ROSE RAMBLER … 9.7.2015 …

Hello dear rose friends … while many of you might be enjoying the winter school holidays, venturing further afield to warmer climates in the Northern Hemisphere or rugged up on the couch, be sure that we rose growers are head-down-bum-up and busy!

Standard roses and later budded yearlings will be dug and sorted, labelled and processed during the next two weeks.  It’s still winter so there is no need to be concerned about planting bare-rooted roses and if your garden bed hasn’t been prepared for planting, you have at least another 8 weeks to get sorted!

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GRA’S GARBLE …

I have been planting some of the new release roses and I’m excited by how many worms are actively breeding in the upper layers of soil under the mulch and around the weeds which I’m pulling and feeding to my Langshan chooks who seriously think it is Christmas in July – they’re loving the weeds … leads me to this joke:

Q.  How can you tell which end of a worm is which?  A.  Tickle it in the middle and see which end laughs!

I recommend you use a garden fork when digging in the garden – much less risk of slicing through the worms – also gives you the opportunity of forking drainage holes into the side walls and base of a planting hole which will ensure the ability of roots to penetrate deep into nutrient rich sub-soil.

Just last weekend I pruned these magnificent roses:

TROPICAL SUNSET
A vigorous, healthy bush which produces glorious long-stemmed blooms suitable for a vase

HOMMAGE A BARBARA
One of the most durable rose blooms on the bush – we grow it as a hedge-rose along the entrance drive into the Rose Farm and it is stunning with a massive proliferation of the darkest red clusters of blooms continually

RED INTUITION
The longest stemmed rose of most perfect form – I grow it on a standard and can always pick a bunch for a vase inside

Call in during our open times and I’ll happily take you for a personal walk in the garden and pruning demonstration – bring your secateurs with you so that I can show you how to sharpen and clean your pruning equipment … remember, pruning is FUN … Gra

STANDARD ROSES – When you’re out pruning the standard roses, be sure to check the stakes and ties – this a most important task and should be maintained frequently in order to grow beautifully straight stems.

We use and recommend 20mm RIO ROD as the standard stake with VELCRO ONE-WRAP as the tie material – don’t even bother planting standard roses unless you budget for sturdy steel stakes and endurable ties!