22,795 Garden Web Discussions | Roses
It's true that green yard waste contributes more nutrients, but wood mulch works well. Here is an assessment by a PhD horticulturist:
http://puyallup.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/wood-chips.pdf
We call a strong shoot from the ground a basal break if it is good (from the graft or above) and a rootstock sucker if it is bad (from below the graft). In the case of a bush rose, you can just let it grow a few feet and see if it sets a flower bud, in which case it is good. In the case of a climbing rose like 'America', you can dig down and investigate, but this is probably a good basal break.
Re: The new stalk - Yeah, doesn't look like Multifora. either. Multifora has smaller and more vicious thorns. So, I'm betting it's a basal split.
Re: Wood Mulch
My understanding was that wood multch mixed with the soil will temporarily tie up nitrogen when the multch decomposes; but when it is finished decomposing the nitrogen and organic mater will be available to the plant.
As a cover on top, it will really only react with the first few inches of soil, and if you add new multch every year, you should always have a layer of multch that is done decomposing and nitrogen saturated right under the layer that is at the stage... So, you're slowly introducing more nitrogen and organic compounds to the equation. If your composting or fertelizing as well, you'll have no problem.
That said, michaelg's link is from a more authoritative source. Here's the TL;DR: there is no evidence multch depletes the nitrogen of a bed, and has been shown to increase nitrogen of a bed over time. Though she theorizes that there is a nitrogen "dead zone" at the weed/seed level, but that won't effect established plants. Which seems like a good thing to me.
Wow, it's interesting how scent can vary. I have had Excellenz von Schubert for 6 or 7 years and never noticed a scent at all. True, I have a poor "nose", but I definitely agree that Jude the Obscure has a lovely scent, and Sharifa Asma is always a favorite among Austins. Looks like I'll have to bring in a spray of ExVonSch and see if I can detect anything.
Cynthia
Nipstress, that might be because Excellenz von Schubert and Gartendirektor Otto Linne are sometimes mixed up in commerce. Some nurseries have been selling Gartendirektor Otto Line as Excellenz von Schubert for years. They can look very much alike. However while EVS is very fragrant, GOL has only a mild (if that) fragrance.
I remain a firm member of the "Cynthia" fan club, but for entirely different reasons (ahem). Sadly, the rose Cynthia is one that simply will not survive our zone 5 winters even when pampered so my namesake will have to go appreciated in other yards like yours. The same goes for Cynthia Brooke, and I've tried both at least twice. Someone needs to breed a Morden rose and call it "Lovely Cynthia" or something of the sort (smile).
Glad she'd doing so well for you - I think Seil has the heart of what's going on with your clusters. After all, it's hard to complain about 4 Cynthia blooms rather than just one, eh?
Cynthia
Yes, indeed! Those clusters might be kinda funny looking, but they have the truly splendid Cynthia aroma. Last year, I made rosewater out of dried Cynthia petals. The last bit just came out of my refrigerator and still smells lovely. I use it as a facial toner and I imagine I smell like Cynthia all day! This year, I plan on using fresh petals to see if I can get a nearly clear rosewater to use on my linens. Cynthia forever! ; )
I'd agree with Kentucky Rose's order for those roses, and another late one for me is Papa Meilland. I'd put Red Masterpiece, Olympiad, Legends, and In The Mood among the earlier bloomers, but my Firefighter hasn't bloomed yet this season (might be because it's only a two-year-old bush).
Cynthia
I have a new Dark Desire ordered from Palatine this spring. Boy is it healthy and growing like mad even after the deer used it for a late night snack. So can't say anything yet except it's supposed to be disease resistant and very fragrant. Here's what I've got so far:
I looked at the photos offered on HMF and this one is definitely different than Intriguing. I will try to keep better track.
I do have some experience with Winchester Cathedral sporting back to Mary. Several years ago it was just one branch each year; now it is half-and-half, but you give a good reminder on how to keep track.
Trying again with less sideways photo... The double graft I purchased from Lowe's clearance rack ended up being just the Walking on Sunshine, Perhaps they killed the other half or maybe it was mislabeled. Either way it's a very vigorous, healthy & happy plant that is constantly covered in blooms and buds. Yesterday I scored a "Dear Delores" hydrangea for $2.85. Love the clearance racks.
chris2486, it has very slight fragrance and it seems to me like climber, because of branches structure.. I am steel puzzled)
danuv, I bought my Walking on Sunshine from Lowes clearance last year, labeled like Brandy
and Im very happy with these bushes - they are blooming machines in my garden
This one really caught my eye, too. Laguna is certainly beautiful, but too much on the lavender/lilac side of pink to work well here. Sweet Laguna is described on the Daniel Schmitz site as a combination of medium & pale pink. and from various photos looks as if it has a deeper center surrounded by paler petals. Can't tell if it's warm or cool, but best guess is a warm center with a cool border.
Kordes calls it "a color variation of the known and estimated Keltterrose Laguna. As the mother variety is Sweet Laguna very easy to care for and their nostalgic flowers exude a pleasant fragrance." Perhaps an imprecise translation, but does appear to be a sport of Laguna. Especially intriguing is FilRoses estimation of longer bloomtime & stronger perfume. http://tinyurl.com/ol26hxo
I like Laguna for it's vigour, excellent health, and the fact that it is capable of covering itself in flowers. This last virtue ranks VERY high for me. Actually, for me, Laguna's only semi-fault is it's colour,for on my soil it's not at all lavender/lilac,;(alas! because I'm crazy for that type of cool colour...)it is that very dark pink that is closer to red to my eye. I guess if Sweet Laguna has the virtues of Laguna, it'd be worth a try, even if the colour turns out to be warmer than my ideal. Fact is, I feel a bit "burned" over a rose called Mariella Calderoni, bred by Giulio Pantoli. This is described on HMF (and on the on-line catalogue of the nursery from which I purchased it) as "lilac", or "lilac-pink". Foolishly, I got two. The plants arrived; excellent, huge, and healthy,but the tag clearly described the colour as "coral pink"! Alas, the tag proved right: the flowers are a decidedly warm pink tone, nothing near "lilac"! So now I have to move them, find spots for them in my garden where I want a touch of contrast or just a filler. So I must be more careful in the future!
I'd never heard of these, before, but I did some reading on them yesterday. A native bee that we haven't (yet) seen in SoCal ... apparently they have been moving north.
Strikingly colored, aren't they? I'd love to hear from some folks who are used to dealing with them. I figure, they might get here eventually, so I'd like to know more.
Roseseek~ "starve the beast" is right. Either that or no republicans grow roses or maybe none of THEIR roses ever become infected because we are lazy gardeners who deserve it! I will be contacting my congressman about voting against this hateful bill if it does make it out of committee. What an embarrassment our country is becoming with the ignoramuses in charge.
So far I haven't any news that RRD has hit Massachusetts but the thought is still terrifying. Most of my roses are still young. I would be devastated to lose them to this horrific disease. I have read that you are safe if you're not within five hundred feet of Multiflora rose but some have speculated that the mites may be transferred by other means besides wind, possibly carried by JB's, aphids and such. How sad that this hateful idiot's political posturing will not only put our beloved roses at risk but will risk decimating the struggling commercial rose industry which is finally seeming to be on a slow road to recovery from the economic collapse of 2008. Apparently the rose growers don't have a very powerful lobby!
Sharon
I was curious about the bill and found this. I get that there's a lot of waste on ag subsidies, but still. The money spend on RRD is peanuts compared to all the corn/ethanol crap.
Jun 26, 2015
SOS
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05) announced the Seventh Shrink our Spending Initiative bill focused on highlighting and cutting wasteful, taxpayer-funded programs. Upon introduction of his latest bill to eliminate federal funding for the Rose Rosette Disease Grant, Salmon released the following statement:
“Though there is nothing wrong with funding research on agricultural diseases, I believe that the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) must prioritize the research that will protect our agricultural security.
“This program is at best a government subsidy to the U.S. rose industry, which draws a healthy $400 million of the $2.81 billion wholesale shrub market. The industry had enough money to match the grant money awarded by the federal government; surely they could also afford to fully support their own mite research.”
Background: Rose Rosette Disease (RRD) is a mite borne viral disease that affects the U.S. landscape rose industry. In late 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded $4.6 million to “minimize the effect” of rose rosette disease on garden roses. NIFA’s current priority initiatives include: global food security and hunger, climate change, sustainable energy, childhood obesity, and food safety. Cutting this program would save roughly 4.6 million dollars.
Issues:
Kim describes it perfectly. You see it around here frequently, but usually in locations where paid landscapers stay on top of it.
I wouldn't do it because:
1. I am a lazy gardener, and I avoid all that work like the plague; and . . .
2. I really do prefer them looking wild.
As we age, the garden becomes less-disciplined with every passing year, so it's probably a good thing that I like "un-restrained" plants. :-)
Jeri
Nice roses and daylily. I think your striped florrie is FIRED UP. That's one I ordered last yr that didn't break dormancy. Then nobody had it for this season. I see Regans is listing it again for the coming season. Will have to make sure I order it!
Thanks bethnorcal9. The striped one is 'Fired Up'.