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Rose Care 101 - March by Mary D. Slade
The purpose of this new column is to help the beginning rose grower, grow better roses and at the same time enjoy this sometimes overwhelming hobby. I will try to keep things basic so that you need not spend 40 hours a week working in you rose garden. No one needs a second full time job that costs you not only time, but also dollars. Remember that when it comes to growing roses, you will get lots of advice. If you have 20 experienced rose growers in a room, you will get 20 different opinions on how to care for your roses. Tip One: Don’t try to do all 20 at the same time. Select the one or two that fit your goals, timeframe, or makes the most sense to you. March/April Guide: Note older members will remember this as our traditional March meeting entitled “Waking-Up Our Roses.” Step 1. Remove winter protection sometime between March 17 and April 1st. I don’t winter protect, but if you used rose collars, March 17th is usually a good time to remove them and let the soil or mulch start to fall away from the bud union. In my opinion, a gradual removal of your insulating material allows the roses to adjust to the up and down temperatures of March. If we have a deep snow on the ground, you will have to wait until you can find the rose collars. Step 2. Pruning – Best time is when the Forsythia is in bloom in your garden. Don’t have a Forsythia, look in your neighbors yard. For pruning directions, read “Beginners’ Columns,” American Rose, March 2001. Step 3. Clean Beds – a must for healthy roses. Step 4. Fertilize. I use a 10-10-10 mix of a granular fertilizer, Epsom salts, and alfalfa pellets. Step. 5 Cleanup Spray. I use the same control, cold or warm weather, a fungicide/insecticide combination with a little extra spreader/sticker. Be sure to spray the soil around the rose bush. Usually all five steps are completed by April 15th in my 4 rose beds. Special note for this year! Because of our dry winter, you may need to water after you fertilize. Rose Care 101 - April by Mary D. Slade Now that spring is officially here, it's time to get serious about a rose care program. Topic 1 – Water—Established roses need at least 1 inch of water per week (2-4 gallons depending on plant size). At this time (3-20-02) we are allowed to water our plants from 5 pm to 9 am. Since I water my roses at 7 am, these restrictions do not create a problem for me. A few things to keep in mind when watering: Do it in early morning, on a regular basis (at least once or twice a week during dry conditions), and in a deep and soaking manner. Newly planted roses must be watered even when we are restricted. Note: I have learned over the last 20 years that established roses will survive if you don't water. You just don't get large, long stemmed roses we all demand. I also cut back on the use of fertilizers when we are in a drought emergency. It's simple when it comes to water and roses: one inch per week equals large, long stemmed roses, less than one inch per week equals fewer, smaller, short stemmed roses. Topic 2 – Spray – A must for healthy roses is a regular spray program. For me it is once a week, early in the morning with Daconil 2787 or Immunox. Orthene or Isotox Formula IV are used as needed. Occasionally I will spray in the evening on cool days. Time of the day depends on your work schedule. Avoid spraying between 9 am and 6 pm and if your roses are stressed. Much has been written about Banner Maxx ($59.95 pint), Rubigan ($89.99 pint), Avid ($99.95 8 oz.), Compass ($199.95 8 oz.), Mert ($52.99 2 oz.) and Subdue Maxx ($169.99 quart). All are good products, but until you are an experienced rose grower, I would stay away from them. Topic 3 – Rose Midge – If you have good foliage and no blooms, rose midge is probably the culprit. Look for blackened stem tips where a tiny bud should emerge or blind growth, both are signs of rose midge. Diazinon is the preferred product to use for midge. Around May 1, scatter 5% diazinon granules lightly over the rose beds and a few feet into the lawn surrounding the beds. After the granular broadcast, follow up with a liquid diazinon spray on tips of the canes. Repeat again about August 1 and the following year. It may take until the fall of the second year to be free of insect and it's damage. The bad news is that Diazinon will go off the market this year. Topic 4 – Mulch – A good idea for several reasons: preserves moisture and keeps roots cooler, helps control weeds, and improve the appearance of your rose garden. Without going into a long explanation, I would avoid the use of colored mulches. According to an article found on the Maryland Nurserymen's Association website, mulches that are dyed red, blue, green, etc. when applied to the ground will result in nutrient starvation of shallow rooted woody species, herbaceous perennials, annuals and newly planted landscapes. Colored mulches should only be used around well established deep rooted species, for walking paths, or play areas. For more information go to www.mdnurserymen.org. |