Spring
is one of the most exciting seasons for rose gardeners! Our roses burst
to life with beautiful, clean, fresh growth and the first flush of
flowers develop.Spring is a relatively easy season in terms of caring for our rose plants. Mostly we concentrate on preventing
issues that tend to occur in summer and autumn, so that our plants
continue to perform throughout the growing season. Preventing issues in
our rose gardens by taking some very easy and simple steps now, will
save you plenty of time and effort later in the growing season.In the newsletter below, we cover some simple steps you can take now to improve your garden later.In this newsletter...- Our Best Selling Roses for 2018- Spring Rose Care- Visit Our Display Garden- Picking And Caring For Cut Flowers
If
you are disappointed our bare rooted season is over, don't worry, we
have a large range of potted roses ready to ship from mid-spring on
wards.Our range of potted roses are now online and available for pre-ordering.
OUR BEST SELLING ROSES FOR 2018:
GROWING ROSESYour rose growing guide for all climates.
This book is an easy to read guide to growing roses for everyday
gardeners and experts alike and covers temperate, cold, subtropical and
tropical climates.
SPRING ROSE CAREDuring
spring, we aim to take a few easy steps that will help prevent issues
later in the growing season. In this email, we have provided these
in more detail but the tasks themselves are very easy once you
understand the basic theory behind it.
WATERINGWatering
your roses correctly is so important and really very easy. If you were
to do nothing else to care for your roses, this is it! There are many
misconceptions with watering roses. Incorrect watering is the most
common cause of rose issues that we are presented with.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT:Getting
your watering practices correct now will save you time, energy and
water once the roses become established, and decrease your issues and
losses during summer.The
aim when watering roses planted in the ground is to encourage the roots
to grow deep into the soil. Roses are naturally deep rooted plants and
this gives them the ability to live up to their reputation of being
drought resistant. By growing deeper in the soil, they become well
insulated and
protected from the heat while having access to the moisture further
down. This also makes them more pest and disease tolerant giving
you healthier and happier plants.With
many regions of Australia suffering with drought conditions and extreme
temperatures, having the roots grow deep into the soil means they will
suffer less and will require less watering over time.WHAT NOT TO DO AND WHY:Watering
daily, too frequently or with too little water does not
encourage the roots to grow deep into the soil but rather stay at the
top layer. Here they are not insulated from the heat where they can dry
out and become easily burnt. Burnt roots lead to die back, wilting
leaves, stunted growth, little to no flower production, diseases, pests
and death. WHAT TO DO:Below is the recommendations for newly planted, immature or struggling roses planted in the ground.- Water 2 – 3 times a week. The
frequency will depend on your climatic conditions and soil composition.o If it is dry, hot and/or your soil is sandy, water 3 times a week.o If it is cool and wet, twice a week is sufficient.- Deep soaking is the key! The recommendation is 10L of water for each plant, each watering.AN EASY METHOD TO ENSURE YOUR ROSES ARE RECEIVING ENOUGH WATER:1.
Get a bucket that holds approximately 10L of water and puncture 3 or 4
small holes in the base.2.
Fill the bucket with plain water and place directly next to the plant,
move aside any mulch before placing down the bucket.3. Allow the water to completely drain from the bucket. This gives the plant a
good deep soaking.4. Do this twice to three times a week. (increase to three as the weather gets hotter)POTTED ROSES:Pots
provide the roots with very little insulation from external
temperatures leaving the potting mix susceptible to drying out which
will burn the roots. If potting mix dries it becomes hydrophobic and is
very difficult to re-hydrate. If your potting mix does dry out, soak the
pot in water for a couple of hours to
re-hydrate.Roses
in pots require watering more frequently than roses planted in the
ground, every day or second day depending on the climatic conditions.
The aim is to not allow the potting mix to dry out, it should be moist,
but not soaking wet at all times.
MULCHINGAdding
a layer of mulch is very easy and highly beneficial. Mulch adds an
additional layer of insulation to the soil, helping it to remain cool
and damp. This is especially important for roses during the warmer
summer months as it will decrease burning, flower deformation and
stunted growth. Applying mulch is best done in winter or early spring before the soil temperature rises and dries.
PREVENTATIVE SPRAYINGPrevention is better than a cure!Regular
spraying before any signs of disease or pests occur will decrease the
chance of these becoming present on your plants. It is much easier
trying to prevent the onset of diseases or pests rather than trying to
remove the issue from your roses.As
always, we recommend using
eco-friendly or organic products. There are some fantastic organic
products on the market these days and many effective home remedies. By
keeping to the eco-friendly spray options, we avoid damaging the natural
ecosystem in our garden which will prevent further issues in the
future.Remember,
when spraying cover the underside of the leaves as well. Trying
spraying at least every two weeks for best results – every week for
eco-friendly products. Start spraying once your roses begin producing
new leaves in spring.
A ROSE LOVERS DREAMCome
visit our display garden which is spread across 2 acres, showcasing
over 200 varieties. Flowering at their best from November through to
April, it is the perfect place for a relaxing stroll or picnic lunch,
soaking in inspiration for your next rose bed.Group visits and guided tours are welcome by arrangement.Our display garden is located on our farm in Portland, Victoria.Remember, Spring to Autumn is also a great time of year to visit your State and Botanical Rose Gardens.
PICKING AND CARING FOR CUT FLOWERSRoses
can be enjoyed in many ways, one of the most popular being to cut the
blooms from the bush and enjoy them inside. Although some varieties
naturally tend to have a longer vase life then others, there are ways
that you can care for your cut flowers to extend their life inside your
home. View our information on picking and caring for cut flowers to find
out more.
Remember,
we are here to help! If you ever have any questions about your roses,
please contact our friendly staff for assistance. Happy Gardening,Ellie Matuschka
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