ROSE RAMBLER 1.10.2015

Hello dear rose friends – a pinch and punch for another whole new month – Happy Birthday to my beautiful little sister Sandy today – since she’s not settled in her new home yet, I may not send her a GIFT ROSE  but if I did, I would have sent MANY HAPPY RETURNS

but I might send her either one because most roses can be grown in a large tub and she can take the rose with her when she creates a garden at her new home!  If you have an event which offers you an opportunity to send a gorgeous, long-lasting rose bush, take a look at giftroses.com.au for a lovely selection of rose varieties to inspire you.

All roses will grow to their maximum size when planted in the soil but when grown in planters, their size will be naturally limited by the size of the pot but they are ‘transportable’ and very versatile as they can be moved around the deck, even inside to shaded areas for an event and when they’ve done their job in a pot, plant them into their final resting place in your garden.

If you have no option but to plant roses into tubs, consider removing the base of the tub (or poking very large holes into it) so that the roots can move right down into the soil below a paved area or whatever surface they’re placed on – up in the nursery we have arches with climbers and clematis so we’ve removed the base of the tub to allow the roots access to soil and moisture – the growth has been amazing since we did this!

GRA’S GARBLE …

It’s time to get your irrigation system in order – check all drippers/sprays and clear them of insects, etc. because it’s time to start watering your garden – we use ‘shrubblers’ where the water output can be regulated according to different plants requirements

Q. What has a sweet taste and flies?   A.  A lollipop left out in the garden. 

Water availability at root level, especially now, determines the stem length and number of flowers throughout the coming months.  On rose bushes, the miracle of plant growth is amazing at this time of year and one weekly soaking of 20 litres per plant during October will ensure solid root development resulting in prolific flowering and strong healthy bushes which will withstand the pressures of whatever weather conditions prevail.

NEVER WATER ROSES OVER THEIR FOLIAGE LATER THAN 2.00PM … ROSES MUST HAVE DRY FOLIAGE GOING INTO THE EVENING OR YOU WILL DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE SPORES OF MILDEW TO OCCUR!

These curly leaves are an indication of mildew – you MUST take action immediately by spraying with eco-rose/eco-fungicide (same product) when you see this happening on your roses …

Keep your monthly organic rose management program happening – it’s easy, effective, really economical and guarantees healthy, robust, free-flowering HAPPY roses throughout the season!

Q.  What’s brown and sits on a piano stool?  A.  Beethoven’s LAST MOVEMENT! 

Because of the amazing growth occurring with flower buds developing, fertilize NOW (if you haven’t already) and apply seaweed solution regularly to increase thickness of the cell wall of your plants to withstand all weather variables – apply every fortnight all over the leaves to ensure your roses enjoy up to 5 degrees frost and heat tolerance!

Hope your garden is well mulched as we head into the warmer weather – planting seedlings of NASTURTIUM which add a lovely colourful ground-covering mass will act as a ‘double-whammy’ because the plant secretes a mustard oil which many insects find attractive and will seek out – particularly cabbage moth.  Alternatively, the flowers repel aphids and cucumber beetle; planted around apple trees is advantageous to repel codling moth… plant Nasturtium after frosts just as you would tomato seedlings.  It’s all happening now … Gra

Be sure to attend this spectacular gardening event at the Melbourne Showgrounds which is sure to be a most entertaining event for the whole family!  Come visit with Diana at Stand D30 where she will happily sign a copy of her book ALL ABOUT ROSES and show you how giftroses.com.au really works.  See you there!