When and How Should You Prune Your Roses?

Rose bushes that are not pruned can grow into large tangled messes with small and inferior blooms. The following should allow you to grow an attractive well shaped and sized bush with large lovely blooms.

Pruning at the right time can be just as important as how you prune. Bushes should not be pruned until they begin coming out of dormancy. This can be as early as January in warm weather areas to as late as April in very cold areas. In colder areas do not prune until all danger of frost is past.

Using the proper tools to prune roses

Image via Wikipedia

Using the proper tools is also very important. You need a good set of pruning shears, the type that have one side for cutting and one side for supporting. The shears must be sharp, otherwise they can tear your canes instead of cutting them. For older larger canes you will also need a good sharp fine toothed curved cutting saw that is lubricated. It is also a good idea to have some type of pruning paint or sealer to seal larger cuts. Do not forget good heavy canvas or leather gloves that can protect your hands.

Do not cut canes straight across. All cuts should be at an angle of between 40 to 65 degrees. Always make sure that the shear’s cutting blade is on the lower side of the cane in order to insure a clean cut. This way any injury to the plant will be on the upper part of the cane which will be discarded.

How much you prune depends on what you are trying to accomplish and on how well established the plant is. Moderate pruning, leaving 5 or more canes of up to 24 inches in length, will develop a large bush with nice moderate sized blooms. Light pruning, canes 3 to 4 feet in length, will produce an even larger bush but with smaller blooms on shorter stems and is good for newer or weaker plants. Heavy pruning, 3 to 4 canes from 6 to 12 inches in length will produce the largest, showiest blooms, however if the plant is too new or weak you may end up reducing the plants life span.

When pruning, remove all suckers as these grow from the root stock which is different from the grafted bush and may eventually take over and kill the bush. Cut out all week, spindly and deformed canes, and if possible cut out canes growing toward the center of the bush. If canes cross each other remove the weaker one. Proper shaping makes for a lovelier bush and allows proper air circulation which makes for a healthier plant.

Try to make all cuts down to a cane or if necessary down to about one quarter inch from a strong outside bud union or eye, the eye is where new growth stems from.

After pruning paint all major cuts with a sealer in order to aid in healing and to help keep out insects and diseases.

For more information about bare root roses see
http://www.nationalrealtorsdirectory.com/barerootrosesarticle.html

For information about planting bare root roses see http://www.nationalrealtorsdirectory.com/plantingbarerootrosesarticle.html

Permission is given to reprint this article providing credit is given to the author, David G. Hallstrom, and a link is listed to http://www.nationalrealtorsdirectory.com the owner of this article. Anyone or any company reprinting this article without giving proper credit and the correct link, is doing so without permission.

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Popular Rose Varieties For Your Garden

When many people think of gardening, their thoughts turn first to roses, and there is no wonder. Roses are among the most popular, and certainly most beautiful, types of flowers there are. In addition, roses are a huge part of both the gardening hobby and the professional flower business. There are even rose and flowers shows were master gardeners proudly show off their lovely creations to an awestruck crowd.  So which Popular Rose Varieties are you Using For Your Garden

Whether your ultimate goal is to take the big prize at the next rose show or just enjoy a few roses in your garden, it is important to get a feel for the many varieties of roses on the market. Roses are among the most varied flowers on the market; they come in virtually every color of the rainbow and in blooms ranging in size from a fraction of an inch to almost a foot in width. This article focuses on a few of the most commonly seen rose varieties.

Popular Rose Varieties For Your Garden

Image via Wikipedia

Pimpinellifolia Roses
Pimpinellifolia roses are renowned for their hardiness, and their attractive foliage and lovely blooms make them a great choice for the beginning rose enthusiast or the experienced gardener. These roses come in pink, red, yellow and white blossoms, and they grow on attractive and very compact bushes.

Boursault Roses
Boursault roses are of the climbing variety, and they are said to be the result of a cross between an early variety of China rose and the R. Pendulina rose. This cross is thought to have occurred during the reign of Napoleon, who was a well known rose enthusiast. The blossoms of this rose are somewhat large, and they grow in either small or large clusters depending on the variety. The blooms come in various shades of pink and red. Many varieties can reblossom later in the season.

Sempervirens Roses
The Sempevirens is similar to the Boursault, in that it is also a climbing rose. The Sempervirens originated in the Mediterranean region of the world, and it has large leaves accented by small white flowers which grow in large clusters. This variety of rose was studied extensively by rose enthusiasts as far back as 1820, and it continues to be one of the most popular varieties of climbing rose on the market today. This variety of rose is seen in various shades of pink and white.

Setigera Roses
The Setigera variety of rose, known to the scientific community as R. setigera, has a reputation for being a hardy and tough plant. That hardiness may be due to the fact that R. setigera comes from the prairie region of the United States, a difficult environment to say the least. The setigera rose has been used in breeding programs to create many very hardy varieties of climbing roses, most notably the crosses with the Noisettes and Gallicas varieties.

Wichuraiana Roses
The Wichuraiana rose, also known as R. wichuraiana, is a frequently seen wide spreading cluster rose. It is used both as a climbing rose and as an attractive ground cover.

Hopefully the above will now help you to pick some Popular Rose Varieties For Your Garden

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Why Is Rose Gardening So Addictive?

Image via Wikipedia

For many of us, the act of gardening brings us closer to nature by getting us outdoors and allowing us the opportunity to tend and grow objects that in the absence of our assistance would not be able to survive, let alone thrive. There is a special connection between the growers of roses and their plants, however, which seems to go even beyond the basic instincts of the traditional gardener. Is this Why Rose Gardening Is So Addictive?

The first reason that roses can be such an addictive plant is the roots it has in our culture in the form of myth and symbolism. The same reason we are addicted to rose gardening is the same reason we are willing to pay a ridiculous amount for a single flower or bunch on Valentine’s Day- nothing in our society communicates more than the rose. This cultural phenomenon has been a part of western heritage for longer than anyone can trace. The rose was considered a flower of romance in ancient China, where it was first developed, and was used throughout the Roman Empire. British history is full of roses in every context- the theater where Shakespeare’s plays were put on was known as the rose, and some of the most distinguishing events in British history occurred during the long “War of the Roses”. Roses were not actually introduced to Europe in the cultivated style until the late 1700s, when they arrived from China.

So, Why is it that Rose Gardening is so addictive?

Perhaps some of the addiction we have in cultivating roses stems in part from the same areas that our ancient forebears found so appealing. Many roses have a very distinctive scent, and the shape of the rose is certainly unique enough in itself to warrant extensive cultivation and appeal. Roses can also be found in many different colors and varieties, and there is symbolism attached to every colour that roses can be found in- red, of course, symbolizes love, but did you know that pink roses carry a message of gratitude, while yellow represent joy?

Roses also represent a singular species which can manifest itself in a variety of styles, and therefore a rose gardener really needs only to focus on rose types to bring all the variety to the appearance of her lawn and garden that could be wished for. Roses can be planted in the miniature style, as bushes, and as climbers. As has been noted above, roses are also available in several different colors which will add to the overall diversity in appearance of your garden. Roses are also available in petals of many different sizes to further add diversity to your landscaping. Species roses grow hips that are colorful and last well into the winter, and can add a further sprinkle of uniqueness to your landscaping by attracting birds throughout the winter months.

Lastly, roses require as little or as much attention as the gardener wants to put in. Pruned bushes look ideal, but roses are also beautiful when allowed to grow freely. Roses also tend to be very hardy and resistant to diseases. The soil composition needs not have too many considerations, and the ground cover is totally up to the gardener.

Growing roses can be an addicting experience because of their history, their beauty, their variety, and their maintenance. Once a person dedicates their garden space to the cultivation of roses, the possibilities are limitless.

Do you know think you understand why rose gardening is so addictive?

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Unlocking The Secrets To The White Rose

As we well know, “a rose is a rose is a rose”. But certainly, even among roses there is a hierarchy, or at least an ordering. Each variety has its own beauty; each color has its own meaning. The two most prominent colors are undoubtedly red and white. Two colors so famous for their meaning, red conveys passion, while white conveys purity. The stories of the red and white rose have long converged and diverged, most famously in history, in the War of the Roses, a late medieval fight for the British crown. Here, we shall leave the passionate red rose to her own affairs, and turn our attention to unlocking the secrets to the more subtle white rose as the focus of our article. The white rose, which has undoubtedly been linked to purity for many years now, has come to represent much more. Christian symbolism has turned it into a sign for the Virgin Mary. In history, especially recent history, the white rose has become a strong political symbol, standing for truth and fighting totalitarianism, starting with the anti-Nazi German student group called the White Rose. White rose petals also manage to smoothly fall into the pages of prose and poetry, leading to beautiful lyrics and strong symbolism. Thus, the white rose, through its different meanings given to it by different ages of humanity, has come to be a strong political emblem, as well as a beautiful image that has been and will continue to be used in literature.

Unlocking Those Longed For Secrets Of The White Rose

Image by dosbears via Flickr

Innocence and purity are the main symbols which the white rose conveys. Likely it is due to this that the white rose is associated with the Mary. The white rose is also said to have blossomed without thorns in Paradise before the fall of Adam and Eve. This image reinforces the idea of the white rose as a return to innocence and purity. It has also come to mean loyalty and faith, which can be strongly linked to purity. In true love, faithfulness and loyalty are implicit, despite distance or time.  For these symbols, white roses are a perfect gift to a beloved who is far away, as they will display not only your love, but also your fidelity. White roses are also the perfect gift to send to a platonic friend, for a similar reason: constant, faithful love, mixed with the symbolism of innocence, is a wonderful way to show your love for a dear friend. From the times of the War of the Roses, the white rose carries great significance in England, and the white rose is said to refer to death to those that betray their word. Again, the white rose is strongly tied to ideas of fidelity and trust – to such a degree that death is deserved by those who break their vows.

Breaking vows is something that the political group The White Rose did not do. This group of students in Munich actively worked against the Nazi regime during World War II, upholding their ideals of freedom. The majority of this group of brave youth did receive death for remaining faithful to their beliefs. The potential reasons for choosing the name “The White Rose” include the relation of the white rose with another of its symbols: secrecy. Loyalty to their cause could have been another reason why they chose the name. Perhaps they chose the white rose, as white is free of any color, and thus, their ideas and work were not linked to any main political thought of the day.  This young group of brave activists has given a special connotation to the white rose. It is the purity of youth, staying faithful to their ideals.

This special rose has its place in world culture as well. From folk songs to children’s stories to rap, references to the flower can be found. A Russian folk song called “White Roses” describes with sadness how white roses add life to and decorate winter parties, only to be left to die after the party is over. This song implies that the white rose sacrifices itself for our enjoyment and short-lived merriment. Nana Mouskouri, in her famous song “The White Rose of Athens”, waits for the blossoming rose for her distant love to return. In this song, the white rose stands for its best known symbols: fidelity and love, waiting for her love to return when the white rose blooms again. In the all-time favorite children’s classic “Alice in Wonderland”, the Red Queen’s servants are frantically “painting the roses red”. When Alice asks why they are painting the white roses red, the servants explain that she will have their heads cut off unless the roses are all red. The Red Queen, known for her cruelty, can be equated to lost innocence, and thus the purity of the white rose does not at all suit such a Queen. The symbolism of the rose is not lost in contemporary culture either. Tupac Shakur, the famous rapper killed at too young an age, wrote an autobiographical poem about a rose. The poem is entitled “The Rose That Grew From Concrete”, which speaks of hope and the ability to overcome obstacles when least expected. Thus, the white rose has firmly established its place in prose and poetry, both of days gone and by and of our contemporary world.

The white rose is a very strong flower. It is pure in its snow white, a favorite flower to accompany brides to the altar, and does represent purity and innocence. At the same time, as the uses throughout history have shown, the white rose is also a symbol of strong resistance and the will to stand for one’s beliefs at any cost. Giving a white rose as a gift is a very strong gift. It is not fleeting passion or romance, which is too often what the red rose conveys. The white rose is a strong and consistent love, which is pure, faithful and sacrificial. Not many flowers have such a powerful meaning to their name. And this meaning comes to the rose not only through folklore and stories, but through true histories of brave people fighting for their cause. The white rose is a beautiful flower, with beautiful symbolism, and a friend or lover should be proud to give this flower as a gift to those they love steadily and faithfully.

So there you have it – we have now unlocked the secrets to the White Rose!

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Choosing The Perfect Roses for Your Garden

Begin by asking – What does your chosen garden space offer in size, location and condition?

Remember, roses can be a little ‘picky and choosey’ about where they live and about what elements they are to be exposed to. Roses make excellent neighbors if they are happy with those around them.

For example:

• Remember – roses need the correct balance of exposure to air and other elements.
• Roses love getting plenty of fresh air.
• They don’t like windy conditions.
• They just hate having to live in the shadow of trees or other large plants – and tend to sulk when they are.

When it comes to the Soil … Ask yourself :

• Has the soil already grown roses for a reasonable length of time?
• Does the soil need improving?
• Does the area get plenty of sun?
• What is the drainage like? (remember – a waterlogged rose is not a happy rose.)

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Roses are a very beautiful flower, so it is nice to have them in your landscape. However, a lot of people worry about rose planting and care, thinking it must be very difficult to do. However, this really isn’t the case. It just takes a few simple steps to plant a rose bush.

One of the most important things to consider when you are planting a rose is the location. This can really determine whether or not your rose is going to flourish and be filled with flowers. When choosing rose planting locations, you want to find a spot with good drainage that gets a lot of sun, preferably full sun. �Make sure that your new rose will have plenty of space so that it can grow without being crowded. You don’t want your rose to be exposed to a lot of wind though either, so take care and choose just the right spot for your rose.

Another concern with rose planting is the soil. You want it to have the proper nutrients and drainage, as well as the right pH level (around 6.5). If your soil isn’t just right, you can amend it by mixing the required nutrients into the soil that you plan to put back around your rose bush.

Once you have chosen your site, prepare your rose for planting. If you have a bare root plant, you should soak it in water overnight to rehydrate it before planting. Some people recommend putting a small amount of bleach (one cup per five gallons water) in the water that you use to soak the plant in order to kill off any harmful microorganisms that might be present. Bushes that come in a pot of soil do not need to be soaked.

Dig a hole for your rose that is a bit bigger than the pot that the rose is in, or bigger than the plant that you have. You will want to put back a cone shaped pile of soil so that you can put your new plant in at the right depth and spread the roots out a bit. The correct depth for planting really hinges on where you live. The union should be one inch underground if you live in zones five or six, at ground level if you are in zones seven or eight, and above ground if you live in zones nine or ten. Fill the hole in with the rest of the soil.

Make sure that your newly planted rose bush gets plenty of water, but not too much. This type of plant really prefers to get less frequent but deeper waterings. Water them about once a week with enough water to make the soil wet about ten inches deep. Wait until the soil is dry before you water the plant again. Too much water too often will make it so that the plant does not have enough air circulating near the roots, so it is important to avoid making this mistake. When you follow these simple steps for rose planting, the results will be beautiful rose blooms.

Valerie Knotts is a rose gardening expert and author who enjoys teaching others how to plant and grow beautiful roses. For more information onrose planting, visit http://www.guidetogrowingroses.com
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Over the years, roses have gotten a bad reputation. Many people think they are difficult to grow and maintain.  If you are thinking about starting a rose garden do not let this rumor stop you from planting these beautiful flowers.  While rose gardening can prove to be a bit challenging, with a little hard work, time and patenice, you can be the envy of your neighorhood. 

When starting your rose garden, there are several rose types to choose from.  You will have to decide which rose type you would like to plant. You have a choice between bare-root, pre-packaged, and container-grown roses.  Bare-root roses are sold in the winter and early spring. Many people order these roses through the mail. They should be planted after the last frost in your planting zone is over. Plant these roses when the ground has warmed and is easy to work.  Pre-packaged roses are bare-root plants that are sold in a bag or box that has material around the roots to retain moisture, such as sawdust.  Container-grown roses are grown; you guessed it, in containers.  They will be either budding or already in bloom when they become available in the early spring. You can get these roses at your local garden center or greenhouse.

Planting roses is not much different than planting any other type of plant.  The most important thing for roses, is healthy soil and a prime planting location.  It does not matter whether the roses you bought are bare-root or container-grown, the planting methods are going to be the same as any other plant.  Make sure the spot you choose drains well, roses do not like to stand in water for long periods of time. This can rot their roots, nothing like planting your rose only to watch them die, because of poor drainage. Roses love plenty of sunlight, morning sunlight is best, this will dry the leaves and help prevent your roses from getting diseases. Roses need at least eight hours of sunlight a day.  Do not overcrowd your roses, they need plenty of room to spread out and grow. It is a good idea to check the rose you intend to plant for its size when it is mature, to be sure it will have plenty of room to spread and grow. Before planting your roses, always remove any dead leaves. Also cut off any thin or decaying shoots.  Damaged or very long roots also need to be trimmed back, this helps for making a healthy plant.  Bare-root roses need to be soaked in water about 4-24 hours to rehydrate the roots before planting. When digging the hole for your rose plant make sure it is large enough for the root growth of the rose, usually twice the size of the plant. This will also give you plenty of room for pruning and encourages air circulation around your rose plant. Adding compost or mulch to the hole before planting is a great idea. Roses love the added nutrients compost and mulch gives.

Roses are greedy and just a bit needier than other plants. Roses like the same things other plants get, but they take a bit more.  One thing to remember when rose gardening is that roses are heavy feeders and need several fertilizer applications.  Start fertilizing in early spring and stop in early fall, six weeks before the first frost. This gives your roses time to harden off and go dormant for winter. Stopping to late will encourage new growth, which can be injuried or damaged by winter. Make sure you do not over-fertilize and water your rose plants after each feeding. Roses require large amounts of water; about a gallon per plant each week. Thorough watering twice a week should be enough. When there is little rain, more manual watering maybe required.

Pruning is an essential part of rose gardening.  This increases the amount of blooms on your rose plants and will encourage healthy plant growth.  Many varieties of roses have different pruning instructions. Reading about the different rose types will help you understand when and how much to prune each year.

The main thing to remember when rose gardening is to water, remember roses are needy and greedy plants. Watering leads to a healthy garden, which is less prone to disease. Another thing about rose gardening is the amount of fertilizer and nutrients you give your roses.  Pruning is also an important part of growing roses, this needs to be done on a regular bases to keep your rose garden under control and healthy.  Even though rose gardening takes time, hard work and patenice, many people think they are a very unique plant. Roses have a wonderful scent, great blooms and are a welcome addition to any garden space.

Written by ATrujillo I work from home and enjoy writing articles about different subjects. If you care to learn more on rose gardening please visit this site at http://www.rosegardeninfo.com and learn more rose gardening tips and how to’s to grow a big, beautiful rose garden.
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Roses can be fickle and sensitive plants.  Although they’re generally not that hard to grow, they often will show signs of any problems pretty quickly.

Roses may struggle if there are nutrient deficiencies, so it’s important to provide them with soil that is just perfect for them and in the best possible condition.

So Where Do You Start?

Right from the start you need to ensure the highest quality soil for your roses, and to do this, add quality organic material to the soil.

1. Add backyard or manure composts to the soil

2. Use rich, organic mulch over the top – remember, the more organic material you add to the soil, the better your roses will probably do. In addition to providing nutrients and minerals to your roses, when soil is rich in organic material it helps keep the biologic system in the soil healthy, which all helps to prevent diseases

Beneficial microorganisms need the organic matter to feed upon Microorganisms are important as they help crowd out pathogens through a process known as “competitive exclusion.”  In this process, the beneficial microorganisms proliferate far more than the bad ones and, sometimes even eat them!

So, What Does All This Mean?

1. This helps keep the moisture level in the soil balanced

2.  It helps the roses to absorb more of the water that the soil receives.  Good moisture levels are very important for roses.  Over-watering is a no-no, but then again so is allowing them to dry out

3.  The wonderful thing about organic material is it acts like a sponge.  It soaks up water then holds it until it is needed by the plants

4. Organic material also helps attract earthworms

5.  Earthworms help aerate the soil, keeping oxygen flowing through it and keeping the biological process moving properly.  Their dung is a potent natural fertilizer, so having them in your garden is like having a constant source of free fertilizer!

(See our recipe page for a Worm Tea your roses will just love you for)

Having a soil rich in organic matter will make your job much easier, because:

• You’ll have to water far less often, and you won’t have to fertilize very often if the soil is rich in organic material that attracts earthworms

• Your roses will grow bigger and stronger, and they won’t have as many problems with pests and diseases.

If you don’t have a good source of organic material, you can buy bags of organic compost at most garden centers.   Some communities collect yard waste and compost it and will make it available.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Check your soil to be sure it has the proper pH balance

• Roses need a pH range of around 5.5 to 7.0, and

• Do a soil test before planting your roses to see if your soilis acidic or alkaline. Make corrections if necessary

Roses prefer a rich, loamy soil that drains well. So…

• Add leaf mold, peat moss, fine potting bark, or organic compost to all soils, especially if the soil is particularly sandy or full of clay.

• This will help the soil drain better, and will hold in just the right amount of moisture for growing healthy, happy roses

Here’s To Your Garden Being Full Of  ‘Blooming Happy’ Roses!

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There are thousands of varieties and colors of roses in the world.  Choosing the right varieties can seem impossible!  I mean really, how in the world can you possibly be expected to choose the right roses for your garden when there are so, so many stunning types to choose from?

strawberryfields

Oh my, yes, it can seem overwhelming at first.  But, fear not intrepid and potential home rose growers, with the right information and little guidance you too can plan and grow your very own stunning rose garden.

Picture if you will the absolute and stunning majesty of large shrub roses that are covered in dozens of large, beautiful and luscious  blooms.  What is more, these little beauties are great even after their blooms have faded, because of the stunning backdrop of the attractive and rich green foliage they have.

At the other end of the scale is the world’s most popular rose, the Hybrid Tea Rose – these are delicate, classy, and visually stunning.  Now if you love the thought of filling your home with your very own amazing home grown cut roses, then hybrid tea roses are a great choice, their beautiful full blossoms are simply just perfect for cutting and placing in vases.

redclimbingrose

For a massively visual and striking statement outdoors, then you should choose climbing roses.

These are the athletes of the rose garden. They are easily trained to climb over arbors, around doorways, and over walkways.  They can climb trellises beside walls, and they can be trained to climb over fences.  For the ultimate romantic touch to any garden, climbing roses are perfect.

Do you only have a patio for growing plants? Is your garden space minimal? -  then,  Petite Roses will be an excellent choice for your situation.  These guys are fabulous and grow on very compact plants. Petite roses can be neatly tucked away into small corners and do well when grown in containers.

When it comes to purchasing your roses, although it doesn’t really matter how you do it, it is  recommended that you avoid buying those grown in containers, as they can end up having their roots grow into very tight clumps that can be easily damaged during transplanting.

Bare root (sometimes referred to as bare-rooted) roses are kept dormant and are stored without soil. Their roots are kept damp by using wet sawdust, paper, or burlap.  Bare root plants are generally planted in early spring, and they tend to adjust well to their new location.  Bare root roses are also often cheaper than potted roses.  Most plant catalogs and online sources ship bare root roses, so you should be able to find the varieties you want in this format

No matter what, don’t buy the cheapest type of roses you can get.  You will get what you pay for, and low quality roses will generally come back to haunt you later.  Spend a little extra up front and give yourself the chance to have roses that will not only survive, but thrive.

Rose Buying Tips:

• Pick a plant that has at least three strong stems (or canes).
• Don’t buy any plants that have signs of damage, look carefully for any potential signs of disease or pest infestation.
• Be sure there are no brown spots or wilted leaves.
• Look for white roots rather than dull brown or ivory roots.  White roots are a sign of good health.  Any buds should be fat and bright.
• Keep a color scheme in mind when you purchase roses.
• Purchase roses in colors that go well together.
• Don’t choose colors that clash, you will end up making your garden look cheap and not very aesthetically pleasing.

So go forth brave rose growers…

Have a ton of blooming fun!!

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’Growing and tending roses really isn’t very hard to do!’

If you make it your business to follow the most basic rules,  your roses can and will be healthy and beautiful for a very long time.

Importantly, be sure you’ve chosen a variety that is suitable for your zone. Rose types that are not suited to,  or are not hardy enough for your zone may not survive.

1. Roses are ardent sun lovers.  So go on, and give em plenty of it -  at least six hours of direct sunlight every day.

2. Roses are greedy eaters. They love to take large amounts of nutrients from the soil. However you will need to exercise some control by feeding them very often, but lightly each time.  Then stop feeding them about two months before the first expected fall frost.

3. Feed your roses with nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.  Hybrid tea roses, climbing roses, grandifloras, floribundas and poluanthas all need about ½ cup of 10-20-20 or 10-20-10 on each bush about three times per year.  Miniature roses should receive about a tablespoon of 10-20-20 or 10-20-10.

4. Roses love getting a soluble fertilizer (20-20-20) in early summer.  About 1 cup should be poured around the base of each plant.

5. Shrub roses and standard garden roses don’t generally need much fertilizer.  You only need to give them a good application of general purposes 20-20-20 fertilizer once per year, sometime in early spring.

6. For repeat-blooming roses, apply another dose of fertilizer after the first round of blooming is done.

7. Give large rose bushes about a gallon of Alfalfa Tea (see Recipe below), and mini roses about 1/3 of a gallon  -  it is generally applied in fall, and releases a special growth hormone in your roses.

8. Water your roses deeply.  Give them at least an inch of water every week.  As long as you have given your roses plenty of rich organic material in their soil, you shouldn’t need to give them more than one inch per week.

9. Do NOT water lightly and frequently, this will encourage shallow roots that can cause your plants to die during droughts!  Always water in the mornings so leaves are dry before dusk, otherwise your roses may get diseases or mold.

10. Groom your roses regularly. Remove faded flowers, trim away dead or damaged branches, and prune away brown leaves.  For the first two months after you plant your roses, you should remove all buds to help establish the plant and encourage it to grow.

Your Roses will also appreciate it if you remember:

• To leave as much foliage on the plant as you can when you cut your first blossoms
• Any branches showing symptoms of disease need to be cut back to the healthy part of the plant
• To dispose of the affected part by placing in the trash – keeping well away from your garden and NOT putting them in the compost pile!

Alfalfa Tea

The American Rose Society developed this special Alfalfa Tea recipe for roses.

• Fill a 32-gallon plastic trash can with 10 cups of alfalfa pellets and water.
• Steep this for about five days, stirring it daily.
• Add in 2 cups of Epsom salts, ½ cup of  Sequestrene, and a trace element elixir of your choice.

After about three days, this mixture will start to smell, so keep the lid on it.

Note:

After you use all of the water, you can add more water to the pellets in the bottom to make a second batch!  After the second batch, discard the pellets.

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Are you in the mood to add a little classic elegance to your garden? –

Well,  I am here to tell you that planting your own Roses, the most well known and beloved flower in the world, is a great way to do it.  Rose Gardening is catching on all over the world and in all sorts of climates.  Contrary to what some believe, Roses are actually relatively easy to grow, and done properly, don’t require a lot of tedious or ongoing maintenance.

Choosing the varieties you wish to plant will probably be difficult.  There are so many to choose from, it may be difficult to narrow your selection down. When it comes to color choices, the variety is just as big but a good tip is to stick to a chosen color theme and to colors that mesh well.

Roses are not only breathtakingly beautiful, but they have many practical uses, too.  Through the ages they have been used to treat any number of ailments.  They have been, and still are, used to make perfumes, fragrant oils, syrups, vinegars and teas. They are also known as a popular,  fragrant and elegant addition to baked goods and confectionaries.

Did you know that Roses have played an important part in medical history, for example:

• the tannin in rose petals can be used to control bleeding
• an infusion of rose petals can be used to treat diarrhea
• rose oil and rose water are an ancient Chinese remedy for colon and stomach issues

Interestingly, Roses belong to the same family as plums, apples, and almonds.  They are of the family Rosaceae, and the genus Rosa and there are thousands of varieties of domestic and wild roses that come in a rainbow of colors.

Although hybridizing has created all of these thousands of beautiful varieties, it has unfortunately caused some rose varieties to become weak.  This means that some of today’s roses are less resistant to attack by diseases and other pathogens and need to be carefully tended so as to be able to take action immediately a problem arises.

There are quite a number of exciting and glamorous choices for how to use Roses in your garden, for example:

• you can use climbing roses to accent fences, walls, and arbors
• rose bushes are an excellent choice to add beautiful accents for lawn edges and corners, along the front or side of your house, and
• certain types make excellent hedges
• container roses are just brilliant for patio and courtyard gardens

If you like fresh Roses in your home then you should grow long-stemmed varieties. An added advantage here is you could earn a bit of extra money by selling your roses at fetes, flea markets, shop meets, or farmers markets.  Flower shops will usually pay wholesale prices for flowers.  But if you sell directly to individuals, you can make more per flower.

So, if you are still wondering whether you could , or should, plant your own Rose Garden, then hey, get out your favorite garden hat, gloves and garden tools and go ahead…..and Just Do It!!

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Paying attention to properly planting your roses, is going to be critical  for the success of your rose garden and the well-being, health and spectacle of your roses.

Do it properly at the start, and you will save yourself the headaches, anxiety and aggrevation of trying to find ways to deal with problems that may occur.

Pay Attention to Correctly Spacing Your Roses:
Essential here are the amount of plants, their size and type that you have it in mind to plant. All these things are going to impact on the amount of space, between each plant that you are going to need to allow for.

Tip: A beneficial rule is to plant your roses as far apart as they will grow in height.  Then for good measure, add  a little extra space for air flow/circulation – particularly essential in warmer temperatures. This will help to reduce the growth of disease and fungus.

With Hybrid Tea Roses expect them to grow to say 1.5 – 2 mtrs high, so consider planting them approximately 1.5mtrs or so apart.  For good measure, add a further 12 to 16 cm for warmer climates. Equally, when planting minature roses that you expect will grow to approximately one foot high, it is advisable to distance the plants about 25 to 30 cm apart – and again, remember to add a little more, say 4 – 6 extra cm, for warm climates.

Proper Planting of Bare Root Roses (bare root = dormant/underdeveloped) :
This is the most widespread and customary way to purchase rose plants. As well, you are certain to have a much wider selection to choose from when purchasing via mail order.

Tip: Time is always of the essence when you are dealing with Bare Root Roses. As the roots will already have begun to dehydrate, so make sure that you unpack the plant as soon as possible, and put the roots into a bucket of water for say 8 – 12 hours.

Dig a hole around a minimum 30cm in diameter and 20cm in depth. Create a nice little mound of damp crumbly type soil for the roots to straddle, say around 5 to 8cm high. Carefully place the roots on top of the mound, cover with around 10cm of the damp crumbly soil, then fill the hole.

Water well to compress soil and mulch with compost. Securely press soil down to remove any air pockets and then water again.

Proper Planting of Potted/Container Roses:
If you are looking for container grown roses then your local neighborhood garden center or nursery will be the place to find them. The lovely thing about purchasing your roses this way is there is no waiting or wondering period – your sense of gratification is immediate.  Normally they are already in bloom so selecting the best color and size is made all the easier.

Dig a hole about 12 – 14 cm larger (height and depth) than the container.Work a couple of spade fulls of compost into the hole.  Slit the container cover and gently remove it from the soil ball.

Tip:  Never, ever raise the plant up to do this, and importantly, do not break up or disturb the compost around the roots.

You will want to position the plant so that the soil level of the plant  match the level of the surrounding soil. Fill in the space between the soil ball and the hole with a good planting mixture (not with ordinary soil) and hand pack.  Water well and let settle.

Firm down the planting mixture again using your hands or a trowel handel to remove any air pockets. Now, go get the hose or watering can and water again.

And that my dears, is how it is done !!  Now Enjoy!

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Hey There Friends and Buddies….

I found out something so important about animals and gardens that I just had to get the guys here to agree to let me tell ya all about it.

We domestic types, oh, and even even sometimes the not so domestic types,  you know those that kinda just wander in and out of peoples gardens at all hours of the day or night – well we can get ourselves into a bit of strife.

Ya see, as darn pretty as gardens are, some of the stuff our human friends use to get things looking all pretty and healthy like…..can cause us some pretty bad problems.

Anyhow – have a read of the article below about Spring Toxins and your Pets that you need to be aware of :

Spring toxins to avoid for your pet!

By Erica Cargill, CVT and Justine
Lee, DVM, DACVECC

As we gardeners work on our rose garden, be aware of those fertilizers. While most are not very toxic (resulting in minor gastrointestinal irritation when consumed), some fertilizers can be fatal without treatment. Here are a few ingredients to be aware of so you know what toxins and symptoms to watch out for.

Blood meal – This is dried, ground, and flash-frozen blood and contains 12% nitrogen.
While it’s a great organic fertilizer, if ingested, it can cause vomiting (of some other poor animal’s blood) and diarrhea.

More importantly, it can result in severe pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas. Some types of blood meal are also fortified with iron, resulting in iron toxicity, so make sure to know what’s in your bag of blood!

Bone Meal – This is made up of defatted, dried, and flash-frozen animal bones that are ground to a powder. This “bone” is also what makes it so palatable to your dog, so make sure to keep your pet from digging in it and ingesting the soil.

While this also makes a great organic fertilizer, it can become a problem when consumed as the bone meal forms a large cement-like bone ball in the stomach – which can cause an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract – resulting in possible surgery to remove it!

Rose and plant fertilizers – Some of these fertilizers contain disulfoton or other types of organophosphates (OP). As little as 1 teaspoon of 1% disulfoton can kill a 55 lb dog, so be careful!

Organophosphates, while less commonly used, can result in severe symptoms [including SLUD signs (which abbreviate for salivation, lacrimation, urination, and defecation), seizures, difficulty breathing, hyperthermia, etc. In some cases, it can be fatal!

Pesticides/Insecticides - Most pesticides or insecticides (typically those that come in a spray can) are basic irritants to the pet and are usually not a huge concern unless a pet's symptoms become persistent.

Some may contain an organophosphate which can be life threatening when consumed in large uantities. It is always best to speak to a trained medical professional if there are any questions.

Iron - This is commonly added to fertilizers, and can result in iron toxicity (from ingestion of elemental iron). This is different from "total" iron ingestion, and can be confusing to differentiate.

When in doubt, have a medical professional at Pet Poison Helpline assist you with finding out if the amount ingested was toxic or not. Large ingestions can result in vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and potential cardiac and liver effects.

The best thing any pet owner can do is to be educated on the household toxins  (both inside the house and out in the garden!) - that way you make sure how to pet proof your house appropriately.

Make sure to keep all these products in labeled, tightly-sealed containers out of your pet's reach. When in doubt, please feel free to call Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680 with any questions or concerns if you're worried that your pet could have inadvertently gotten into anything!

Toxic fumes, vapors, dust in the air that you breath in can be dangerous for you too. Take precautions and may both you and your dog be safe!

Yo people!! ....you might have to look up the number in your own State/Country/Area for the Pet Poison Helpline closest to ya.

Stay cool and safe.

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Oh my! what an amazing experience owning my own 1200 worms is.   Folks this is quite something!

I was a tad taken back however when someone told me  that  these little guys (all 1200 of them) are very partial to a little diversity when it comes to meals.

Now if  you know nothing about being ‘a full on, you beauty, why didn’t I do all this before, in your face worm farmer’ - then this post could be just what you need.

If you are thinking about getting seriously into worm farming then you need to  know what to feed your new resident worms to ensure that they grow up to be healthy, happy worms.

Here is a sample Menu that I  was given when I started Worm Farming.

• FRUIT -  watermelon, bananas, mangos, grapes, peaches and nectarines peelings
• VEGETABLES - carrots, potatos, zucchinis, corn cobs, broccoli, beans and pumpkin peelings and scraps etc
• MEAL LEFTOVERS – cooked vegetables, stewed and fresh fruit
• OTHER FOODS – cheese, the occasional feed of bread, cake and biscuits. Egg shells (crushed), tomatoes,oranges and grapefruits.
• FROM THE OCEAN – seaweed
• TEA AND COFFEE? – Yes, like tea bags and coffee grounds
• FROM THE CLEANING CUPBOARD - vacuum cleaner dust
• HOUSEHOLD ADDITIONS - sawdust and soaked cardboard
• OTHER STUFF – hair clippings and aged pet poo.

Important: Ensure that the ‘pet poo’ you choose is free of vermicides as these are specifically designed to kill worms in cats, dogs and other animals.

And, another things folks, remember the little suckers only enjoy ‘aged poo’ in moderation.

Also – ‘Well Fed Does Not Mean ‘FAT’

‘Well Fed Worms’ however, will happily keep to their side  of the  business arrangement and manufacture , via their worm castings and liquid,  a premium and environmentally friendly fertilizer for your roses and other plants as well.

Direct From The Worm Farm!

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