22,153 Garden Web Discussions | Roses

the thing is that roundup is made up of different chemicals than the spray used in my neighborhood. I'm not sure if both would have the same effect on foliage.

I would really prefer that my Brother Cadfael was affected by a temporary event and there was hope for survival.

Here is a link that might be useful: roundup ingredients

Brother Cadfael's growth looks like rosette disease. If there is any recurrence, you should remove the plant immediately and bag it.

I never heard of insecticide causing growth like that, and I think you can dismiss that possibility.

Sumithrin is rated as having low toxicity to birds and mammals. It is highly toxic to aquatic life.

Here is a link that might be useful: sumithrin

I am sure one day,roses would be engineered to bloom 4 seasons, glow in the dark, totally bullet proof and have all the attributes that one' heart desires. But I don't look forward to those roses. I garden because I enjoy being connected with simple, but essential things missing from my work like (sun, rain, dirt, sweat) as well as a bit of history and personalities of our plants. For gardenning, I will stay low tech and, yes, I find glowing roses disturbing.

For those who are M. Atwood fans, didn't she write about roses that glow in the dark in Year of the Flood?

I still think mutations like sports are the best form of genetic modification from nature.

Who knows? Maybe one day those failed blue roses will sport and we'll get a true blue one.

Also, bullet-proof roses! lol! That made my day.

Kate, I was surprised today to see about 6 new buds on Julia Child. One limp flower that was on the bush awhile. I wouldn't have thought it would still be pushing out buds, so now I'm waiting to see if they will get to open before another cold night. I think we're supposed to warm up for a few days.

Very pretty roses out California way!

Well Jeri, I don't know exactly where our water goes down south, but I know it does get sold to parts of SoCal. My husband was down at the local marina the other day, where the lake is, and it's lower than it's ever been. You can't even launch the boats from there any more because it's so low. And the main reservoir is lower than ever also.

I hear we're supposed to get some rain in the coming week, and I certainly hope we do! It's finally beginning to cool down too. Personally, I hate winter and am not looking forward to it. But we really need a good cold winter this yr. The last two have been pretty mild. I just don't want to end up with water rationing! If that happens, I'll lose a lot of roses.

You're welcome. If there isn't room where they're planted to mound them, you can also take tar paper, cardboard, even many sheets of news paper rolled into a cylinder then stapled to hold it together (or even tied with string) so you can slip them over the plants then fill with potting soil or amendment. You only want the top two or three inches of canes to poke out of the soil. Water the cylinder contents thoroughly to keep it damp and cool. When you see real new growth starting, you can gradually remove a bit of the soil every few days until you've exposed much of the canes and there are several inches of new foliage and canes. I usually then slip the cylinders off and use the remainder as mulch in the bed. If it begins raining, you can simply uncover them and let the rain do it for you. It's amazing how quickly a good rain settles the plant and successfully kick starts it into growth.

Ironically, it rained like crazy this morning on the 5 through the Newhall Pass. The 14 was bone dry and sunny and all three places I had for stops today were also dry, but the freeway, RIGHT where it's REALLY needed, was soaked. Go figure. Who knew concrete was magnetic for rain? KIm

I'm approaching my first anniversary of growing roses in SoCal with mixed results. Here I found the soil to be horrible and in places it can be as hard as concrete so drainage can be bad. You need to do a lot of soil preparation and then use a moisture meter to check drainage and to make sure the roots are kept moist but not wet. The next problem is watering. I am positive arial watering in these conditions is not enough and it is wasteful and water here is expensive. It probably wastes at least 50 percent of the water. All my neighbors water their roses with arial systems like are used for lawns and their roses are mostly dead. I put in an emitter surface system that puts two gallons per hour at the base of the rose. None is wasted but it has to be run a lot because the water spreads out as well as sinks down. That inch of water needs to cover the entire area. It wont just stay around the roots. Third, you have to use a lot of mulch and feed with organic liquid fertilizer. I have been unable to find alfalfa pellets here but steer manure in water seems to work just fine. I have two large plastic garbage cans of steaming liquid steer manure that I use to feed my 100 roses. Once the soil is built up and humisy like it was for me in CT a lot of this wont be necessary but it is when you are first starting out. The other advice that has been given here about the quality of the bare roots was fine. I would never buy bare roots from a box store and you really can't be sure what you'll get from a mail order nursery. I got some real garbage from J&P in the past and last year I got some pretty bad ones from Hortico but they all survived and thrived if I was careful planting. Some were tiny and looked half dead but they turned into huge plants in six months.

Happy Lady Ann Kidwell.

She is about 3 feet tall and has a couple dozen buds.

Doesn't she just have the loveliest foliage imaginable?

Jeri

Many/most of the positive suggestions are familar. I can offer a comment of the problem you may experience once you have a membership built up.

What to do to keep the club from exploding? Somehow, one has to keep the rose exhibitors and the non rose exhibitors away from each others throats.

Having been a membership chair for several years for multiple rose societies, I can say there is no one sure-fire way to entice people to attend meetings, let alone join a rose society. People turn first to the internet for information so getting your local rose society on the web and linked to other local gardening groups, the ARS website, Facebook and local nursery websites will go a long way towards publicizing your society. Make sure your website is updated on a regular basis, complete with pictures, a monthly rose calendar, email and phone numbers for local CR's and a schedule of local rose activities, cost and contact info.

Join with the Master Gardeners and other local gardening groups to set up info booths at public gardening events, tours, nurseries, etc. Make sure your group has small fliers and membership applications available every place you go.

Offer a half-year membership, gift memberships and maybe a free rose bush, garden utensil or booklet with extended memberships. Don't be afraid to offer a pro-rate or complimentary membership to local nurseries, churches or other garden groups.

Send your electronic newsletter to local homeowners groups so they can include your events to your neighbors.

Visit local nurseries, hang posters, volunteer a 'rose' day when bare roots come in. Make sure you know what the local nurseries are ordering and don't send all your members to mail-order instead of supporting the local guys. Recommend roses they can purchase locally.

Support, volunteer and advertise for your local public rose garden. Establish workdays and use limited street signage to publicize.

Print media advertising is really expensive but sending your newsletter and information to local garden writers and editors can get you a freebie mention in the paper or some coverage for a rose show.

Prepare to spend many, many hours a year trying to encourage people to grow roses and join a rose society. Long past the time you no longer hold the membership position, continue to be committed to membership. Some of our newer members took up to five years before deciding we didn't bite, scratch or cost them an arm & a leg.
Most people I've given programs to said they walked away with new info and a better understanding of their gardens.

Once you get new members, make sure they get introduced to your CR's, get them a mentor if needed and don't try to push them into holding office right away.

Jeannie Cochell, Phoenix Rose Society

Thank you! I was worried. It looks cold to me. Lol.

Update. Recovered from too much water, iron imbalance.

Good choices.

I am near you - about 3 hours from Galveston in east Texas. I love my Tess. I have her on a huge fan shaped trellis - she has very healthy foliage and lots of nice blooms. Two of my favorite Austins are Carding Mill and Abe Darby. Wollerton Old Hall, new for me last year, does get really big, don't find the blooms fragrant like Austin says, but they are pretty. Sophy's Rose is a really good one - healthy foliage, lots of big pretty deep pink blooms. Bishop's Castle is good. Lady of Shallot looks to be big. I have quite a few new ones that are healthy and growing - they will do better next year. Great big for me are James Galway and Scepter d'Isle - like them a lot. I have Lady Emma and Munstead Wood planted where they get full sun until 2pm - hope they like it there. I really like Ambridge Rose too. Love the blooms on Jude......mine is very small though. I am getting another Young Lycadis - my chickens were scratching in that bed and killed it. The color is a different, brighter looking pink that I really like. Englands Rose was new for me last year - it started off looking and blooming fantastically.....then it starting dawdling around. Am hoping it will get going again in the spring - it was really nice. I want to try Princess Alexandra of Kent - have heard good things about it.

Do any of you all plan to try the new Austins? I want Boscobel, The Lark Ascending.......not sure about the others.

caldonbeck, the photos are fabulous!
Judith

Great suggestion, Jeri. Just got to work and don't have a scanner at home. But will take leaves to work on Monday and use the scanner.

andrea

Good! I do this frequently, to show something specific.

Jeri

Oh Ingrid! How sad that Earth Song is not happy for you or China Doll. I looked at the wonderful photo Kim posted of Earth Song, bet that photo could sell a lot of plants! what heart break when you see that photo and then look at your plant.

I love my Weeping China Doll Standard. Mine is full of new shiny growth.

Interest note: when we went to the Otto n Sons rose days, the weeks rep was speaking about Bolero when I took a seat. (we had not realized there were speakers) He spoke very highly of Bolero BUT one thing he noted more than once was how superior Bolero was to Iceberg as it did not have any pink shading. A touch of creamy yellow was supposed to be the only not white color.

My weeping china doll tree rose is a prolific bloomer. I love it and would recommend it for my climate. My regular China Doll was a good bloomer but I moved it and it has not done anything since.

Bolero is very tempting and I don't have much room either but I might have to make room for it. Glad to hear about it; I have not paid much attention to the Romanticas (which Bolero is, I believe).

I have had a Sun Sprite Rose for several years and have up rooted it and replanted it 3 times. It is a robust and generally trouble free rose. I never had any problems with it. I love the bright yellow blooms and its strong licorice aroma. Mine blooms when it wants to, usually three times throughout the spring and summer. Here is a pic of mine.

My 2 bits:

I've never grown Sunsprite because of reports of health issues.

In another thread, I confessed that "I am quite keen on Kordes," but I should have said then and I should always emphasize that I'm referring to 21st century Kordes roses - particularly 2004 onward. EVERYTHING I've read on these very modern Kordes roses says health is NOT an issue. Criticisms presented are usually a matter of personal preference for certain characteristics. Sunsprite is from 1973 and definitely isn't in the same category.

I wish I could make a specific suggestion, but I don't really grow yellow roses. I have Molineux and at its best Molineux is a delicious changeable blend of pink, apricot, and yellow - a trait shared by some of the most famous Austins - truly beautiful. Molineux was only pure yellow for me in the heat of summer.

Molineux was lovely here, no spray, for about a year and a half - then boom; it completely defoliates annually now. Molineux certainly doesn't get my endorsement for a no spray environment either.

As others have already mentioned, and I agree: if you want a reliably healthy yellow, please look to the more modern yellows.

You might get a great deal of information from my favorite rose book:
"TEA ROSES: Old Roses For Warm Gardens."

See:
http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Roses-Old-Warm-Gardens/dp/187705867X

This was THE book that those of us who garden in warm climates hoped for, for years.

You might also like to visit the web sites of the Heritage Roses Group and the Gold Coast Heritage Roses Group to read articles, and to read back issues of Newsletters.

http://www.theheritagerosesgroup.org/
and
http://www.goldcoastrose.org/

You can ask questions through either website. And by all means, visit the Antique Roses forum here.

Jeri

Here is a link that might be useful: TEA ROSE BOOK

Thanks Jeri. Books about rose gardening are hard to come by here so that one's gonna be a treasure! I'll be on the lookout for it next time I go to a book store.

Thanks again for the suggestions and references!