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

i mostly use bamboo and nylon trellises, in some form. i love boo- it's strong, and holds up for several seasons and even when it's getting crochety i can find many uses for it. i've done trellises in an upside down U shape, an upside down V shape, and a curving arc- placing the nylon net horizontally rather than vertical. it lasts for many years and uses, but it does tangle easily when not stretched out. logan's sells it, or used to, but i got mine from pinetree. the holes are about 6" or so. it's very strong, nearly invisible once it mildews down a bit, and easy to clean off vines at the end of the season. not much tying needed- just weave the plants in to start. we have 2 permanent trellises in the garden i plant veggies on, as well as temporary ones that may last a season or 4. we just reconstructed one that we'd had for 10+ years. i also use bamboo teepees that i wrap with sisal or jute in a spiral fashion. for determinate tomatoes i tend to use these metal supports i bought a while back that you can wrap into triangles or link together to form a fence. i link them, then make the fence zigzag and plant the plants in the inside of the zig. that way the plants support the trellis and vice versa. i do have to tie them up some, as well as weaving the plants in. i also use 4' long pieces of metal that dh grabbed at work and string twine or jute among them to make a framework for determinate maters & other things that need fairly short support. pete's made a few metal type supports (we mostly use the rejects from something else), but they are fairly short. i've been bugging him to make me some of the rebar skinny teepee type you spoke of- they are very pretty. we have used cedar before, but it was from some small trees we and our neighbors culled, and we used them whole, with bark. it's great for a long lasting structure because it takes a long time to rot. as it ages the birds & squirrels love to peel the bark off in long strips for their nests. i don't know where you'd buy posts, though. as you might guess, we're big fans of trellising stuff to save space.

I'm still in the process of digging my veggie garden, but next year I should be done part of it so that I can get started growing something. My garden is a very large raised bed, which I am dividing with paths into small, 3 1/2 ft wide beds that I won't need to stand on ever. With our heavy clay soil, anything to cut down on compaction will be good for the plants. In the center of my garden I plan to have a small circular bed with some roses growing in it. I plan to plant in blocks and rows; I like vegetable gardens to be ornamental as well as practical. This style of gardening is called a potager, and is supposed to be popular in europe. As for what I intend to grow: potatoes, different varieties lettuce, spinach, corn, zucchini, yellow summer squash, carrots, peas, beans, beets, broccoli and cauliflower from seed. I will use transplants for: tomatoes, cucumbers, winter squash, peppers, eggplant and pumpkin. I would also like to try cantaloupe and watermelon transplants, though I know they'll be iffy depending on the year. Lots of freezing, lots of canning, lots of fresh eating! Before I plant all of those, we do intend to insulate and went a corner in our basement for a root cellar as well. I'll have to wait and see what plants end up being too finicky (maybe cauliflower!) and get knocked off the list.

I am using dr earth "Liquid Solution" this year. It is 4-4-4 i believe and partially water soluable. I am thinking I may also supplement with some soft rock phosphate for the additional phosphate and calcium as well. Can't say how well the Liquid Solution works as I just started using it. I believe it is going to work better than the fish emulsion i was using as that was primarily nitrogen (4-1-1). John