22,795 Garden Web Discussions | Roses
Some nurseries carry pine needles in bundles for mulching. Maybe call around? But yeah, if the pine mulch works then that would be easier.
I didn't know about the pine needles keeping the nematodes away. Good tip!! I can go out in the deeply wooded areas behind our property and rake up a bunch.
Tractor Supply sells fine pine chips that are for chicken bedding in big square bags for a little over $5.oo they smell pretty fresh (piney).
Walmart sells something like Pine Mulch which I think is the same as "pine fines" that a lot of people mix into their soil mixes and/or mulch with. It is by Timberline in a purple bag. 2 cu ft for under $3.00. Not sure how that would work?
I agree with the above. Don't feed them or spray them right now, either. Just cut off obviously dead wood, clear a space around the very base of each rose from leaves, weeds, etc. (so the sun can reach the base), and make sure they get enough water. If they are growing in sun (which is what they were missing when eaten by the cannas), they should start to put out new growth soon. When you see new growth on them, and not before, get any "rose food" at the nursery (make sure NOT to buy something that says '2 in 1" or 3 in 1" - those have poisons that kill honeybees - just get food), and follow the directions.
Then when they bloom this Spring post pics on here of the blooms, leaves, thorns, if any, and buds, and someone will be able to figure out what kind of roses they are, and then we can tell you what to do next. Congratulations on discovering them - you may have some treasures!
Jackie
Believe me that was a lot of Cannas. The bed was about 6 ft deep and 15 ft long and just full. It took four of us about 8 hours to dig all the cannas out. I set a bunch of them at the curb with a free sign but no takers. They weren't very pretty ones so I'm sure most will go to the dump. I hadn't planned on planting in there this spring in case any of those pesky rhizomes 10 Inches down are just stubborn enough to make it to the surface of the soil.
Thanks for the advice on taking care of the surprise rose bushes. I'll just hang on and see what develops.
What are you trying to achieve? MMM can easily be the only fertilizer used, typically applied every 4 - 6 weeks during the growing season. If you would like to use a supplemental feeding, maybe two or three times in between applications of MMM, but it isn't needed. Exhibitors do a heavy fertilizing schedule, but they are trying to achieve a certain state of (perceived) perfection to meet judging requirements (I'm a rose show judge). In my experience, I have done more damage by over fertilizing than under. Your mileage may vary.
I just like to grow good garden roses. What I read was that people use a liquid fertilizer between MMM and I was considering using the John's recipe because it does have some stuff in it that MMM does not. Also, the MMM I bought won't cover all my roses again so I am going to have to use something else as well, so just trying to figure out when to feed again since there are no instructions on the bag about when to reapply.
Kentucky_rose----For my garden I will be getting 4 Sheila's Perfume, 2 Royal Amethyst and 2 Distant Drums. For a small garden at work, 1 Chicago Peace, 1 Big Purple, 1 Mister Lincoln and 1 Electron. For a lady at work, 1 Elina and 1 Remember Me.
Sara_ann, what do you have coming???
Those sound great Ken! I just started a thread about wanting so many different roses! I ordered one each of White Licorice, Sugar Moon, Michelangelo, Sheila's Perfume (I love it and I'm not sure the one I have is going to make it), Memorial Day, Cinnamon Dolce, Angel Face, Colorific, Grande Amore, Marijke Koopman, Grande Dame, Heirloom, Paradise, Melodee Parfumme and Moonstone.
Thank you so much for each of your comments and lovely photos! When doing research I also thought that the form on GT looked a bit different but then the colouring had me confused. The fragrance was pleasing and fruity but not overpowdering although I only had one opportunity to smell it before the open flowers wilted in the heat. I am going to stick with the rose as GC then and see what she does :-) I just really wanted GC over GT and I know myself: if I realize that it was not GC in a year's time, I will not have the heart to remove a healthy growing and probably still beatiful rose!
I tried another Legends because I love the bloom so. I took great care in planting it, watering it, etc., planted it spring of 2014. It is still alive - but has only 3 canes and it never did put out much in the way of branching, canes. A scrawny shrub. Guess it puts its energy into the magnificent blooms - just huge and gorgeous, when they decide to show up. I have a feeling this rose is one with beautiful blooms, but leaves a lot to be desired in a bush. The same way Just Joey performed for me - out of this world blooms, but the bush was a mess. I would probably grow it again just for the blooms, but in an out of the way spot. This is where Legends may be delegated one day, but will give it a couple of years. If I find some potted ones, I may buy 2 more and make a grouping, hoping this will compensate.
Judith
I don't know about the pricing, logic says it should be different as online pricing includes shipping but I've heard of stranger things: a friend was there recently & bought several roses so they were still selling then. It seems to me that they have increased their inventory online, more temptations.
Jane
There are some things you probably won't be able to grow...especially if the upper layer of soil stays moist...but far more that you can grow easily. Where I lived in Oklahoma, the water table was only about 3-4 foot below..and we had terrestrial crayfish burrowing. There were some plants and trees that just couldn't take it..and would croak in June/July when the hot moist soil probably had the least oxygen in it.
..not a huge issue for me although I admit it is rather glaring.... I like the background colour, kind of bluey/grey that you get when looking at posts, or typing a reply, like now, I can see the background is that colour.... I find that a little easier I must admit....
Hi David. I'd be pretty happy if the grey text block was simply surrounded by a pale/soft green, ie instead of the white, since green is a restful colour, and is appropriate for gardening. Maybe also with green writing for the thread headings, and have that heading repeated with each reply, since I tend to lose track of what the original Q was after 30 or 40 replies! Also, maybe it's just me, but I'd like the posters' names/zones to be a bit bigger at the top of each post - could possibly be in green too. With bigger 'avatar' photos, if we have to have them; they're pretty hard to make out on my smallish laptop screen, anyway - not that I have any idea how to create one...
But, as you point out, I think the most urgent need to be addressed is just to get rid of the glaring white surround/background, since so many people have clearly stated it's likely to give them migraines, etc. if they stay on for their usual length of time... and for many, many others, it's just not comfortable or relaxing, so again, sessions are likely to be curtailed, or just given a miss altogether. I find I get a sort of tightness in my eyes/head (like a kind of pre-headache), and some sort of after-image I think - I must take proper note of exactly what it is that happens. But it is generally a relief to switch it off, which is a shame. Surely it shouldn't be that hard for Houzz to just put in a plain coloured background?
Comtesse :¬)
huckdog as far as I know you can't change your username (unless the one you want isn't already taken), but you CAN change the name we all see. Hover your mouse over "Your Houzz" in the top right corner of the screen, click "edit profile", and under "First Name" type whatever you want us to see. In my case I put "Rosecandy VA, zone 7".
As for posting pictures, you can click "photo" on the bottom left of the "comment" screen (which I am using right now). From there you can upload a picture from your computer. I wouldn't try "Houzz Photo" yet, though, as I did earlier to see if it worked and I had to refresh the whole page as the website got stuck. If it worked properly that button would allow you to insert a photo that you already downloaded to Houzz (which you can do under "Your Houzz - Upload Photos or Files").
The picture below is a test to make sure the "Photo" button works: 
Compost is mostly compost--in this state (CA) sellers must list the general ingredients, e.g. "composted forest products", or whatever--and there is a certification outfit OMRI that lists what can be put into a product that passes the standard defined by the USDA National Organic Program. I don't buy the bagged stuff much myself--I get bulk stuff from a local company. It's well composted, shredded tree.
You don't have to work it into the soil; just mulch with it and let the earthworms pull it down into the soil for you. The less you disturb the soil, the less weeds will spout, and also roots are not disturbed. When the mulch thins out, just add more.
Black Kow is not compost, it's composted manure, 100%. It's wonderful. Black, earthy, no smell (cannot say the same for Black Hen), and it is great for roses. If you don't have a manure source, this is the next best thing. I am not familiar with Ladybug, but BK is superior to any compost sold in bags at garden centers.Black Kow
I'm pretty sure your Hot Cocoa is on Dr Huey. I did a comparison of this rose grafted on Dr Huey, Own Root and grafted onto fortuniana. Own root was a week, thin cane waste of space. Dr Huey wasn't much better. Better vigor but still spindly and very few sprays. Fortuniana was a huge difference. Nice full bush with beautiful foliage from top to bottom. Lots of tight sprays and very few single blooms. With afternoon shade this is a beautiful bush with tons of russet blooms. If you can grow roses on fortuniana root stock, this is the ONLY way to grow Hot Cocoa. I'm on the east face of the Smokie Mts in N.E. GA. Zone 7/a-7/b
Thanks Seil and Ken. Ken, I don't know the rootstock, but my best guess is Dr Huey since it's commonly used here. Alana, I wouldn't say this rose needs a lot of shade. It simply put out ugly pink blooms when we were growing it full morning and filtered afternoon sun. It ended up in rose purgatory after I got sick of having an unsatisfactory rose in a prime spot. Rose purgatory is a crowded, mostly shady area where homeless roses are kept "on hold" until re-homed. The bloom color is a rich russet in the shade, but it still throws gnarly canes appropriate for a horror flick, and it doesn't bloom much. Morning sun may do the trick in your garden, especially if your weather is cooler than ours. I hope you'll let us know how yours does.
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No apologies needed. The real one is just a gorgeous as the inspiration!
How reassuring to see lovely, familiar names! Has hoovb come over?
...and Ty for nice compliments. :) marti