Hi Jim: Mas mentioned that she's applying silica ... known to strengthen cell-wall. I checked on potassium and disease-prevention, and found this in Wikipedia, "In agriculture, some cultivars are more efficient at K uptake due to genetic variations, and often these plants have increased disease resistance.[1] The mechanisms include a decreased cell permeability and decreased susceptibility to tissue penetration. Silica, which is accumulated in greater quantities when adequate potassium is present, is incorporated into cell walls, strengthening the epidermal layer which functions as a physical barrier to pathogens. Potassium has also been implicated to have a role in the proper thickening of cell walls." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_deficiency_(plants) **** From Straw: I notice that my disease-resistant roses: Basyes Blueberry, Excellenz von Schubert, Knock-outs, Kordes Flower Carpet, Annie L. McDowell, Marie Pavie, Bolero, Christopher Marlowe, Frederic Mistral, Old Port, Lilian Austin, and Nahema have THICKER LEAVES than flimsy Gruss an Teplitz' leaves. The disease-resistant own-roots are more efficient in getting potassium from the soil, than Dr. Huey's parent, Gruss an Teplitz. I notice that when I bring down the pH of my alkaline tap water through a bit of vinegar, ... the leaves of Sweet Promise rose became thinner, and more wilting in hot sun. So I checked on that, and a few University Extension mentioned that as the pH drops, levels of calcium and potassium are less available. There's the misconception that the pH has to be slightly acidic for roses to bloom best ... that's NOT true. The best tons-of-blooms in HMF are from sandy alkaline gardens, such as of Kitty Belendez in CA, she uses a soluble fertilizer mix, including kelp meal. Seaweed has alkaline clay soil, and she gets tons of blooms with soluble fertilizer. Alkaline soil pH doesn't matter, since plants can do acid-phosphatase (secreting acids to utilize phosphorus in soil). Dr. Huey root-stock is good in acid-phosphatase for blooming, but lousy in getting potassium from the soil. Here's an excerpt from eHow: "Potassium levels increase with higher pH levels, so acidic soils, which have lower pH levels, tend to have less potassium content than alkaline soils. According to professor Linda Chalker-Scott, potassium levels are particularly low in sandy acidic soils. Amending Your Soil: If your soil has low pH and potassium levels, you should apply lime to increase soil pH. For potassium-deficient soils that are not acidic, fertilizers such as potassium sulfate (sulfate of potash) may be more appropriate." *** From Straw: below is Annie L. McDowell, zero diseases for the past 2 years, that rose has VERY THICK leaves. I put gypsum in the planting hole & use soluble sulfate of potash. Picture taken June 19, after 3-days of rain & humid weather:

I thought PCdM was supposed to be short when I got mine and planted it in front of a bed. It grew to about 6 ft by end of season that first year (but stayed very narrow), so I moved it last year (its second) to a different bed. Here are a couple of full bush shots from early May this year...that's a six foot fence behind it. I hard pruned it last year and this year to encourage it to get bushier and that has helped. It still gets taller than the fence by end of season, but is a bit fuller. These pictures don't do it justice...much prettier rose in person

Part of my post disappeared :(. Diane earth angel is a slow re bloomer and not super productive. In that image I have 3 planted together. I am hopping in the future it will improve. Desdémona on the other had does produce hundreds of blooms. Ohhh vapor I wish I could send you one of my huge monsters. I cut down desire down to the ground this winter and is back to 7 feet tall canes. I meant for Desdemona to cascade over dark desire’s red blooms with lichfield angel on front. Now I have dark desire smothering everything on its path and can’t even see Desdémona unless I circle to the back of the bed. I have trouble making things happen how I imagine it.

There are many threads on this rose, and there are many people who are very happy with this rose. You can do a search. My experience has not been as stellar. I loved the photos of Princesse Charlene de Monaco when they came out. When I saw it at a nursery, with pink, large deep cups and luscious fragrance, I had to have one. Now in its third season, the flowers have not been the same color. They open apricot colored fading in one or two days to a very pale color. Form is not deep cups here, as the flowers open up much more flat. Fragrance is still good, although variable. Growth has been noted by many to be rangy with long stems. The intense sun here keeps roses more compact here, and PCdM is more compact than the 12 foot monsters that others have shown, but still with very long stems (good for long stemmed cut roses). Rebloom for me has been poor. I'm debating whether or not I will be renewing this rose's lease next year. At purchase it looked like this: Now looks like this: Opening like this: ...although first flush this year looked like this: