22,153 Garden Web Discussions | Roses

The main value in understanding the saturated layer is that if you do, you won't waste pot space by installing a counter-productive drainage layer.
You want shallow? I got shallow. For years, I've maintained a 16" bonsai fig in one inch of sandy loam with NO DRAIN HOLES in the pot. I know how much water the soil will hold without forming a saturated layer. I flush the soil twice a year.


You would be better off giving your sister a gift certificate for roses to be delivered in the spring. Planting any variety of rose in October in zone 6 is not a good idea. Those roses will not have time to settle in before winter sets in and are likely to die over the winter. But if planted next spring they should have plenty of time to thrive before their first winter and will do much better.
Find a supplier for the roses you've chosen and order them for delivery to your sister in the spring. Give your sister the card with the invoice and a picture of the rose you've selected in October. Your sister and the roses will be much happier.

Hijacking my own thread!!
I just want to tell Kim that he was right (natch) about listening to your plants. I have one rose in the raised bed that needs a LOT more water than the rest in the same bed. It's not just the individual rose (Brandy) because I have another in another bed and it is normal.
The raised bed was put there because after cutting out a portion of my patio, we found a major root from one of my very large trees..An arborist that I've used said that putting soil on top of the root and planting roses there wouldn't hurt the tree. My thought about this Brandy needing more water is that maybe she is sitting where the tree is taking more water from that section.
Have a wonderfully rosey weekend,
andrea

That could be why, Andrea. It could also be the imported soil isn't as uniform as the ground. If your raised Brandy is sitting on less compacted soil or sandier soil, it's going to suffer from perhaps too fast drainage or less water holding capacity than the other, in ground plant does. I have that specific issue all over here due to the danged moles. Where they don't go, the soil holds moisture and the surrounding plants are OK. Where the evidence of their activity is greatest, I might was well be growing those plants in pure sand. They complain like crazy! Trying to figure out why some things work and others don't, can be a real "fun" job, huh? Thanks. Kim


If you want to order it from Heirloom Roses, call them and ask. It's listed as "out of stock" on their website, but when I ordered mine, I called them to ask and they had 17 that were actually available, with more scheduled to be available in the fall.
I'm excited for my buds to start blooming!
Kate, thanks for the info and lovely pics!!!
Zachary

I haven't grown any of those roses, so can't comment on them, but I second Michael's point about the pillar being a bit on the short side. Remember you have to sink the legs in about 1 ft to 1.5 ft., so that leaves at most 5 ft for the rose to climb on.
Why don't you check out the David Austin web site. He double lists a number of his roses--for example, 4 ft tall if grown as a shrub, but 6-8 ft tall it grown as a climber (and wrapped around the pillar). I think The Pilgrim falls into that category and it is supposed to be fairly good on the disease-resistance. Lovely pale yellow/white blend.
And yes--plant it outside the pillar. I didn't, and my pillar deteriorated unexpectedly--rusted and falling apart although the other one like it was fine. Boy, was that a job getting it out of the climber that was planted in the center under it. Now I always plant my climbers about 6-10 inches outside the pillar.
Good luck.
Kate

Thank you very much Michael. I would rather be disappoint now than have some kind of nightmare later. You saved me alot of time, energy and frustation. These roses were recommended for my situation by a rose company. However, when I started to look into it further, it seemed these roses would not be suitable. That's when I decided to write to the forum.After pouring over catalogs and websites the only ones I came up with were Zaide and Fairy Tale Cinderella. Your suggestion of Reine des Violettes needs serious consideration as well.
With much appreciation - Margie

If you are considering using a manzate type product, you may find the following thread of interest.
Here is a link that might be useful: link to thread mentioned

We sell OSO Easy at our store in SW Ohio. In my experience they tend to put out distinct flushes, so you'll have a week where it's full and a week where it's not. In a #3 pot they're over 2' at the end of the season, I've seen them up to 5' when established.

A footnote to what was said above:
I want as many earthworms as I can induce to live in my heavy clay loam, so I go for all organics all the time. I have not moles but voles, which do eat plant roots. Visitors to my yard are strictly forbidden to kill the garter snakes.


Happy Birthday Andrea, and Meredith!!!!! I hope u both have a FANTASTIC bday!!! Meredith, congratulations on such a wonderful bday present! I know how hard the waiting-to-know period is, I'm so very happy its over , and with such great news!
âÂÂ¥Lyna


Was Barfield White Climber found in Florida?
ZD produced two sports, Kathleen Harrop, which is a silvery pink and Martha. KH is quite nice, a lovely color. Martha I have not seen, I understand it is more a salmon color. I love ZD, but the color is a bit in your face. Some people can't stand it. ZD should be possible in zone 6, especially with a south or east exposure.

Thank you, michael! Maybe I'll just make sure to put some leaves as mulch in those dry areas and them pull them back as the weather warms. I tend to be lazy in the fall and put the leaves mostly under where they fall ;)

Meredith, I would think how much supplemental water a garden would need in winter would depend upon how warm and wet the winter is. I can understand where one with frozen soil and regular rainfall would need little. The last two here have had heat spikes into the high eighties with less than half the normal rainfall, resulting in virtually no ground water. If I don't water at least weekly through "winter", I have dried out, dead plants. Kim




Nice bouquet Holly, thank you for sharing!
Holly, they're both lovely. The stripes are nice. Thinking about trying a couple myself next spring.