Roses are many of the most glorious and favorite flower that decorates our gardens and our lives. Unfortunately roses have a reputation for being a difficult plant to care for. While some rose plant possessors see this to be right, others take steps to find out the specific care that is necessary for their roses.

Roses do demand frequent attention to maintain the plant looking its best but, after studying the right steps to take in caring for roses, facilitating a plant to look its optimal is easy. The most basic necessity that most people understand that plants need is water. All plants need water and roses are no different. Roses will blossom and look their best if it is well watered. Roses need to be supplied with about one inch of water per week.

It is the roots of the plant that really need to be considered during this step. Roses have roots that go deep into the ground. Because roses have deep roots they are capable of extracting water from the sub-land even when the surface is dry. This serves them to stand dry spells. Watering the roots of the roses furthers them to grow deep into the ground. Sometimes when a plant owner only offers their roses frequent, lighter watering, the roots of the plant will grow to be shallow within the ground. This results in the plant not being capable to handle the drying of the upper layer of land due to droughts.

When shopping for roses, you may notice that there are two different types to choose from. You will likely encounter “own root” roses and “grafted” roses. So what is the difference and which one is right for you?

Grafted roses are actually made up of two plants. It will have the stems and flowers of one plant and the root system of another. Horticulturists will typically create these hybrids to take advantage of a strong, weather tough root system of one plant and the beauty and delicateness of another.

You will usually be able to tell whether you have a grafted rose by looking for a bulge or knob low down on the stem of the plant. This is the location where the two type of plants were grafted together.

While the hardiness of the plant may be increased, there is the risk that suckers of the original plant will emerge during the growing process. Also, it is possible that harsh winter or other unfavorable condition will kill the top part of the plant, leaving you with only the underlying root structure of a different plant.

Roses grow best in rich clay-loam soils located where there is good drainage and where protection is afforded from strong winds. Roses require sunlight and usually do not thrive in shady locations.

Before planting, a liberal quantity of well rotted manure should be dug into the soil or. if manure is not available, a commercial fertilizer such as peat moss should be used. Beds should be dug deeply as roses are deep-rooted plants.

Planting can be done either in fall or spring, but where winter is early and severe, spring planting, as early as possible, is recommended.

Bushes should be set in the soil firmly, after first soaking the roots in water. After planting. cut bushes back to 4 or 5 inches from the soil level and cover the tops completely with a mound of earth for a week or so until buds sprout, then uncover. Do not cut back fall planted bushes until spring.

Rose beds should be hoed occasionally during the summer to eliminate weeds and prevent crusting of the soil. An application of about 1″ of peat as a mulch will help keep down weeds and keep the beds tidy.

There is in all likelihood no bloom as stunning or as popular as a rose. They have been around for 1000s of years and are well-known in virtually every country. Growing rose bushes is rewarding and easy. All you need is a slight bit of horticulture know how to get started. Through understanding a little bit more about horticulture care the more productive you will be with your rose bushes.

There are umpteen other assortments of rose bushes. There is literally a rose to accommodate every taste, orientation, color, shape and anything else you can think of or they can come up with. Rose bush care is somewhat easy when you understand what roses need. Roses like to be established in sunny spots. They call for at least six hours of unfiltered, direct sunlight a day. Even those rose bushes that are said to do very well in the shade still require about 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. Roses also require good land to develop in. You can always change the ground in your garden with a little bit of compost.

When building a landscape that has the challenge of a steep hillside or slope there are some things you can do to help in the design.

Low retaining dry walls can often do the trick. They keep soil from washing down and prevent rain from rolling off leaving rosebeds high and dry; instead of thoroughly moist.

Low retaining dry walls can often do the trick. They keep soil from washing down and prevent rain from rolling off leaving rosebeds high and dry; instead of thoroughly moist.

Gradually a Rose Terrace can emerge as in the case of a New Jersey couple.. If you did landscaping on a hill, the walls worked marvelously and proved to be interesting architectural features that heightened the beauty of their hill. They blended so well into the landscape that they seem to be a natural part of it.

Now they have 140 varieties and about 850 rose plants strategically placed throughout the landscape. Separate beds are provided for each group. Polyanthas, floribundas and hybrid teas are never mixed. They have no favorites among them for each has its period of near perfection and with roses in their hearts, they simply enjoy them all.

What to Prune Now

The shrubs that flower on new wood should be pruned now to encourage the development of this new growth as soon as conditions for growth become favorable.

Do not prune the early flowering shrubs until after flowering. These shrubs formed their bloom buds late last summer and early fall as the growth began to slow down and the plant began to store carbohydrates.

Any wood removed now will cause a loss in flower production.

Roses

Pruning of roses should be done about the middle of the month (February) in the South. The old question of how much” is always asked. There are two schools of thought, actually, as most growers know. Severe pruning to a height of six to ten inches gives more vigorous growth and longer stems with fewer, but larger, blossoms.

Light pruning results in more blooms on shorter stems, and usually smaller blooms. Have a definite reason for pruning and not just for exercise! Prune to correct habits of growth; to remove dead, broken or diseased wood; to control plant size; to stimulate new growth; and to enhance the natural beauty of the plant.

Interest is reviving in the old shrub roses of our great-grandmothers gardens. To provide beauty with fragrance and nostalgic memories, no other flower has more distinction or appeal.

For all practical purposes, these roses are a necessary tonic for Midwest gardens. They thrive in spite of drought, below zero temperatures, weeds and hot winds. All grow without winter protection except those mentioned otherwise. Care is simplicity itself plant them as you would any other rose.

Feed each spring and water during periods of extreme drought. If blackspot or insects bother, use any good rose dust. Prune away only dead wood, as the new growth continually replenishes the plant. In this manner, the rose can live for 50 years or more.

There are types for all garden needs - tall shrubs for background or hedges, climbers and pillars for trellises, medium to low shrubs for foundation plantings, and ground creepers to hold soil on eroded banks.

These are the best-known groups with outstanding varieties of each: Rosa Centifolia (Cabbage rose) The original Provence rose is pale pink; Rose des Peintres has large deep rose flowers. ‘Vierge de Clery’ is white.

Let’s Face It

We may as well face it, almost a century has passed since we dipped into Rosa X odorata (tea) blood and the modern rose passed into a new phase. The genes have been wound so many different ways from an ever increasing number of species roses. (Should you call me a hybrid Irishman” just because a remote ancestor named Dennis” came to America some 200 years ago, and his offspring intermarried into French, English, German and Welsh families?)

Where do the modern large flowered bush garden roses get their robust stems? Not from tea! Where do the sturdy big flowers come from? Not from tea! From whence do they get some cold resistance? Not from tea!

If we must single out some ancestor common observation would move us to use the name “hybrid gallica.” But this leaves us with the current problems. For in addition to gallica the modern roses have a fair representation of seven other major species roses in their genetic makeup.

It’s Gone- Let It Die In Peace

Two kinds of people use the stars. The first romanticize their beauty and dream by them, the second use them to steer their course by. It is much the same with roses. There is much to be done in this world to beautify both the garden and spirit of our fellow man with roses.

We can devote our time to simple enjoyment of the joys we have found in roses or we can set about the vitally important task of bringing this pleasure to more people. With a new year unfolding before us we might well take stock and see which path we have followed in the past and if we are willing to enrich the lives of our fellow men by following the second course.

If we find the challenge of the latter course inspiring there is one factor which will help greatly in gaining successful results. That is the importance of retaining an affirmative attitude. I used to hate the fact that my garden soil is full of rocks until I found these came in mighty handy when I issued forth with my trusty sling-shot to ward off the innumerable rabbits which plagued our new rose plants.

Rose planting can be started in the southern part of the south during the last half of the month. If you have not ordered you should do so soon, as newer varieties are usually in scarce quantity by now. The old favorites, however, should be in good supply. Do not be afraid to try the new varieties and the All”America selection for the current year.

Birds: This month is usually very hard on birds in the garden. Provide a place for water and see that it is kept filled every day. Also, provide some food in the form of small grains. Put these items near a window and let the children enjoy “bird- watching.”

Pruning and spraying: There are always enough mild days in January to do remedial and heavy pruning. Be sure to prune for a purpose, not just for the sake of exercise! Prune to remove dead or diseased wood, or to correct the pattern of growth. Cuts over one inch in diameter should be painted with a waterproof paint to prevent decay or entrance of insect pests.