another year with no new roses

10 years ago

My attempt at planning and responsibility is actually fairly dismal since bare root season is here without a single order from me. What's more, to pile on the misery, I have forgone my usual order of several hundred tulips (2000 narcissi just don't really cut it compared to the euphoria as the tulips start to open). I have also not bought a single new perennial.....all because of this limbo-like existence, floating between garden, wood and allotment. Of course, I have gone far, far overboard on seeds but this is always fraught with stress (unlike bulbs and bareroots which are an absolute guaranteed result requiring the bare minimum of effort). There is only so much glee to be gained from scrutinising the seed packets (and even then, most of them just come in a plain envelope with a botanical name)......not to mention the waiting (which can extend to 5 years for stuff like martagons, notholirion, dierama, even the humble snowdrop and bluebells). Feeling like I need some new, engrossing interest which requires neither space nor funds and can be done under a dim oil-lamp. Woodcarving perhaps? Or there is a definite danger that I may wallow in a morass of miserable biscuit munching and shouting at the TV. There is always knitting but I actually do not enjoy this, knitting purely as a labour of love....and the cost of nice wool is eye-watering.

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hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
10 years ago
House cleaning?

Just joking!
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10 years ago
I sincerely hope so!

Not even terminal boredom could induce me to get the feather duster out - I can proudly state I have not dusted skirting boards for 24 years.
Mr.Campanula has just corrected this to ever.
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My last on the subject before bowing out (I hope). This is for those who might now be throughly confused. When a rrd infected mite or mites land on your rose they do so to feed and reproduce. Mites prefer to feed on tender plant tissue and buds. The initial landing places become systematic for rrd. While feeding the virus enters the plants phloem system. It must then travel down thru the phloem where it enters the crown and roots. At this point the virus is transported back up thru out the rest of the plant. There is a 3rd alternative to try. Removing the entire plant down to the crown is what you would normally do. Bagging or burning the plant material first to hopefully eliminate the mite. Then you return to dig the crown and roots. These would contain infection but no mites. So if you should think that you caught the rrd at it's first sign and it was out at the end of a cane. You might stop before removing crown and roots. You have already done the best you can to eliminate the mite. You could wait to see what grows back. If crown and roots are rrd infected new grow will be symptomatic. You will see rrd growth. At that time get it out of there. If the virus had not reached the crown or roots a nice healthy rose bush will regrow. However there is always a remote chance that a new mite could land again. Then plants would then again become infected. Hope I was understandable. And please know this is my best understanding of this disease. I do not believe I'm 100% correct. But I do believe I'm doing the best I can which the information that I've been able to gather. Good luck to all.
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towandaaz, lololol alert the media! I almost fell off my chair lol That's too funny but that's exactly how I feel sometimes. I had mixed emotions on GJ after reading some reviews but it's really growing on me (literally lol) I didn't expect to be the first one to "wake up" from winter. It was in a band pot planted late fall in my zone and absolutely no winter protection. Not in the best sun location either I can say I did almost everything wrong yet here it is :))) Glad to hear your opinions and I will be leaving her be and see what the future will bring :) So what I use is Dr Earth organic rose fertilizer. I also amend my soil with Purple Cow compost and add about 2 handfuls of this Dr Earth fertilizer on the bottom of the whole before planting. I don't doubt there are better products out there but this one has proven to be really great. Here is the label
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ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
10 years ago
Suzy, I'd like to suggest yoga to calm the nerves and tone the muscles so you'll be in shape for planting all those bulbs. While you're contorted like a pretzel, you'll also find it difficult to munch on biscuits (cookies on this side of the pond) so it fulfills two functions. I think underwater basket weaving has gone out of style so I won't mention that. All the while chant your customized mantra: "This too shall end". I hesitate to suggest my own personal tranquilizer which is baking a cake and eating it in two sittings.

Ingrid
User
Original Author
10 years ago
2 sittings? Afraid I don't hold with that puritan abstention - what's wrong with eating it all at once (I certainly do).
kittymoonbeam
10 years ago
I think you should make cuttings. It was hard for me to stop getting my large tulip hoard every fall. I had to dip them in fungicide, pack them specially and then refrigerate them in a small refrigerator I bought just for cooling bulbs. I could do 3 batches a year. One batch for the ground ( early ) one batch for pots and the last was the late season for the ground. Finally, I had to give it up. The neighbors were unhappy about it but it got to be too expensive as nothing returned and had to be purchased again every year. Now I go to Descanso for my tulip display every year. I know how exciting tulips can be. And around here, nobody plants them in any quantity. Maybe you will see a pot or two but that's all. Daffodils are more likely to stay here.

Seeds don't excite me like small plants do but I know a man who is the wizard of seed starting and he's awash in wonderful rare things so I keep on trying to get better at it. It's a patience character building thing to wait on a plant from seed.
melissa_thefarm
10 years ago
Learn a foreign language? I got quite into Latin last winter when my daughter started studying it in high school.
wintercat_gw
10 years ago
Campanula, after reading your first post I googled and found a youtube video called 'Rose propagation in Fall and Winter ' (link attached). Then I read through the posts that followed and realized Kittymoonbeam beat me to the cuttings suggestion (great minds think alike).

Please don't sink into the doldrums. Pick up your pruners and set off on a rose hunting trip! I shall be with you in the spirit when you raid capitalists' gardens! Amen!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Better than Cake!
jeannie2009
10 years ago
I usually knit during winter rains. Last year I took an online art appreciation class. It was 16 episodes with a forum and featured the Monet era artists. Sure brightened my day. Am thinking about taking another of their classes next January. Perhaps Russian Artists pre-1917???
Gotta love the different directions us RookieRetirees can go.
Like the idea of learning a new language...maybe hook it to a trip. Thank you Melissa. I remember Latin from High School. Not sure the brain could deal with that complication but glad to hear that you did. Maybe Spanish a tad less complicated.
Come on Suzi...think outside the box.

another year with no new roses

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another year with no new roses

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