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Rose Garden Tips
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Rose Garden Tips
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Feeding | Pruning | Planting | Winterizing | Miniature Roses | Insects | Disease | Patent Roses | Rootstock | Floribunda | Links | Rustling | Rose FAQ
Roses must be fed three basic things: Fertilization, Water and Sunshine. When to feed your roses depends upon where you live. If you live in northern climates, your roses are probably dormant throughout the winter, so you would probably give them one last feeding prior to the first frost and not feed them again until the spring. If you live in a southern climate like I do in Florida, your roses probably bloom year round, so you never 'put them to bed'. Just for the sake of argument, let's begin with the beginning of the year. Your feeding schedule should begin in the early spring once you are certain that there will be no more freezing weather and the ground is not rock hard. In my zone that is anywhere from mid-February to mid-March. The first thing you want to do is prune your bushes. Refer to the pruning section of this page. Once pruned, it is time to feed your bushes. There are two types of fertilizers, organic and synthetic. All fertilizers add nutrients to your soil that nourish your bushes. Organic materials contain nutrients that are solely derived from the by-products of once-living organisms (plant or animal). Compared to synthetic fertilizer formulations, organic fertilizers contain relatively low concentrations of actual nutrients, but they do perform other important functions. These functions include; increasing the organic content of the soil, improving the physical structure of the soil and increasing bacterial activity in the soil making other nutrients more available to the plants as the organic soil binding substances decompose. For good soil structure it is necessary to have a continuous source of organic material for the soil organisms. As an aside ... here in Florida, my soil is mostly sand. While this provides for great drainage, it makes for very poor absorption. On the one hand, I want the plants to acclimate well to the local conditions, but I also want to provide the best environment for my bushes. I also want to minimize the amount of maintenance that I have to do on the bushes. On one gardening show the host indicated that you should provide 'improved' soil conditions for your plants. As far as I am concerned I prefer to let my bushes 'make themselves at home' in the local 'unimproved' soil. This way I don't have to put a whole lot of time and effort into maintaining the rose garden bed itself, and I will know soon enough if a bush does or does not belong in my garden. If it can survive, it belongs. For the most part I have been VERY successful with this approach. I have never lost a plant due to problems related to soil conditions. Then again, I make sure each bush is from either a Fortuniana or Dr. Huey root stock, which are specially bred for the conditions here in Florida. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Some people say that organic fertilizer recipe's are like eating a nutritious meal and synthetic fertilizers are like eating junk food. Well, I have tried my hand at mixing up special organic fertilizer recipe's and I have tried using the pre-packaged synthetics. My results were that it didn't seem to matter where the nutrients came from. The bushes were just happy to be fed. Since I am into simplicity, I just use the prepackaged synthetics such at Schultz's, Miracle Grow and Peter's. However, for those of you who prefer the organic route, here is a recipe that I found and tried: ORGANIC RECIPE: · 1 cup bone meal or super phosphate (0-20-0) · 1 cup cottonseed meal · 1/2 cup blood meal · 1/2 cup fish meal · 1/2 cup Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) · 1 cup alfalfa · 1 cup cow manure · 1 cup Sewer sludge There is some question about the long term effect of using sewage sludge products. Heavy metals may be present and may build up in the body if inhaled during mixing and application. Heavy metals can also be toxic to the soil. You may wish to omit this item. Personally I have replaced the last 2 items with a pre-mixed product that I found at the local garden center. Water thoroughly then spread the mixture evenly around the drip-line of the bush. Scratch lightly into the top 1-2" of soil and water well again. In Florida’s climate with its long growing season, a second application is beneficial in early September for fall blooming. About two to three weeks after spring pruning and fertilizing, new growth will appear. Once the new growth has begun, synthetic fertilizers can be applied and will provide an instant food source for this heavy feeding period. How often to apply is a decision, based on the amount of time and devotion you have, but once a month is a pretty good average. I have a yard service that manages the regular spraying and fertilization of my property. They fertilize every other month on average. I time my pruning and initial spring fertilization to occur in the month between their scheduled fertilization. This way my bushes get an initial boost in the early spring and late fall. I have heard of people using Miracle Grow every other week!! However, I believe that this makes the plants very dependent upon the abundant food source and if you miss a few weeks, the plant deteriorates rapidly. I prefer that my plants bloom a bit less often, but are hardier. You should adjust your feeding schedule to how much time and effort you want to put into your rose garden. Roses can take a lot of time and effort, or they can take very little time and effort. It depends on how much time and effort you want to put into managing them. If you are a casual rose grower, and you like to grow just a few of your favorite roses, your best bet would be an organic granular food with an N-P-K (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium) of about 10-10-10, applied every four weeks according to directions. Fish emulsion applied as a liquid fertilizer when buds are about pea-size will give you better color . During July and August reduce the amount of fertilizer by half but stay on the same 4 week schedule. Don't forget the semi-annual organic application. If you are not quite so casual, but not totally dedicated to growing roses, you could feed them more often to get bigger blooms or use a special 'bloom booster' synthetic mixture. Start with an application of organic granular food with an N-P-K (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium) of about 12-6-8-with secondary (or micro) nutrients. Approximately 1 cup per bush every 4 weeks, then begin a program of liquid fertilizers, alternating the following on a two-week basis: Peters (20-20-20) or Miracle Grow (15-30-15) Fish Emulsion (5-1-1) Apply according to package directions, usually 1 Tbs. per gallon, 2 gallons per bush. If you are totally addicted to growing roses and have almost 40 bushes like me, you should consider ways to make your fertilization efforts easier. Like I mentioned, I have a yard service that does all of my chemical applications including fertilization. It costs a bit of money, but with all of my other landscaping in addition to my rose garden, its just too much work to do it all myself. However, if you are the type of person who finds that they get better results when you do it yourself, remember that granular fertilizers need only to be evenly scattered on the damp soil, 8" away from the bud union, scratched lightly into the soil, and watered in well. For liquid or water soluble fertilizers, like Miracle Grow, rather than toting 2 gallons per bush (at 8lbs per gallon of water) you can mix up a super-concentrate (16x concentration) in a 5 or 10 gallon bucket and use a siphon attached to your hose and just spray each plant. Or, you could buy a bottle sprayer in which you put the synthetic powder and just spray, letting the bottle mix the concentrate. Roses need a constant food source throughout their growing season. The longer the season, the longer you need to work. Climbers Need twice as much food as a bush because they are 2 or 3 time larger. Miniatures can be fed at half strength. Return to the top of the page Roses will produce the best blooms when they are given plenty of water. They must be planted in a well-drained soil. Once planted or if allowed to remain in the pot, they must not dry out. Any organic material added to the soil will enhance growing conditions and moisture retention, but it is better to allow the plant to adapt to the local soil conditions. A slow, deep soaking once or twice a week for an hour or so each time is more beneficial than daily watering. Watering should be done twice a week during extreme heat or when drought conditions exist. This watering method promotes deep root growth and a more drought-resistant plant. Water your roses in the morning so the plants have time to dry out before nightfall. To prevent mildew, blackspot and rust, avoid wetting the foliage, especially in the evening. A drip irrigation system is probably your best bet because it delivers water directly to the root zones of the plants and it does not wet the plants' foliage. However, it may require longer watering periods to give adequate irrigation. Slow, deep watering is also accomplished with a drip system, soaker hose, or a garden hose left for a long time on a very slow flow. If fungal infections do occur, they can be treated using a commercial fungicide. Depending on the degree of fungus, I use 2 different products. The first is a fungicidal 'soap' which is a more 'natural' method of protection. If there is not a large amount of fungus growth, this seems to work just fine. However, if the fungus is very intrusive, I have found that Daconil does a good job. I dilute the Daconil as 2 tablespoons per gallon of water and spray weekly during the warm months and less frequently during the cold.
Note: if you have a big fungus problem, DO NOT add more Daconil to the solution.
Spray more frequently
Roses can thrive in nearly any spot in your yard as long as they receive at least six hours of full sunshine daily. Choose an area for your roses which will provide full sunshine. If this is not possible, then morning sun is preferred because it dries dew earlier in the day, making the plant less susceptible to moisture-related diseases such as fungal black spot. Sunshine and good air circulation helps prevent disease. Return to the top of the page
Pruning When do I prune roses? I do this after I am sure that we will not have any more sub-freezing temperatures. In my area of Florida this is anywhere from mid-February to mid-March. Then just enough throughout the rest of the year to keep the shape of the bush. There are three main purposes to be accomplished when pruning roses: 1) Keeping the plant healthy. 2) Encouraging the plant to grow in a desired shape. 3) Encourage blooming, either more blooms or larger blooms. The proper tool for most pruning is a sharp clean set of bypass pruners or loppers. Dull tools may actually cause rips and tears in the canes, leaving the plant susceptible to insect infestation or disease. It’s wise to use top quality equipment like Felco or Sandvik pruners. Inexpensive tools often have a short life span and often do more harm than good. A pruner with a bypass blade gives a clean cut, and the shape of the tool is easier to maneuver into tight spaces. Anvil pruners should not be used for roses as they crush the stem being cut. A saw or lopping shears may be used to cut very large canes (1/2 inch diameter or greater) All pruning cuts on canes greater than 1/4 inch diameter should be sealed with glue to prevent cane borers from entering. Proper pruning will help keep a rose bush healthy. Dead and diseased wood should be removed as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the bush. The future shape of the bush can be influenced by the location of each pruning cut. Opening up the bush to increase air circulation will help prevent diseases. Since rose bushes like to send out a strong lateral cane at the node just below a pruning cut, try to make pruning cuts about 1/4 inch above an "outward" facing leaf bud. By doing this and removing plant material from the center of the bush you will create a more open vase-shaped plant that is less susceptible to disease. Whenever two canes cross each other, one should be removed. Roses can be encouraged to bloom better if thin, weak and non-productive wood is removed to allow the plant to concentrate its blooming on the larger healthier canes. Generally with Hybrid Teas any cane thinner than a pencil should be removed. Plants may be pruned hard to encourage larger blooms but fewer blooms (commonly done with Hbyrid Teas.) Or the plant may be pruned lightly and allowed to grow larger and produce more flowers that are smaller (commonly done with some shrub roses.) Prune first year plants only lightly to allow them to concentrate on establishing a strong root system. Roses such as climbers and ramblers don't need much pruning, but if you plan to prune, hold off until after the plant has bloomed for the season. Climbers and ramblers bloom on the previous year's growth. Remove about a third of the bulk of the plant. Cut old, damaged, and diseased wood out first. Climbers need to be trained more than pruned. Just tip the canes lightly and train them as horizontally as possible. An overall fan shape is desirable on a fence. A fan or vertical looks best on trellis or arbor. As with the bush roses, cut out any dead or damaged wood and remove all old foliage. When I prune my roses in the spring, I cut all major canes down to about 18". Be careful as to how severe you prune. Roses on Dr. Huey root stock can handle very severe pruning while those on Fortuniana should not be pruned as severely. I remove all canes that cross one another and all canes that are growing towards the middle of the plant. Finally I remove the 'minor' canes. By the time I am done, there are usually 4-6 canes remaining. Once pruned I remove ALL foliage. Your pruning will depend upon the type of rose bush is being pruned. Hybrid teas relish a good pruning. Remove all but 4 or so large, healthy canes that are not angled inward or towards each other. Plan to trim back up to one third of the rose. Ttrim to a height of 6 to 12 inches tall. Make sure the remaining canes are healthy and are not angled inward or towards each other. Tea roses grow with wild abandon in the South and on the West Coast; here, light pruning is usually sufficient to keep them in shape. In the north, due to cold temperatures, you may have to prune tea roses a bit more aggressively to remove dead canes. Shrub roses are known for their graceful fountain-like shape. But these upright beauties need increased air circulation amid their tangled forms. Cut out crossing branches, and, of course, any that are dead, damaged, or infected. Shrub roses can be reduced by pruning to about half their height. Rugosa roses are vigorous growers and produce lovely hips for winter color. Prune out the dead wood first, and thin out the old wood. Prune to reshape the rugosa roses. These bushes can be overly zealous in their growth. Clean-up after pruning is key to keeping plants healthy. Discard all pruned foliage, especially if diseased (don't compost diseased foliage either). Clean pruners with rubbing alcohol after each cut when pruning diseased areas to prevent the spread of disease. Return to the top of the page Deadheading Deadheading (also called 'pinching back') is cutting off flowers as they wither or no longer look as good. Along with regular feeding, nothing encourages annuals to produce more flowers than deadheading. Old blooms left on the plant may have been pollinated and may begin to form seed pods (hips). The formation of hips requires a lot of energy from the plant and slows flower production. By preventing the formation of hips, deadheading encourages the rosebush to grow new flowers. Although the plant may be budded, and you may be hesitant to 'sacrifice' any , in the long run, you’ll get more color by deadheading. The plant will be stronger and bushier, too. Selective removal of just the tips of the plant will encourage branching which will lead to more flowers. The choice of which spot to deadhead at is influenced by what shape you want the bush to take, and which direction you want a particular cane to grow. Usually, you will want to cut the stem at a 45-degree angle just above an outward-facing leaf. Make sure the high side of the cut is the side the leaf set is on. To deadhead, remove the flower by making a diagonal cut just above the next 5 or 7-leaf branch down on the stem. A new bud is located there and will emerge once the cut is made. The idea is to cut to a bud eye capable of producing a healthy cane. If this would cause too much of the cane to be removed, a 3-leaf branch can be chosen instead. The first year cut back to the first 3 or 5-leaf branch. In following years cut far enough down toget to a 5-leaf branch with a leaf bud that is facing outward. This will open up the plant. Once-blooming roses do not need to be deadheaded. They bloom once and then they are finished blooming for the year. However, once-blooming roses should be pruned after they are finished blooming. They should NOT be pruned in the fall or before they bloom because they bloom on the previous year's growth. Clean-up after pruning is key to keeping plants healthy. Discard all pruned foliage, especially if diseased (don't compost diseased foliage either). Clean pruners with rubbing alcohol after each cut when pruning diseased areas to prevent the spread of disease. Return to the top of the page
As with a successful business, the key to planting roses is location, location, location. Good air circulation and sunlight is the key to a healthy rose. If you plant your roses too close together or too close to buildings or fences, they'll be more susceptible to fungal diseases. Cleanliness is important, too. If any of your roses show signs of disease, rake up and remove the leaves that fall from the plant. When positioning your rose in your garden or landscape, consider the growth habit of the rose. For example, place climbers and ramblers along fences, trellises, or next to arches or pergolas. This location offers them free range of growth and optimal potential for the showiest bloom. Roses also look beautiful in island beds interplanted with perennials. Miniature roses make great edging plants in front of their taller cousins. Planted singly, shrub roses make excellent specimen plants or they can be clustered to make a flowering hedge. You can also use them to camouflage unsightly garden objects. Just be sure you don't plant on the north side of a structure because it will shade your roses. Roses perform best in a well-drained, slightly acidic soil with a high humus content (high in organic matter). Soil pH is an important aspect of keeping roses happy and healthy. For roses, the ideal pH is between 6.5 and 6.8. For soil testing, contact your local agricultural extension service for an economical testing service, or choose a quick soil test from our site that will tell you whether the soil is acidic or alkaline. You can plant container-grown roses year round as long as the ground is not frozen (or your area is not experiencing extreme heat). Bare-root plants are generally set into the garden in the late winter. In the North, you can replant roses as soon as the ground thaws in the early spring. It is VERY important to keep the roots moist at all times during planting. Water each bush in its container prior to planting. You should also water each bush as soon as it is placed into the ground. This will help to keep it from wilting or going into heat shock. Dig a hole that is just slightly bigger around than your rootball. If your soil is heavy clay, dig a larger-than-needed hole and amend the soil with organic matter such as compost or peat moss to improve the drainage of the soil. If your soil is sandy, amend it with well-rotted organic matter. If your area is very compacted or has poor soil, you may want to consider building a raised bed and filling it with the rich, light soil that roses love. A proportionate blend of sand, topsoil, compost and small pieces of composted pine bark makes a great planting medium. As I have stated, I prefer to let a rose acclimate itself to the local environment, so I don't bother with any soil amendments. Your experience or location may require amendments. Sprinkle in a tablespoon of timed release fertilizer. I prefer Osmocote. This will give the plant the additional nourishment it will need to overcome the stress of a new soil environment. As time goes by, the fertilizer runs out as the plant learns to adjust itself to the local conditions. Plant your rose bush at the same level as it is planted in the pot, making sure the "graft union" - the area where the canes originate - is above the soil. Be careful to hold the rootball while placing it in the hole. Using a hand spade, turn it around so that the back of the spade faces the bush. Use the spade to gently chop the soil around the rootball so that it falls into the gaps between the wall of the hole and the rootball. Once this is done, you can use your hands to compress the soil around the rootball. You may need to add some spadefulls of soil to raise the compacted area level with the rootball. Some people like to make little 'water wells' or 'dams' around the plant. I have never seen the need to do this. After replacing the soil, just water the bush thoroughly, making sure there are no air pockets. Add more soil if necessary to keep the surrounding soil at the same level as the rootball. Depending upon the weather conditions, the bush may need to be watered thoroughly every several days until the roots have been established into the adjacent soil. This is where I find the timed release fertilizer to be the most beneficial. It seems to encourage the roots to start expanding away from the rootball. Some people like to amend the soil with things like peat moss, black cow, clay or even kitty litter. As I have stated before, if a plant cannot be successful in my garden without a lot of amendments, I don't have the time to spend on it. After the bush has been planted, cover it with 2-3 inches of mulch at the base of the plant. Return to the top of the page
In climates where temperatures fall below 26 degrees F for any extended period, roses perform better with some protection. Cover container-grown roses or bring them indoors to an area with bright light or inside a greenhouse. Roses are hardier once established in the ground. There are two ways to protect your roses in the winter: the mulch method and coning. When I lived in Massachusetts I used the mulch method. It was a lot easier and seemed just about as effective. The Mulch Method: You may insulate the roses in the garden by mounding loose soil, mulch, or leaf mold around the rose. Remember to gently remove the soil mound after leaves sprout. Mulch serves many purposes: It insulates the root system, helps retain moisture, creates a barrier between plant tissue and soil-borne diseases, and shades out weeds. Mulching is the most effective gardening technique you can use to protect roses year round. In colder regions, mounding loose soil over your pruned rose is also a protection method. Remember to carefully remove soil before foliage sprouts. Coning Your Roses: You may also use commercially available rose cones which help limit the amount of freezing and thawing that may occur. To use rose cones: 1. Poke holes in the top of the cone to allow better air circulation. 2. Cut back canes so they fit easily under the cone. 3. Add a 4- to 6-inch layer of mulch or soil down the center of the plant in the cone. 4. Place a rock, brick, or some other heavy object on top of the cone to hold the cone in place. (However, make sure there is still ample air circulation.) 5. Once the ground has thawed and the new buds begin to appear in the spring, remove the cone and the mulch. Return to the top of the page Growing roses in Florida will sometimes require the rose enthusiast to defeat an infestation of insects. It is important to diagnose what type of insect has taken residence on your roses. Incorrectly identifying an insect may cause you to use the incorrect insecticide and possibly kill beneficial insects and in turn, cause more damage to the bush. If insects attack, identify the pest before you retaliate. In mild cases, and if the garden has diverse plantings, beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and lacewings, can take care of the job for you. You can also spray your plants regularly with a heavy stream of water from the garden hose in the mornings to control them. More aggressive pests can be kept in check with an organic pesticide, an application of beneficial nematodes, or by capturing them in specially designed traps. Spraying plants with an organic control containing neem oil can control a variety of insects, including beetles, aphids, thrips, whitefly, and spider mites. Spider Mites - Spider mites are microscopic in size and are usually most prevalent in hot, dry weather. They will appear as fine grains of sand on the underside of the leaves. Severe infestations will cause yellowing to the lower leaves first, then follow up the plant. Use Safer (brand) Insecticidal Soap during periods favoring development. The spray must be placed on the underside of the leaves to be effective. A forceful spray of water to the underside of the leaves every three days for three or four treatments will combat mites. Thrips - Thrips are light brown slender insects usually less than 1/8" long. They can be found inside the flower buds and are heavily attracted to "pink." They arrive when temperatures warm in the spring and cool in the fall. Thrips are difficult to combat because they live inside the flower bud. Peal the pedals back to reveal. Their scraping mouth part will cause the blooms to open discolored and distorted. Misting sprays of Orthene or Cygon 2E on the blooms will control these insects. Continue until eradicated. Aphids - Small sucking insects usually found on new tender growth, easily treated with insecticidal soaps. Leaf Cutter Bee - Usually not seen, but will cut circular holes in the leaves to be used for nesting. Routine sprays such as malathion will lower populations. Japanese Beetles - Pea-sized beetles seen inside the blooms. They feed on the pollen of the flower. Found during the late spring and can be controlled with liquid Sevin. Recently I have begun using a new product from Bayer. It
is a fertilizer that contains an anti-insect ingredient. Supposedly the use
of the fertilizer will insect-proof your plants without the need to spray
for insects. I'll comment on its effectiveness next season.
Always read the label of any pesticide and fungicide before application! If procedures are unclear, contact the manufacturer. Sprays are best applied to well watered bushes and during the calm of the morning hours. Return to the top of the page
Florida presents the rose enthusiast with a challenge because our tropical climate is a natural incubator for many diseases. Constant scouting and knowledge of rose disease is important. Proper fertilization and watering will go a long way towards keeping rose diseases to a minimum. Proper sanitation is also important in disease prevention. Blackspot - Characterized by black spots on green leaves which will eventually turn yellow and drop. Spores are spread by splashing water, infected tools, or clothing. Blackspot prefers warm, humid temperatures. Keep foliage dry, especially during the night. Remove any diseased leaves from your garden. Rinse off heavy dew in the morning with a forceful stream of water. Use a preventative spray of Funginex, Dithane (Manzate), or Daconil. If infection persists, increase frequency of spray, NOT concentration. Powdery Mildew - Characterized by whitish, almost talcum power-like appearance on the foliage, especially new growth, or on the underside of buds. Powdery mildew prefers high humidity and cool temperatures at night, followed by low humidity and warm temperatures during the day. Most prevalent during the late spring and fall. Good air circulation plus a forceful spray of water in the morning will keep the foliage dry. Use a spray of 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda per gallon of water. Repeat every three days during prime mildew season. Also use Dithane or Funginex. Downy Mildew - Characterized by small, circular, purple lesions growing to a cotton-like substance on the underside of the foliage. Downy NEEDS a very narrow temperature range to exist -- 50-70 degrees F. It also requires high humidity. If proper weather conditions persist, downy can defoliate a rose bed. Good air circulation plus sprays of Dithane during proper growing conditions should reduce the chance of downy. If it strikes, trim back bushes, lightly fertilize with a liquid fertilizer, and remove all infected canes and leaves from your garden. Return to the top of the page
Rose breeding is an expensive business. Each year millions of crosses are made in an effort to produce the 'perfect rose'. If a breeder is successful and can prove he has something new or better he is granted a patent. He is then allowed to collect a royalty from anyone who wishes to grow his rose. This royalty may be collected for up to 17 years. The price difference between a patent and non-patent rose is this royalty. Return to the top of the page
There are 2 primary rootstocks for Florida: Dr. Huey and R. Fortuniana. Both are durable and will perform well in the diverse growing conditions of Florida. Grafting a rose onto these assures that the plant will thrive and prosper. Florida roses are grown in Florida specifically for Florida soil and climate. These roses are very resistant to nematode damage and well suited to the sandy soils of this state. The biggest mistake most Florida gardeners make is planting rose bushes that are field grown in climates very different from ours and budded on rootstocks which are not productive and do not live long in Florida. If you are going to plant roses in your Florida garden, buy roses grown for Florida Gardens. Dr. Huey is the rootstock used by most of the large producers in the United States. It is adaptable to a wide variety of climates and soil conditions. Its roots tend to grow deep and vertically. Dr. Huey needs to be watered thoroughly during dry periods but will not tolerate wet feet. It likes to be pruned severely at least once a year. Pruning back to 8-12 inches above the bud union enhances growth. Because of its wide use, variety selection is greater on Dr. Huey rootstock. Return To The Top Of This Page  Rosa Fortuniana was discovered in China by a Scottish plant explorer named Robert Fortune. It is best suited for the hot moist conditions of Florida. Its fibrous root system grows about 8" to 10" below the surface of the soil and many times in width. It will out perform any other rootstock in the severe summer conditions of Florida and will withstand drought better than other rootstocks. Because of its vigor it does not like to be pruned hard. It is fairly resistant to nematodes. Introduced in 1850, it is believed to be a hybrid of the Cherokee Rose (Rosa laevigata) and the Lady Banks rose (Rosa banksiae). The plant is vigorous, becoming quite large, perhaps 8 feet tall by up to 25 feet across after several years, if unsupported, or it can climb to at least 30 feet tall, with support. To keep it in bounds, it may be pruned severely in the late spring, just after flowering. Some canes have large, hooked prickles, while others will be virtually thornless. The leaves are different from most roses, closely resembling those of R. laevigata - 3 or 5 long, pointed leaflets, and if 5, the back pair are very much smaller than the other three. The foliage is extremely resistant to black spot and powdery mildew. Fortuniana blooms only once a year, but for 2-3 weeks in the early spring, it becomes an enchanting mountain of bloom. The flowers are about 2 inches across - larger than the white Lady Banks and somewhat smaller than the Cherokee rose, quite double and sometimes somewhat quartered, or at least having a white "button" of tightly packed petals in the center. The fragrance is much like the white banksiae roses - said to resemble that of English violets. While it is a beautiful rose in its own right, the major use of Fortuniana in the last several decades has been as a rootstock for other roses, especially in Florida and western Australia, where it gives varieties grafted to it extreme vigor and productiveness, as well as a tolerance for hot, sandy, excessively well-drained, nematode-infested soils. However, it is not very cold-hardy, and whether one grows Fortuniana as a bush, or as a rootstock under some other variety, it will likely need cold protection in areas colder than USDA zone 8a or 7b. Return To The Top Of This Page
When you go to buy your rose bushes remember that: 1. You should buy your roses from a reputable nursery to prevent disappointment and poor quality rose bushes. 2. Roses are graded with numbers: 1, 1 1/2 and 2. Number 1 bushes are the best (strong roots and vigorous canes). Number 1 1/2 will be of middle quality, and Number 2 will be weak and slow to produce good blooms. 3. Florida container-grown roses are the best buy because you can see the rose in flower when you buy it and you can be fairly sure that the plant is healthy and vigorous; 4. Many rose bushes have "All American Rose Selection" on their tags. This means that the rose has been tested and has outperformed other varieties under an assortment of soils and climates and will undoubtedly perform well in your garden. Return To The Top Of This Page
LOCATION A southern location is preferred. The plant should receive at least half a day of sunshine, more is great. Select a spot that does not retain standing water after a rain. If water is still standing 1 to 2 hours after a rainfall, the location is too wet. Plan ahead, DO NOT plant where other plants will overshadow them and rob them of their sunshine or moisture. PLANTING Any good garden soil should grow beautiful miniature roses. If there is any doubt, mix peat moss with soil, one to two quarts. Dig a hole about eight inches deep. Add one tablespoon of any good rose fertilizer at this time. If the roots are bound, going around the pot in a circle, loosen them so they are pointing downward. This can be accomplished by using your fingers and gently unraveling the roots; or putting the plant in a bucket of water and swirling it around to loosen the roots; or using a garden hose to loosen the roots. The top of the soil ball around the plant should be about one half inch below ground surface. Tamp the soil firmly into place creating a small water well at ground level. Recommended spacing is ten to twelve inches apart. The spacing will vary depending on location, sunlight, and the effect you wish to produce. Water the plants daily for at least the first two weeks. WATERING Roses love water but they do not like the ground consistently wet. Any time there is not at least one inch of rainfall per week, water the plants. Drip irrigation is an excellent alternative that eliminates the worry of if your plants are receiving enough water. FERTILIZING Plants should be fertilized on a monthly basis. Use any fertilizer specifically designed for roses or a fertilizer that has approximately equal percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. Apply the fertilizer and work into the soil around each plant. Then water the plants. Or alternatively use a water soluble fertilizer. Follow the directions on the label. SPRAYING While the plants were insect and disease free at the time of shipping, a prevention schedule is more economical and easier than attempting to cure a problem. The spraying schedule should begin as soon as the leaves begin to develop in the spring and continue until the plant goes dormant in the fall. The most likely insects will be aphids and spider mites. Powdery mildew is the most likely disease. Use any commercial chemical following the label directions. Remember, CHEMICALS can be very dangerous if used improperly. A seven day schedule might be slightly more rigorous than necessary, but seven days fits most peoples' calendars better than a ten day schedule which is often recommended. WINTER PROTECTION For any plant to survive the winter in Northern climates, it must be healthy when it goes dormant. About a month before the killing frost occurs, fertilize the plants with a 0-50-0 fertilizer. Phosphorus helps build root structure and this is important as the winter season approaches. You can prune or not prune the plants back as you choose. Cover the plants with a loose mulch. Depth of mulch will depend on the protection afforded by surrounding buildings and landscape. In the spring, uncover, prune, water, fertilize and enjoy your first blooms by about June first. Return To The Top Of This Page
P.T. Poulsen crossed the Polyantha 'Madame Norbert Levavasseur' with the Hybrid Tead 'Richmond' and produced a rose that he named 'Rodhatte' (or Red Riding Hood) with semi-double cherry-red flowers in large clusters. Distributed in 1912, this rose seemed to get lost in the turmoil of the war and little more was heard of it. After the war, Poulsen's son, Svend, crossed the Polyantha 'Orleans Rose' with the Hybrid Tead 'Red Star' and the result was 'Kirsten Poulsen', a bright red rose and 'Else Poulsen', which was pink. These were distributed in 1924 and both proved to be a great success. At first the class was known as Hybrid Polyanthas, but in 1950 it was changed to the less attractive name of Floribunda. Few flowers of any kind have the capacity to produce so much color over so long a blooming cycle. After the appearance of 'Else Poulsen' and 'Kristen Poulsen', rose breeders all over the world began to take an interest in this new group and their efforts have been unabated ever since. Among the most active of the hybridizers are the following: M. Tantau, Wilhelm and Reimer Kordes, Svend and Niels Poulsen, Prior, Le Grice, Harkness, Meilland, de Ruiter, S. McGredy, Alex and Pat Dickson and among the Americans, Boerner, Swim, Lindquist, Howard and Lammerts. The name Floribunda was originated by Dr. J.H. Nicholes and has been used since 1930 for crosses between Hybrid Teas and the Polyanthas. From this point of view, the first Floribundas arrived in Germany in 1908 ('Gruss an Aachen'). Floribundas inherited a legacy of abundant bloom from its polyantha parent and height and long cutting stems from its hybrid tea parent. The characteristics of the Floribunda are a strong vigorous plant of short to medium height. The blooms are mostly in large or fairly large trusses and the individual flowers are generally flat or cup-shaped, often double like Tea Roses and of medium to large in size. With a few exceptions, they are scentless. The group covers the whole color range, (while yellows show weaker growth and their foliage is lighter green), from white to deepest crimson and includes orange and copper and lilac to purple. Logically there are many bi-colors. Return To The Top Of This Page
ROSE RUSTLING (CLONING)
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