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COLD CLIMATE ROSE MANAGEMENT

Let me share some advice about growing roses in a cold climate – we frequently incur severe frost here at Clonbinane and I’ll share this recent email inquiry which might assist you if you live in a cold area:

“Hello Diana, I’m in the process of looking for some climbing or rambling roses to cover an arbour I have in my back yard.  It is rather large, measuring 8m long x 1.5m wide x 2m high running north south (if that make sense). 
 
I live just outside Ballarat so the weather is rather freezing in the winter and very hot and dry in the summer – I know, everyone says it isn’t hot in Ballarat ever, but that’s not quite true.  The last 4 summers have just about killed off every plant in my garden that’s not drought or heat tolerant so I’m almost starting from scratch again.  It’s heartbreaking really but that’s life as most gardeners know.
 
Anyway, back to the roses.  I have had very little experience with roses before so I’m looking for something that will be tough (against me and survivability), fragrant, vigorous, tall to cover the arbour and colourful.  Not a lot to ask but I hope you can help me with some recommendations please.  I’m not sure if they’re suitable or not, but I love the Pierre de Ronsard (pink/white), the Jasmina, Crown Princess Margareta and Claire Austin (white) but I don’t know if they would grow large enough to cover the arbour together.  Any suggestions would be appreciated please.
 
Many thanks for your help”
My response:

Hello Deb … thank you for your enquiry … first question?  Do you rely on tank water for your garden?  Do you mulch your garden well?  Do you use seaweed solution ever? 
 
Your climate is no different to ours here but we do have town water and irrigate the garden as necessary, we mulch heavily with pea straw and use seaweed solution and fertilizer/compost to enrich our soil!
 
I cannot believe that you could be so disillusioned by losing plants continually.  Roses are very tough and I can recommend some beauties which will cover your arch but they MUST have all of the above to survive!!!  A rose should have at least 20 litres of water per plant, delivered at the same time each week during hot weather … not a splash of water delivered every day over the whole week – no, once a week a deep soak and they will survive and flower beautifully!
 
The roses I recommend you plant on the arbour are:  LAMARQUE, ALBERTINE, PINKIE, CLB., SYMPATHIE, PIERRE DE RONSARD, CREPUSCULE, MME. ALFRED CARRIERE, to name but a few!  I would recommend at least three plants each side and diligent management of watering, mulch, seaweed YEAR ROUND and you will have a magnificent display … let’s talk more .. cheers
 
Diana
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WINTER ROSES … never too late…

This was first posted last year and this year is no different except that right now I can send you extreme quality bare-rooted roses – truly, it’s NEVER TOO LATE to plant roses!!!!:  

No, it’s not too late to order bare-rooted roses … just log onto rosesalesonline.com.au and I can assure you, I will post you the most beautiful winter roses which have been in their pots for a few weeks, have established roots and lovely new shoots.

I will carefully lift them from the pots with their coir-fibre potting mix around them, wrap them in damp newspaper, seal them off in a plastic bag and they will safely travel to your place … ready to plant in your garden and then flower this coming spring.

Yes, the roses will produce flowers this spring/summer provided you give them all the loving care they require.  Lots and lots of sunshine, no less than 5 hours of sun per day.

They love seaweed solution to establish themselves in your soil – once a fortnight at least, all over the plant.  While you are doing this seaweed solution, you might as well add the products we use in our organic rose management program – eco-oil insecticide, eco-rose/fungicide and eco-aminogrow which will ensure a complete dose of all that will be required for robust, healthy and environmentally managed roses in your garden.

If you need more advice, please email me at info@rosesalesonline.com.au and I am more than happy to offer personal consultations to assure you grow the most beautiful, healthy roses in your garden.

 

 

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ROSE PRUNING SEMINARS

PRUNING DEMONSTRATIONS
CALL IN AT THE ROSE FARM WHENEVER WE ARE OPEN AND WE WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A PERSONAL DEMONSTRATION – BRING YOUR SECATEURS WITH YOU SO THAT WE CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO CLEAN AND SHARPEN THEM!

REGULAR GROUP DEMONSTRATION DATES ARE PUBLISHED IN ‘ROSE RAMBLER’ our weekly email newsletter – subscribe at the home page of rosesalesonline.com.au to receive your copy!
Each Pruning Demonstration will include a morning/afternoon tea and will only be cancelled if it is ‘seriously’ raining! Your children are most welcome!!
This first weekend in June is the start of a series of pruning demonstrations which I will give notice of in future Rose Rambler editions. There will be at least one demonstration on each weekend throughout June/July so if you have a group of people, please contact me so that we can organise a time which suits.

CALL ME ON 03 5787 1123 and we’ll organise a date and time which suits us both!