The Mindset of a Rosarian
fig_insanity Z7b E TN
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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6 years agofig_insanity Z7b E TN
6 years agoRelated Discussions
What do you modify in your garden to continue your garden passion
Comments (43)Kim said... >My original obsession was outrageously out of hand and I loved it. [...] I'm keeping to the level area as much as possible. Weeding that slope is offensive enough without having to traipse up and down, sliding on every other step, to maintain anything down there. I know I will resent the ones which go on the slope and will eventually allow them to go the way of the Dodo, so I'm choosing to rid myself of them, instead. That's a LOT of roses, quite a few of which are seedlings either generated through my obsession or those shared with me by other "obsessives", but that is what it is going to take to keep this "fun", doable and prevent the water requirements from eating me out of house, home and desire. Weeding through them to maintain those which are just happier to be here with me and those which are endangered, has been a real chore. Now, if there was a ton of level land with high ground water. Hi Kim, Back in the Dark Ages we lived in California in just the sort of spot you are conjuring up as a high ground water fix. But native trees really like spots like that too... and our house had lots of shade, too much shade for most roses. Still, we wouldn't have dreamed of cutting down a tree. We didn't own the house, we like trees, and anyway, removing a tree was illegal without a good reason for a permit where we lived (a Monarch Butterfly preserve). Anyway, we were relative youngsters at the time and didn't know just how wet that property was until our vegetable garden was swimming in water during the winter months. It was fine, fine black silty sand that held on to the water pretty well too. Your post made me think about what we'd do if confronted with your lack of water problems back in California again. What you're doing makes a lot of sense. But I also am wondering whether a bank full of Renaes rambling around might not survive and also keep the weeds down once they proliferated and established themselves? They might take over the other remaining roses, but if you weren't still trying hard to keep those... A bunch of Renaes might not require so much watering once established? I don't think a big crowd of them would look bad at all, depending on personal tastes, of course. In fact, I prefer that kind of look. We've done that crowded thing in a pretty good sized area with azaleas and rhododendrons here; they all grow together and if there's a weed under there somewhere, well, you can't easily penetrate to find or see it. Once in awhile there's a tree sneaking in that will have to be pulled up, but basically it's too shady under all the plant thickness for most weeds to grow. And I adore the looks of those crowded plants! No, we don't have big problems with fungal diseases, even with the crowd. Maybe fewer than average problems, though phytopthera wilt sometimes does require some cutting back of rhododendron limbs. You know a big problem with azaleas and rhododendrons is that they aren't drought tolerant. Well, we have lost huge numbers since our drought problems began big time here around 2001. It's been wonderfully rainy most of the time during the last couple of years, but the next drought period is probably just around the corner... and if we lose some more azaleas and rhododendrons then, well, I'm thinking of trying to establish some Renaes and Annie Laurie McDowells in their place in the relatively sunnier spots... along with some more camellias, which are drought tolerant after the first year. (Though blooming is less than ideal if August and September are dry.) We lost our Annie Laurie McDowell to Rose Rosette Disease last year, but I am figuring that if it's anything like our Renae here, well, it's as no-care, no-worry a plant as any other plant of any kind we've ever had in our yard. Not a touch of blackspot or any other disease here thus far (though that may well change just a bit as we get more shade as the sun angle changes during the fall). Anyway, I'm hoping for another Annie Laurie McDowell eventually too. Ours is a no-spray all-organic yard for everything we grow and Renae fits well into that way of doing things. I think Annie Laurie McDowell will too. I know it hurts to cut back some on what you are able to continue doing, Kim. But I keep thinking mostly about your achievements and how much you have helped so many others in what you have already contributed. Thank you! Best wishes, Mary...See More300 roses = maintenance = scared off home buyers
Comments (43)Good luck summers !! I hope it goes in your favor . If you are keeping your current home as a rental then that’s wonderful as you can slowly move your roses while having tenants ! :) i left behind 200 roses. I never thought we’d leave . If we were to leave I certainly never thought it would be to California the only state with restrictions on bringing in plants . I had to cut my garden back very painfully to show the home in the fall . My realtor was constantly harping on me about it . Thanks fully it sold in the early early spring so things were fresh and new by then . When we originally put it on the market in the fall , we were going to make a nice profit from the booming market in our town and move to a nicer school district a few towns over , so I planned on moving my roses. Then my husband got this promotion to California, so I had to say bye to all my beloved plants . I absolutely loathe the thought that the new owners probably removed my roses but that’s what happens . If you don’t like roses , you certainly won’t like 200 of them ;) when we bought this house in Ca there were 35 trumpeter landscape roses on the back pool wall bed . The lady loved that I loved roses and assumed I’d be caring for her very jarring red roses with the slightest hint of orange that really drove me nuts . Couldn’t wait to be rid of them !! Lol...See MoreThe tone of this board
Comments (45)jaxondel: the point is A) that was a posting about Kudzu, kstrong went on a tangent,asked Karl, didn't bother to ask me since it was to me that Gregg at Vintage sent his email to, telling me that Vintage lost their only Mandarin and he is the one who told me that I may have the last Mandarin in existance. Kstrong then went on to say that Gregg has thousands of roses and would not bother with just one rose. Well, he sure as heck would if it was the very last one in existance and Cliff at Euroroses had it. Gregg would have gone to get a cutting. This is what I mean about Hi-jacking a post. Kstrong did it again when I posted the question, "What Constitutes A Spot". Kstrong and and Flaurabunda got offtrack and started posting about understock, "Is this a Dr. Huey?" That did not belong in the "What Constitutes A Sport" posting. Also, what is this about Karl and Cannabis?? Are you trying to be funny jim1961??...See MoreHow was your day?
Comments (9)It is so hot here right now. This is the time of year when we see 100+ temps here and there, so we have to be careful that the roses get plenty of water and don't get sunburned in the process by wetting leaves during the heat of day. I had to water since it has been too long between rains. So, I decided to fertilize with my cocktail of Miracle-Gro, Superthrive, Epsom Salts, a Ferti-Lome acidifier/fertilizer, and fish/seaweed emulsion. I usually include Response to the mix instead of the acidifier, but I was out of Response so I need to order more. The acidifier was suggested to me by the very knowledgeable rosarian at my local flower nursery. It certainly didn't hurt that the stuff was 1/2 off regular price. I have found this stinky fertilizer cocktail to really encourage new growth including basal breaks. It also seems to really green up the foliage on the bushes and encourage the individual leaves to be somewhat larger than normal which I like. More leaf surface exposed to the sun means more photosynthesis and thus healthier and more vigorous bushes. I use my EZ-FLO Fertilizer Injector hooked to my drip irrigation system over a three hour watering to dispense to the plants. That gets the individual bushes watered and fertilized very deeply by it's own shrubbler emitter all at the same time without getting the foliage wet and then sunburned in this heat. This process also helps prevent blackspot since the foliage doesn't get wet as a general rule, except maybe just a few at the very bottom of the bush. It also saves on my sweaty labor by not having to mix this cocktail up individually per bush. It is so much quicker and efficient in my book, and that is a very good thing indeed. Anyone who has as many roses as I do should seriously consider using a drip irrigation system. I water in 9 different beds/zones. I have beds of 7,10,22,22,25,24,30, 16,and 14 roses in each one. I do still have to individually a couple of smaller beds/plantings and of course the ever present pot ghetto. The pots have to be hand watered and fertilized though I do have an idea of how I just might be able to work out a system for those as well. That would be so cool and designing and doing it yourself makes it that way. When it cools down this Fall, I will work on that project. This would be especially helpful in the long run as the pots/containers have to be watered so much more often as they dry out very quickly. If you aren't especially vigilant you can lose some potted roses very quickly by letting them dry up in this heat. I enjoy my watering chores by doing this and call it my therapy since I am unable to work and need something to keep my interest and increase my activity level. I hate daytime television I get all my drip irrigation supplies from DripWorks. I find their products very high quality, easy to work with, and very reasonably priced. And the benefits I get using the drip irrigation is unmeasurable in my book. You really should consider using a drip irrigation if you have multiple bushes in multiple garden beds. John...See More
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