Cultural Problems

admin — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:39:22 +0000

Sometines the natural balance of the soil may be causing a problem.
Here are a few of the most common reasons along with typical symptoms and suggested solutions

NITROGEN SHORTAGE
Young leaves are small and pale green. Red spots sometimes develop. Early leaf fall occurs. Stems are stunted and weak.
Solution:
Apply a compound fertilizer

PHOSPHATE SHORTAGE
Young leaves are small and dark green with purplish timts on the underside. Early leaf fall occurs. Stems are stunted and weak.
Solution:
Apply a compound fertilizer

POTASH SHORTAGE
Young leaves are reddish, mature leaves are green with brown and have brittle margins. Flowers are small.
(common on sandy soils)
Solution:
Apply a compound fertilizer

Pruning Climbing Roses

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:07:59 +0000

Pruning climbing roses isn’t as difficult as you might think, and with the right tools and advice, you can easily manage your climbing roses, and help them to create big beautiful blooms every year.
For the first two or three years, you shouldn’t need to prune your rose plant at all. Instead, you should have a frame in place for the rose climber to follow. Thread stems through the framework. Naturally, the stems will grow upwards; however, you should thread some of the stems to sit horizontally, as these stems will flower far more than vertical stems.
Once you are happy that the plant is growing in the right position and has developed enough growth over two or three years, you are then ready to think about pruning climbing roses in your garden.
Climbing roses produce the best blooms on stems that were pruned the previous year. Within this in mind, it is important that when you begin pruning climbing roses, you ensure you repeat the task every year. Other rose plants should be pruned in the early spring, however, when pruning climbing roses you need to follow a different schedule than the norm.
During spring, you will notice that the horizontal stems start to produce new shoots. These will grow, and will be the stems of new blooms. During the summer, the climber will bloom. Keep your eye on which shoots flower, and which don’t. Once the blooms are finished, prune the new stems back to a length of about 4 – 6 inches. Only prune the stems that flowered.
When pruning climbing roses, prune back any branches or stems that look weak. If they start to flop, they could rub against other branches. Friction against branches can encourage weak spots, which increases the risk of disease.
And that’s it! It really is a simple task, and although pruning climbing roses is different to pruning other rose types, it really is a much easier plant to maintain.
You’ll be surprised just how long the main vertical stems last for; however, in time, they will need to be replaced, so you must ensure that you thread new stems through the framework, ready to take the slack when older branches begin to fail.
If you haven’t yet purchased your climber, you should shop online to see a wonderful variety to choose from. You’ll also find extensive information on how to take care of each individual item.
The ‘Climbing Blue Moon’ is a beautiful climbing rose, with an incredible fragrance, and delicate lavender/blue petals. A very soft looking rose and the plant is popular favorite with many gardeners. This rose grows very tall, and is best suited to a trellis.
‘Compassion’ is a beautiful pink climber rose that is also extremely fragrant. This particular plant copes very well with wet summers, and flowers much longer than most other roses. ‘Compassion’ is great for cuttings, allowing you to bring the beauty you have created outdoors inside.
If you’re worried about taking care of a rose climber, and you’d prefer a rose that requires little maintenance, then ‘New Dawn’ is the climbing rose for you.

A White Garden Rose

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:06:04 +0000

A white garden rose can grab the eye just as quickly as a bright or crimson red rose. Although the majority of rose growing advice applies when growing white roses, there are one or two extra considerations you have to make.
Unlike other rose colors, the white garden rose relies on partial, rather than full sunlight. Although roses normally require a great deal of sunlight, white roses will look far better when they can grab the daylight of dawn or dusk. If this means placing the rose plant in a slightly cooler area, so much the better, because white garden rose plants do not require as much heat as other rose plants. If you would like to have roses in your garden, but you are worried that the cold climates in the winter could kill off your plant, you should consider buying a white garden rose plant. These are better equipped with dealing with cold temperatures compared to roses of other colors.
‘Iceberg’ is a white rose that is extremely easy to grow and keep. ‘Iceberg’ comes as a rose climber, so it will grow upwards, rather than outwards; as well as coming in a bush. However, both varieties produce an abundant amount of crisp white flowers that immediately grab the eye of anyone looking.
‘Bobbie James’ is a rambler white rose, and a favorite of both amateur and experienced gardeners. It has a potent fragrance, and the blossom like blooms are extremely eye catching in any and all gardens. Rambler roses differ from climbing roses, and it’s important that you find out about the plant before purchasing. Shopping online, at least for information, can help prevent plant purchases that simply weren’t meant to be.
The ‘Jeanne Moreau’ rose is perfect if you’re looking for a more classical white rose. This particular rose gives off an incredible fragrance, which lemon lovers will instantly recognize and love. The rose is also quite hardy, and has lots of foliage.
‘Snow Sunblaze’ is a stunning white garden rose, which grows no higher than 12 inches tall. They are incredibly robust for a rose, and they offer a clean white rose. Once in bloom, you can bring this little delight into the home for up to four weeks, allowing you to add a touch of natural purity to your home. ‘Teardrop’ is another white garden rose that can be potted; it’s flowers are very delicate and the flower blossoms regularly during the summer months. It’s light fragrance makes it a real pleasure to have both indoors and outdoors.
There are a variety of white garden roses available, and it pays to check that the plant you desire suits your climate and intended spot. Hybrid rose plants allow even amateur gardeners to successfully grow beautiful rose blooms, and the white garden rose is a great rose to start with, because of it’s harder nature. Don’t be afraid of including the white garden rose in your choice of flower, and bring a classic to your garden.

The Climbing Rose

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:03:36 +0000

A rose climber plant can make the perfect addition to your garden. They can climb up trees, entwining with another natural feature to add a magical quality to your garden; or they can climb up man made features, including walls, unsightly areas and fences. You can also encourage a rose climber or a rambling rose to climb trellising and arches.
As well as climbing roses, you may have heard of rambling roses. Although many amateur gardeners confuse the two as the same, there is a slight difference to the behaviors of these two plants.
As a rose climber lives up to its name, so does the rambling rose. Rather than climbing, the rambling rose seeks out empty space on the ground. Although they can grow in height, rambling roses usually don’t match the height that a climbing rose can meet. Rambling roses will only flower once a year; however, a climbing rose will flower far more frequently throughout the year. The flowers climbers produce are very large, whereas ramblers produce smaller clusters of flowers.
These subtle behavioral differences can make a huge difference to your choice of rose. Although you may want to buy your rose from a specific garden centre, you would be wise to first shop online. This will allow you to see the huge variety of different rose climbers, as well as give you the critical information you need to make an informed purchase.
‘Bright Fire’ is a modern climber that is a popular favorite with its bright orange blooms. However, if you want a climber rose that has a fragrance, you’re better off choosing another plant.
‘Calypso’ produces beautifully colored blossoms and has a pleasant fragrance. This particular climber loves to live in pots, and should not be planted in the garden. However, if you want a rose climber that draws attention to a feature, then this is certainly the rose climber for you.
The ‘Crimson Cascade’ lives up to its name. Crimson red blooms quite literally cascade out of this climber, and the plant can grow over 10 feet tall. A subtle fragrance permutes from this plant, and it is quite capable of fighting off disease; making it an ideal plant for red rose loving amateur gardeners.
‘Eden Rose’ is for rose lovers who prefer a traditional looking rose. Although growth is slow, if you refer a timeless classic, you’ll find you patience and efforts well rewarded with this elegant looking plant.
By searching online for a rose climber, you will find a wonderful and captivating world of plants. As well as being sold by the wonderful images online stores use to sell their plants, you’ll also have instant access to the information you need to choose the right plant.
When purchasing your rose climber, you should consider what kind of rose you’d like, what color, size and shape of flowers you’d like the rose to produce, and where you intend to place the plant. After all, if the conditions don’t suit the plant, you will have no roses at all. Choose wisely, and you could bring a vibrant and beautiful flower to your garden.

Rose Trimming

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:02:49 +0000

It’s that time of year again; the time of year that you start to feel anxious about your garden. As winter sets in, you watch as your garden slowly declines, almost into hibernation, ready for the spring. The plant that gives you greatest cause for concern is your precious roses. Rose trimming, however, can be a lot easier with the right tools and the right tips.
Firstly, the right tools. As well as having a good pair of hand held pruners, you should consider using a pair of larger shears for stems that are thicker than half an inch. Trying to cut thicker stems with simple hand shears will be difficult, making the cut a very poor one. Poor cuts can lead to diseases and infections in the plant, so you must use the right tools for the plant.
As well as having the right rose trimming tools, you also need to ensure that you are protected during the pruning process. Purchase a pair of thick garden gloves, and wear them at all times during the trimming.
One of the most important aspects of your rose trimming is when you trim your plant. Most experts, myself included, recommend that your prune your rose plant in the early spring, after the last freeze. This will help reduce the risk of any problems later in the year. Before you trim, you need to look for signs that your plant is ready for pruning. The stems will be covered in pink or red buds.
If you have multiple rose bushes, you should consider sterilizing the equipment in between the cutting of each plant. This will reduce the risk of diseases being spread between the different rose plants.
Obviously, the aspect that most frightens gardeners is how and where to cut their rose plants. All black branches should be immediately removed. These have died during the winter. Next, look for any branches that are diseased, or look weak, and remove these too.
Once the obvious has been dealt with, you should begin shaping your bush. Think about how and where you want the bush to grow, and cut accordingly. Get rid of any branches that cross over; if these branches persistently rub against each other, they could create an opening for infection. Be patient, and take your time. Your plant might be small, but a little more time can make a big difference to how well your plant does that summer.
All rose trimming cuts should be made at a 45 degree angle. The cut should be made about a quarter of an inch above the fresh bud. If, when you cut, the material inside is not white and healthy, then you need to prune further down the branch. Some experts recommend using a pruning sealant; that you apply to the pruned branch once you are happy with the cut. This helps to protect the exposed branch and plant, and encourage new growth.
Once you have finished with your rose trimmings, you need to collect up all of the trimmed branches and foliage, and dispose of it appropriately. Leaving these trimmings on the grounds encourages diseases.

The Garden Rose

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:47 +0000

The garden rose has featured in many films, stories and poems. It is a sign of love, affection and romance; however, for the gardener, the garden rose can be the symbol of a difficult and finicky plant that struggles to grow, even with the greatest of care.
Hybrid rose plants have been developed in recent years and decades to provide the gardener with a hardier versions and varieties of favorite classical roses. Hybrids generally produce more blooms, are more resilient to diseases, and respond better to treatments.
The production of the garden rose as a hybrid has seen the development of hundreds, if not thousands of new varieties, each with their own color, shape and fragrance. Newer varieties include climber or rambling roses, as well as miniature roses that can be used in patio pots.
If the garden rose is one of your favorite flowers, then you need to get online and start shopping. There are a number of online rose retailers and growers, and the internet can provide a far better selection of plants at far better prices than you’d find in your local store.
The garden rose is still a plant out of sorts; even with the introduction of hardier hybrids, they can survive and succeed excellently in one area, while struggling in another. Before you purchase your rose, you should consult with the site or garden centre, and ensure that the rose that your climate and conditions suit the rose.
Despite the need for a unique care plan for your garden rose, you can use some simple techniques and advice to ensure your roses always look beautiful.
• The garden rose loves a good feed, and a good drink. Most garden roses require an inch of water per week. Use a container to establish how much rainfall each week contributes to this inch of water. If not enough rain falls during one week, be sure to water your rose plant to quench it’s first. Refrain from watering your plant during the middle of the day; the water will simply evaporate before hitting the roots. Instead, water your plants on an evening.

• When feeding the garden rose, you should use a liquid feed, mixed in with water. You should feed your rose plants once a month. Use the internet to find out which feeds are recommended. To help keep your rose plant looking perky, you should lay mulch on the ground around the plant’s base. Material such as lawn cuttings or wood chippings makes excellent mulch material.

• Regular deadheading and proper pruning will help your plant make the most of the resources that you provide it. Deadheading and pruning can baffle a lot of gardeners, but you’ll find plenty of advice online to help you improve these techniques.

• Ensure that the garden rose has plenty of protection during the winter months. Roses particularly dislike frost, and you will need to introduce burlap gradually to your rose plant, to prevent frost from spoiling next year’s blooms.
Looking after roses isn’t that tough, and most gardeners get the hang of their garden rose after a season or two. Be patient, and you will grow the garden rose that makes your neighbors green with envy!

Tips on Deadheading Roses

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:23:43 +0000

Deadheading roses may seem like an unnecessary task, but you’d be surprised at the difference the practice of deadheading can make to your roses.
When a rose plant flowers, it uses the bloom as part of its reproduction cycle. Should the blossom become fertilized, the rose plant then focuses its efforts developing the fruit, and not the flower.
Deadheading roses is essentially the process of working quicker than Mother Nature. By deadheading spent blooms, you almost trick the plant into thinking it’s time to create a new bloom for fertilization; because the last attempt was unsuccessful. The plant quickly responds to the situation, pooling its resources and preparing itself for a new boom to replace the old one.
Different rose experts have different rules about deadheading, but they all agree that deadheading is essential to keep your rose plant blooming for longer. Deadheading can conserve your plant’s energy, and help to focus the energy exactly how you want it to be used. It can also reduce the risk of infections, diseases and pests.
Generally speaking, the stem of the bloom can be no thicker than the stem from which it grows. This means the further down your rose bush that you cut, the wider the bloom stems will be, in turn making the blooms themselves bigger. However, cut too far, and you could be compromising your entire rose plant, so it’s best to start off slowly, and to learn from your success, as well as your failures. Bigger blooms will take more time and more of the plant’s resources to produce; another consideration to bear in mind.
Deadheading roses is the process of carefully removing the dying flower, and not the foliage! The more green life your rose plant has, the better the chances are for producing an even better bloom. Hacking off leaves can reduce the plant’s ability to produce energy, so deadhead roses carefully and considerately.
Deadheading roses is as much about good judgment as it is technique, and with time, you will develop an eye for where and when you should cut, as well as how to cut your plant properly. Although deadheading is recommended for roses that bloom multiple times during one season, you may think that your rose plant (that only blooms once), doesn’t require this attention to detail. However, deadheading even single flowering roses can help prevent other plant related problems, particularly relating to pests.
The truth is, each rose variety has its own unique way of being cut; and again, this is something that most rose gardeners realize after they have planted. New techniques for deadheading roses are being developed all of the time, and you can find out more information about the different techniques online.
Again, as much as someone can tell you exactly how to look after your rose plant, you may find that your own techniques create better results. Keep a journal on your notepad, and note which techniques work, and which failed. This will help you keep track, allowing you to create a custom care routine for your roses.

Blooms Rose Owners can be Proud Of

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:18:22 +0000

Getting great blooms rose owners can be proud of, you need to do a number of things. Rose bushes are notoriously picky plants; and although modern hybrids of traditional varieties as helped create hardier versions of our all time favourite roses, they do still require some maintenance to get fabulous blooms.
Most rose blooms are fragrant, although you can purchase rose bushes with stronger fragrances. Many roses will smell like freshly picked tea, with hidden notes of other scents. Others prefer blooms from roses that have a certain look, shape or colour. Use the internet to shop online for a wide variety of roses, and use the net for a handy source of advice on all of your garden issues.
Getting great blooms rose owners will love is a long term process, which starts with proper pruning, in the beginning of spring. Proper pruning will help give your new buds ample room to grow. Pruning causes problems for plenty of green fingered people; so don’t worry if you’re a little nervous the first time you pick up the pruners.
There’s plenty of advice available to help ensure you correctly prune your rose bush. It’s a skill that improves with practice. Once the bush has been treated to a good prune, it should immediately be given a good feed. Regular feeding with an appropriate rose feed with give you great blooms rose owners and neighbours will be envious of.
Your rose plant will appreciate a little extra groundwork. Once you have pruned and fed your rose plant, lay down some wood chippings. During the summer months, these chippings can be replaced with lawn cuttings. This mulch material will help your rose plant be protected from disease, and will treat the soil to extra nutrients, giving you fabulous blooms.
Water is incredibly important to your blooms. Giving them a spray with water using a fine water spray gun will help keep your blooms looking great. Overwatering your rose plant can ruin your blooms. The best way to water your plant is to measure weekly rainfall. Most rose plants like around 1 inch or water/rainfall per week, so water around your plant’s needs, and what the planet has already provided for the plant.
A blooms rose expert will advise you time and time again to keep on top of deadheading; in fact, it’s many a horticulturalists’ top tip! This encourages incredible bloom growth and regeneration, and it can keep your rose bush looking great all through the summer. Taking the time to deadhead blooms gives you the opportunity to inspect the plant for any problems, as well as enjoy the aroma the plant produces.
Early intervention can cure most plant problems, so regular inspections is a must. Besides, this also gives you a chance to chat with the neighbours, to discuss how great the blooms rose bushes in your garden are producing.
Remember, that hard work isn’t beneficial if all you do is stay indoors. One of the best ways to get people admiring your garden in its prime is to have a BBQ. Show your friends and family your impressive green fingers and mean cooking skills all in one fun filled summer night.

Roses in Gardens

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:16:05 +0000

Roses can look great in the garden, but what if you don’t have much of a garden to put roses in? Fear not, you can place roses in garden pots for the patio, or you could have roses in garden ornaments, entwining with the feature, helping to make the feature more attractive, and in touch with its environment.
You may not have a garden at all, but if you have a balcony big enough for a medium sized pot, then you can have the beauty of roses in your home. Miniature roses won’t grow to the full size of normal rose shrubs, and can be grown in portable patio pots. The roses should be placed outside on the balcony until they flower, and then they can be brought into the apartment for up to a month, bringing a beautiful floral and fragrant touch to your home. You might try ‘Top Marks’ as your indoor/outdoor rose.
Rambling and climbing roses in garden trellising and framework can look great. Climbing roses will flower more frequently, where as rambling roses will only flower once. Rambling roses also prefer to climb around trees or roll across the ground, rather than climbing up. Climbing roses in gardens can grow quite tall on the other hand, with the ‘Graham Thomas’ climbing anywhere up to 8 feet. Ideal if you’d like to decorate a fence with something more than your average rambling or climber plant.
Hybrid tea roses are the featured roses in garden centers everywhere. The hybrids have been bred to have greater benefits than the older varieties; as these were susceptible to problematic growing. The hybrids offer modern day green fingered folk a hardier plant, one that is more suited to our climate and conditions. This breeding has not compromised the delicate design or fragrance of the original tea rose varieties. ‘Julia’s Rose’ is a popular choice of tea rose, although there are a great deal of types.
Other popular roses in gardens include:
‘Anne Boleyn’ – A free flowering rose plant suitable for pots; offering a blossom pink flower.
‘Golden Celebration’ – The name hints at the color; and the celebration really is one of smell than sight. This rose has a strong scent of tea mixed with light citrus notes. This fragrant English Rose is very popular.
‘Darcey Bussell’ – If you love your roses to be deep crimson red, this could be the rose for you; although you need to be aware this particular rose enjoys a warm spot. Ideal if you want an eye catching small shrub.
Roses look great in gardens, without a doubt, and there is plenty of advice available online to help you develop a beautiful rose bush in time. Remember, growing roses in gardens takes patience and diligence. Gardening in general is a mixed bag of short term efforts and long term rewards. You can have roses to be proud of; it just takes a little practice. Keep a note of what works, and what doesn’t.

How to Prune Roses

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:12:34 +0000

Learning how to ‘rose prune’ properly is something that takes time. Many gardeners worry about their pruning abilities, so here are some tips to give you peace of mind.
Some roses do better to be pruned before winter really sets in, but most rose prune experts agree that the best time to prune roses is in the early spring, once all the snow has melted. Once the snow looks almost over, start to check your rose plant once a week for signs of life. You’ll be looking for little red swollen buds on the stem, around the size of a sesame seed, maybe a little bigger.
These little red buds are your green light to engage in rose prune practice. Make sure you have the right tools for the job. Stems that a ½ an inch think or less can be removed with normal hand pruners; however, thicker stems should be removed with a tool that offers more leverage, as this will make the job easier, and will provide a cleaner cut.
You’ll want to invest in a good set of thick garden gloves, to protect your hands from any thorns on the stems. A good number of gardeners have given themselves a nasty cut by ignoring this simple piece of safety advice!
Pull away any winter protection that you have used; again, be careful as you do so. Take a few moments to thoroughly inspect the plant. Any black branches can be removed using the right tool. These are dead, and did not survive the winter. If the branch is black throughout, then you know you were right to do so. You might find one or two black branches actually were live healthy stems.
Cut away any branches that are thinner than a pencil, unless, of course, this is all you have remaining following the main cut. Cut away any branches that cross over one another and make contact. This friction can generate an opportunity for a problem, and the best remedy is always prevention! Your rose prune practice is almost complete. You should the branches down to the top of new red buds, and make the cuts at a 45 degree angle.
Now that your plant has been cut down to a more manageable size, you need to shape it. Your bush should be cut down so that only five or six branches are left, full of new buds, trimmed to form a vase shape.
That’s your rose prune practice completed, now time for a bit of maintenance to help stimulate healthy rose growth. Treat your rose plant to a fertilizer feed immediately after pruning. Use a liquid feed, mixed with water. This will give the rose plant all the nutrients it needs to make a healthy and full bodied return to your garden during the summer months.
Once your plant is fed, treat it to some mulch at the base of the plant, like wood chippings, to help protect the plant from diseases. Take good care of your rose plant, and be diligent in your watering and feeding during the spring and summer. Deadhead regularly to encourage extra flowering and protect the plant appropriately during winter months; before you know it, you’ll be back to a bit of rose prune practice again.