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From my Garden, April 2004 I’m writing this on Saint Patrick’s Day. It’s snowing here in my neck of the woods and “No”, it’s not green snow. I’ve been potting bareroot roses in my greenhouse. There may not be much activity going on outside but the weeds sure are growing in the greenhouse and last years carryover potted roses are beginning to leaf out. Temperatures forecast for this weekend call for 50s so start looking for buds swelling on your bushes outdoors. Tender roses will not show any signs of life but hardy shrubs and old garden roses will begin to green up. A multiflora bush I grow for root stock is beginning to look really healthy. Spring blooming bulbs are popping out of the soil and I should have crocus ( or is it croci?) blooming soon. The fall before my stroke I was able to get 1000 bulbs planted along one side of the driveway. This will be the 3rd year they’ve bloomed and as they continue to mature they put on quite a show. I’ve an area containing 7 oak trees on the south side of my house that is quite shady. Initial plans were to create a shade garden in this area but those plans have been put on hold the last two years. Last year I was able to put in a small pond with hostas, astilbe, water lilies, ferns, and reeds planted in and around the pond thanks in large part to the help of a group of Master Gardeners who spent a day moving rocks and planting potted shade plants brought from my home in Griffith. I have some filtered sun and open areas where I hope to plant Zephirine Drouhin and Cecile Brunner, both of which will bloom in partial shade, although not as well as they will in full sun. Many roses will reward you with blooms in filtered sun if you are willing to settle for fewer flowers and smaller bushes with somewhat spindly canes. They also tend to be less healthy, often dying after a few years. In our area, many roses only last a few years anyway so enjoy some in areas you would not normally grow roses. Roses planted in large pots, grown in a sunny location, and placed in a shady area while blooming will add color to an otherwise drab area. Just don’t forget to move it back into the sun after it’s served it’s purpose so it can recuperate. Don’t get into a big hurry to prune after a few warm days. Pruning too early can result in loss of early leaves and push back your first bloom. I try to wait until the forthysia bloom. In the past, due to conventions at normal pruning time, I’ve pruned as early as the end of March and pulled leaves back over the pruned bush to keep it cool and protect against late freezes. Pruning and placing your rose cone back over the bush will also work if you’ve cut the top from the cone so temps don’t build up under it. Best though to wait until the proper time to avoid unnecessary work and possible plant damage. Attempting to prune early will not hasten your first bloom but pruning late will set it back. If you can work the soil you can plant a dormant bare root rose. It will remain dormant in the ground until the soil warms up and the roots begin to grow. Make sure you hill soil over the newly planted bush. The cool soil will help keep the canes from leafing out too early. Early growth from new planted dormant roses comes from food and moisture stored in the canes. Overnight soaking of your dormant rose prior to planting is a must to re-hydrate it as the newly growing feeder roots do not supply moisture or nutrients to the bush for a week or so. Make sure you dig a big hole to plant your new bush, at least 18 inch wide by 18 inches deep. Bigger if you have the energy. In heavy soil the roots often will not grow outside of the hole the bush was planted in. This can hold true in loose sandy soil also. The size of the top growth will not be larger than the size of the root system. The better home you build for your bush the bigger the bush and more flowers you will have. Don’t use a chemical fertilizer when you pruneor plant. In my early rose growing years I lost many bushes that survived the winter, due to using chemical fertilizers at planting or pruning. Chemical fertilizers release their nutrients too fast and too strong. Newly forming feeder roots can be burned by these strong fertilizers. This will stop moisture and nutrient uptake and kill the bush. I’ve had no problems applying fresh horse manure, organic fertilizers (such as Mill’s Magic Rose Mix) and 4 or 6 month release Osmocote at planting and pruning. It’s important you follow up with lots of water, water, water. When you think you’ve watered enough, water some more. I water my rose beds 1 hour daily in the spring in my sandy soil. Heavy clay will hold moisture longer so a careful check to see if the plants have enough or too much moisture is required in clay soil. Over watering in clay can lead to root rot unless you’ve provided proper drainage. A large hole in clay soil without proper drainage can lead to the “bathtub syndrome,” where water will collect in the planting hole with no place to drain. Raised beds often work best in clay soil. A raised bed can be nothing more than an 8-10 inch high pile of soil on top of the clay. Care must be taken so that the soil stays in the bed. Proper planning in the spring will reward you with strong healthy bushes and lots of big blooms. Have Questions? Write to: rosenut@rosenut.com |