30 days
before the spots occur. There are spray products available in garden
centers that effectively control all the common fungi in the home rose
garden. Follow the instructions and apply at the recommended rates.



An alternative to this is to plant varieties that have a demonstrated
resistance to disease and maintain a clean garden with ample air
circulation. Disease resistance has become a primary objective of
modern rose hybridizing and resistant varieties are introduced every
year.



Tip. Attack Japanese beetles in the larva stage in the soil with milky
spore disease or lawn care treatments. This takes time but has long
lasting positive results.




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