ROSE RAMBLER … 28.4.2016 …

Hello dear rose friends … almost the end of another month of glorious autumn so be sure to enjoy and care for the roses which are still budding!  Here’s GRA’S GARBLE with tips for…

ROSE CARE IN LATE AUTUMN …

The conditions of the roses in your garden will be influenced, primarily, by the local climate.  Bushes with lots of foliage will carry on flowering but might show signs of fungal disease which is particularly prevalent where cool dewy nights are experienced.

To avoid premature leaf drop which is caused by these conditions, I recommend you continue spraying the organic rose management program every 7-10 days to prolong flowering through the last weeks of autumn and possibly into winter.

To a 10 litre bucket add:

• ¼ cup Eco-rose / fungicide
• Seaweed solution as per directions on your preferred brand
• ¼ cup Eco-oil (insecticide which also acts as spreader/sticker)

Mix products well and apply to foliage – yes, over the entire plant as this will strengthen and protect foliage against fungus and insects.

Remember, healthy foliage is the ‘life-force’ of a rose bush which will, in turn, provide blooms until each rose decides to go into winter dormancy.  Some rose varieties will go dormant earlier than others and the healthier the foliage, the more likely the bush is to continue setting blooms!

Potted roses should continue to be fertilized until mid-May.  Garden beds can be topped with compost and a light covering of mulch to retain moisture and warmth as long as possible which will also enhance late flowering of some varieties.

Q.  What is a cat’s favourite colour?  A.  Purr–ple!

PEONIES …

No, they’re not roses at all but regularly referred to as PEONY ROSES and lots of gardeners long to grow them for their spectacular blooms however, peonies require extreme cold/frosty winter conditions to flower well.

As I walk around our autumn garden, I see so many rose varieties which replicate the glory of peonies and they are:

JUDE THE OBSCURE
A David Austin rose with immense fragrance and huge cupped,
apricot/cream blooms on a shrub which grows around
1.5 – 1.2 metres with lovely healthy foliage

QUEEN ADELAIDE
Plump buds open to display a mass of deep pink,
highly fragrant petals and so very, very like a peony – flowers all season!

SOEUR EMMANUELLE
A most spectacular Delbard rose which produces masses
of densely petalled, highly fragrant blooms continually
on a stunningly healthy robust bush

These are just a few examples of rose varieties which will quell your thirst for the spectacular beauty of peonies – we have peonies in the gardens here and despite our freezing winter conditions, by the time they flower, the warm weather spoils their display so we’ve decided to plant more ‘peony-like’ roses and recommend you do too!

Q.  Why did the golfer wear two pairs of socks?  A.  In case he got a hole in one!

Take my advice and liberally pour seaweed solution OVER THE FOLIAGE of your roses to maintain the healthiest possible foliage right up to pruning later on – the worms will love you too!  Talk to you next week … Gra

ORDERING ROSES FOR WINTER …

When ordering online at www.rosesalesonline.com.au we urge you to select BARE-ROOTED roses as so many varieties are now sold-out as potted specimens.  We still have a moderate number of GIFT ROSES available to see us up to Mother’s Day so get your orders in NOW or give your Mum a great pair of secateurs to make rose pruning a pleasure for her this winter …