Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Roses


Soon the first flush of rose blooms will be finished and then it will be time to feed the plants. The hardware/garden stores have a lot of different kinds of rose food, but, to me, the best ones are the natural/organic. Chemicals are harsh to plants and soil beneficials, but the natural fertilizers are gentle and slow release. Roses are fed after each flush of blooms, so that it can revive its energy for the next flush. As the season goes on the roses will get smaller, but will emerge with large blooms again the next spring.


When cutting roses for bouquets, remember to cut the stems just above a five-leaf cluster and the plant will create more flowers at that point. Roses grow well in our climate. The only bug problems that I have had are the Hoplia Beetles (they are here for just a short time) and aphids (usually on the new growth in early spring). I have never sprayed my roses with anything other than a stream of water, and they thrive!

No comments:

Post a Comment