22,795 Garden Web Discussions | Roses
nanadollZ7, Marigolds do NOT repel deer here but deer do not eat them...I have Marigolds planted at the cementary deer will eat the petunias right next to the Marigolds but Marigolds are left alone here...
Braverichard, I found 3 Jb's this year and all 3 were on red Double Knockout which doesn't have much of a scent to me... So if they are in the area & hungry they will eat whatever... But they probably prefer some roses/plants over others if given the choice...
The bloom quality will improve as she gets older. That said it is a semi double and just like singles each bloom is rather short lived. It does getter than a day. I would not put her in less sun. Most likely she will stop blooming. I loved mine but when I quit using sprays I had to give her up.
I cut mine back in April to about 18-24" inches and then fertilize when I feel fairly certain a killing frost is behind us. I deadhead daily - cutting back to an outward facing stem of 5 leaves as taught to me by my father - it opens up the growth which should help eliminate disease. Cutting that much back when deadheading keeps growth in check but I do let them get to about 4' high. I don't like them to grow into each other (I have two sets of three along a fence outside a pool) as I want to be able to get around them to deadhead. I also don't like them coming through the wrought iron fence - just a visual preference. Deadheading daily doesn't take much time and is kind of Zen, plus it keeps the blooming going without too much down time after the initial blast of blooms. I fertilize with Root Tone every 6 weeks until August 1st. I don't water them, other than when applying fertilizer and rarely have Blackspot problems. I do hang a Japanese beetle trap in a discreet location nearby.
In a cold weather climate with a short growing season, you may need a variety vigorous enough to produce a large percentage of grade 1 plants--otherwise it may not grow fast enough to recover from winter each year. I get one more bloom cycle than Seil, even though we are in the same zone. This allows me to propagate HTs via cuttings despite subzero winters.
From what I've read, smaller plants are often the result of plants getting less water. In my yard, small plants usually result from issues with tree roots and inadequate light.
My question is, is your garage insulated but unheated? If so then you could garage it until spring. Put it up on some wood blocks and remember to water it some every month. You can just put a shovel of snow on the top of the pot when you shovel but roses need water over the winter and since it's inside it won't get that naturally.
If it's not insulated then it won't really be much protection. With the past two winters we've had I'm thinking planting would be better. Do it ASAP so it has as much time as possible to settle in before the ground freezes. Bury it deep to protect the crown as much as possible.
Don't winter protect it too soon. You have to wait until it is completely dormant to put any kind of winter protection on it, There are two problems with covering them too soon. The first is that if it's still warm and the little critters haven't made their winter nests they'll find those leaves make a great nesting spot and your rose is a built in food source. I lost a few roses that way one year. The second problem is the purpose of covering is not to keep them warm but to keep them dormant in the spring when the temps are fluctuating a lot. You don't want them to come out of dormancy too soon and then get hit with a late killing frosts. The heavy mulching keeps the soil from thawing out and encouraging the rose to grow before it's time.
Thanks for the detailed response!. Only one wall of our garage is insulated ( adjoining the house ). I'm wondering if that would offer enough protection for it? I'd rather leave planting it till spring ( still too many "moving in chores" to do in the house), but your suggestion to plant it now seems like a safer bet for the rose. I think you solved the mystery of my disappearing rose. I must have caged it too early. At the time, I probably gave myself a pat on the back for being pro-active!
Try over on the Rose Gallery. I know they have several threads that have pictures of whole gardens.
No icebergs at any of the Home Depots around here unfortunately. I'll keep searching locally these next couple weeks. If nothing turns up, I might order own roots from Chamblee's or ARE. I could ask them to send the least prickly plants available ;)
Or prepare your site and wait for the spring availability.