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Pappu's Rose Secrets...

15 years ago

... or How You Know You Have Serious Rose Envy.

I am getting ready to start the spring prepping on all of my rose bushes and I searched GW to see if Pappu had ever actually shared what his complete process is with his roses. I didn't find anything.

Then I thought, hmm... I live in zone 5 IL and he lives in zone 5 IL (because that narrows it down). Reconnaissance. I think that is when the James Bond tune started playing in my head and I envisioned myself crawling on all fours up his lawn to the nearest roses to the street and smelling the dirt to try to document what he has treated them with last. Clipboard in hand and maybe one of those miner hats for light because of course it would be something you do when it is dark. Anything else is just silly, right?

Right. Or, I will just do what I normally do and my roses will look beautiful... but not quite like a Pappu rose. :-)

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Comments (10)

dan_keil_cr Keil
15 years ago
Do you want to know something specific? I am the Illinois/Indiana Consulting Rosarian Chairman. I have about 350 roses that I grow.
Prettypetals_GA_7-8
15 years ago
Diana you are too, too funny. I must say I have the same envy. I threatened to move beside him just to enjoy his roses. Others threatened to hitch a tent right smack in the middle of his yard. So believe me when I say there are many of us that have Pappu Rose Envy!!! Take care and I hope you have a great spring, Judy
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Maybe it smelled like a Industrial Hog Farm Operation. Ever drive by one of those? They are way worse than the Cattle Feed Lots lol. One time we were driving through Iowa and smelled the more horrific stench and this huge dump truck pulled in front of us complete full and overflowering with dead hogs. They were boated and reeked so bad we all almost started retching, and immediately were making sure the air vents were closed and the windows tightly shut. The kids were in the back seat and that was really something for them to see lol. They were making jokes about them taking the hogs to make dogfood or bologna lol. DH was desperately trying to get around this dead hog truck before we all just puked and died but we were stuck in traffic and everyone in the cars around us were holding their noses. When ever the truck moved a little, the bloated hogs on top would bounce around..some were hanging over the sides. The kids were making bets on if one would fall out, which surrounding vehicle they would land on. When we were finally able to get around the truck, we of course, just stared over to see who would drive such a putrid smelling truck and if he had a gas mask on or what? Noooo, the old guy had his window down, arm out smoking a cigarette like he was going to the hardware store or something. Hogs' juices were leaking down around him! It was like 98 degrees out. Thats when dh lost it and we had to pull over while he puked on the side of the road lol.
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mary_lu_gw
15 years ago
I have to chime in with a "me too" also! I even posted on the conversation side a while ago about trying to find the "Big Stinking Mess" thread from several years ago. I had hopes of finding out just what his secret is! If only....
Beth Willett
15 years ago
That was a tease! I want the answers! (funny though)
Pappu????? Share with all of us green with envy! We'd probably be willing to pay...kinda like that secret Nordstrom cookie recipe that went around years ago!
artemis_pa
15 years ago
I am also in the Midwest and a zone 5 gardener. Inquiring minds want to know...or at least a few crumbs of details! ;-)
Perhaps Pappu could post a few pictures and quell the cries.
diana_noil
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you Dan, but nothing specific.

It's kind of like someone giving you a chocolate chip cookie and thinking, these are even better than the fantastic ones I bake. Then you ask for the recipe and they just smile and hand you another cookie.

If my roses looked that good, I would probably keep a few secrets myself. :-)
gymmom411
15 years ago
I'm with you guys, his roses are AMAZING, the best I've ever seen! I wish I lived close enough to just drive by and gawk. Can you imagine the incredible scent that must come from his yard? I guess we are all just dream on.

Lori
artemis_pa
15 years ago
Is there a bus tour available?!?!?!
barb422
15 years ago
Here's what I think Pappu's secret is ... planting masses and hedges of each variety of free flowering shrub roses. It makes such a gorgeous statement and something that those of us (me) who plant in groups of one cannot achieve. Neverthless I enjoyed your hilarious post Diana, smelling the dirt, hee hee.

Hopefully Pappu will show up. I googled Pappu, knockout, rose hedge, and came up with a few links.

Someone elses blog
http://garden-view.blogspot.com/2006/06/yummy-pics-of-roses-in-zone-5-not-mine.html

garden web threads that came up

Love & peace
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/rosesgal/msg0618353031132.html

champlain hedge
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/rosesgal/msg080019592367.html?6

livin easy
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/rosesgal/msg070050518365.html

Sorry you have to copy and paste the links, don't know how to do it within a post.

Perhaps someone could post alfalfa tea recipes here.

Cheers!

Here is a link that might be useful: Julia child hedge I think
zack_lau z6 CT ARS Consulting Rosarian
15 years ago
Hi Barb,

I did something similar last year--I moved a large RDR, which needs minimal pruning, and put a two layers of roses in front, closely spaced (mostly HTs). Looks quite impressive from the street. Over the winter I got some lopers so I can prune all the roses.

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