Taoseeker, Thanks for the information on the European history with long term use of their most common rootstocks. I find it interesting and very useful and hope for long term good results - more vigorous root growth translating into more resilient bushes. I do remember seeing a number of times R. laxa use mentioned in the hybridizing experiments by the Canadian pioneer prairie hybridizer. One of the Skinners I have is apparently a cross with it and a pimpinefollia - sorry have not taken the time to check if it is Haidee Suzanne Butterball or all. Makes me wonder if that was the influence of their European ancestry, availability or factual superior hardiness - don't know but in 5 years I should. By the way very pleased to see very good cane survival for the first year on my Portland named Marie Jean I got from Lynnette last year when she gave up on it. Melissa, There is a gentleman in British Columbia I met through Lynnette who has made it a mission to collect and save Geschwinds. I need to let him know what I received and get him some cuttings. The two Canadian nurseries that I would be happy to share cuttings (gratis) that graft I have not approached as it gets too close to commercial for me and I would have to be absolutely sure that the roses are out of patent before even contact (most are over 100 years old so I am probably safe). However I sense both of them have absolutely the strictest of QA controls and would do it on their own so as to be sure of providence and disease free stock - if they survive winter and prosper I may contact them to guage their interest ... they both export to the States. Kaylah Hi, I was fortunate my Charles de Mills that I cover and is in the south gardens has 3 foot canes and lots of them ... problem is blooms are usually in short supply and last year I think I got 3. I leave it as it always grows well and takes to protection well. All my other dark gallicas are history except for the many exmaples of Belle d'Crecy I got as delambre - it also seems to survive well if covered ... but too much damage and the blooms are gone. All my cardinal Richelieu departed voluntarily over the years (3). Me I fool around with teas but only in pots and bring them in in October ... got a couple new ones this year. My FMkruger ... is a monster in zone 3 (hahhaha) and I think I must of got the most vigorous clone of this tea via Quebec. Kids you not take a cutting - stick in earth in the house and it takes like in February when I accidentally snapped a branch off ... now I got two with the younger being already at least foot high in 4 months and has gone through one bloom cycle. But the one I really miss is Mrs Schwartz ... almost as reliable as Mlle Franz Krueger (sp) ... forgot to take a cutting and over wintered her in the garage and she and all the other ones died - fortunately had cuttings for 3 of them in the basement to replace them - there as tall in two 365 day a year growing seasons as the originals.

Bonjour, Les rosiers greffés sur R.Canina et R.Laxa tiendront sans problème, mais pas sur R.Multiflora inermis. Plus important, éviter les Hybrides de Thé, les Thé, Chinensis et Noisette.Galliques, Damas, Portland, Alba, Centifolia, Mousseux, Hybrides remontants et Rugosa s'en sortiront très bien. Les rosiers francs de pied ne se vendent qu'aux U.S.A. et au Canada. La vraie raison, c'est que les porte-greffes en usage là -bas sont des hybrides, à multiplier de bouture.Conséquence: des virus à la pelle... Pour moi, l'avantage c'est surtout une plus grande longévité et une reprise mieux garantie.En effet, tous les rosiers n'acceptent pas les porte-greffes standard.Exemple: "Empereur du Maroc" ne donne rien sur R.Laxa. J'importe ces rosiers-là des Etats-unis pour les avoir francs de pied, si le bouturage ne marche pas. Bien à vous, Pete.

I agree with Sheila - most of us use the opportunity of planting a rose to do some spot enhancing of the organic material in our soil. I agree that top dressing with organic material is the best long-term solution to improving the soil, but as a short term boost for the soil mixing in compost or something else organic has been very effective for me. I contrast beds where I have been planting roses this way for some time, and the soil in the entire bed becomes this lovely textured and rich soil that I can dig in with my fingers, while beds that I only top-dress haven't worked in that organic material very deeply yet even though they've all been planted the same amount of time. Having said that, you don't have to amend with anything if you start out with good loamy soil like you describe, so there's no particular need to do as much as you've done or certainly to add anything more. For me, the second set of additives is a bit more effort than I want to put in but it sounds fine being all organic and slow acting. The one thing you don't want to do in any new planting is add fast acting fertilizers which for me include most granular fertilizers. Biotone and other organic fertilizers break down more slowly and don't run the risk of burning sensitive feeder roots. I simplify your latter list and add just manure, alfalfa hay, and something to lighten the soil that I can buy in large bulk and relatively cheaply (lately it has been cotton burr compost). My preference is to add no more than 1/3 other substance to the existing soil, since you want the rose to get used to the conditions it's going to expect from here on out rather than getting hooked on any particular amendments at the outset. You've obviously been successful with 1/2 supplements so go with what works for you. I always soak bare roots and you'll find a majority of us do the same, and a majority of the vendors specifically recommend soaking the roots. The principle is to make sure the rose is adequately hydrated to handle the transition to the ground. One look at dried out husks of body bag roses indicates how important hydration is for bare root roses. Cynthia

Carol: Khalid in Pakistan grows Augusta Luise since 2014 & he posted lots of pics. in Organic rose forum. It blooms well for him at 115 F, he mentioned that it likes high-calcium fluffy soil & alkaline pH. He fertilized it with wood ash & chicken manure in a pot with loamy and fluffy soil. Leaves of Augusta Luise is glossy dark green, but smaller in size. Glossy dark green means it prefers alkaline pH, and smaller leaves mean it likes fluffier soil. For Augusta Luise: SKIP GARDEN LIME (22% calcium and 12% magnesium). Pelletized lime without magnesium is a better choice. Garden Lime has 12% magnesium which is "sticky glue" and makes my clay dense (my black-gumbo clay was tested exceedingly high in magnesium, and multiflora-rootstock hates my clay). Garden lime makes "concrete" out of any soil. We have 3 days of rain & high humidity and the bag of Garden Lime dust (inside 2 plastic bags) turned into sticky-putty .. that would kill any cluster-root like it killed Felicia. The pale and dull leaves own-roots absolutely hate Garden Lime. The tiny-leaves own-roots also hate Garden Lime. These prefer gypsum (fast calcium released by its 18% sulfur). Note below pale & small leaves of St. Cecilia in my dense high magnesium clay: Below is with acidic rain: Below same St. Cecilia, without sulfur in acidic rain (gypsum and sulfate of potash also has 18% to 21% sulfur). Note the pale leaves in high magnesium clay get worse WITHOUT rain: The glossy & dark-green & large leaves can handle Garden lime and my thick & dense clay better, such as Betty White: