Putting
In A Rose Garden
By
Sue Silva
National
Award of Merit winner
When you are a rose nut like
me you have to constantly think of where you are going to plant those
new roses you are planning on buying this year. The roses I have are
all so special to me that I hate to dig them up so I just keep looking
for new places to squeeze them in. This past spring I made the decision
to add a whole new area to my rose garden so I would have room not only
to use this year but maybe have room to save for the next few years.
I also had to move some roses from the front yard because the deer had
found them. The only area I could think of large enough was to replace
lawn for rose garden. First of all, I had to convince my husband that
was the only place I could do it because it met all the criteria that
I needed. When you are considering a new planting area you need at least
six hours of sunlight a day. Soil and drainage are also things to consider
and even sometimes these needs have to be amended in the location you
choose.
Since my backyard has so
much shade I can only grow roses on one side of the yard where the sun
hits longest during the day. The area of lawn I chose bordered on my
existing rose garden. The first step we did was to remove the sod completely
so most of the grass and weeds would have the roots gone. The ground
had never really been worked so the soil was really hard. It mostly
consisted of hard clay so we had to use a tiller to break it up. After
that we let it stand for a week or two and then did it again after adding
a whole trailer load of good aged horse manure with straw and lots of
earthworms that we had hauled in from a nearby ranch. I also added some
other organic material such as gypsum, alfalfa, super phosphate, and
bone meal. When planting roses you should have a loam so that is what
I was trying to achieve. Every year the ground will be getting additional
organic materials added when I do my yearly fertilizing. The ground
was easily able to be worked by early spring when I started planting
the roses.
After I had planted all the
roses I was putting in this year, I had to continue my drip system to
the new roses. We had to buy more haze and drippers but were able to
add to the existing system. The mulch was some old growth redwood shavings
that had been made when a stump grinder had cleared a neighbor's trees
the year before and we had brought them home and dumped in a pile to
save. I first covered all around the roses with layers of newspaper
and then put the mulch on top. I have had very little weeds and the
roses have been thriving well. I really had a lot of help from my husband
even though he wasn't always able to see how much the work was going
to pay off. He now agrees that it was worth the work and giving up that
piece of lawn. I wonder how much more lawn I can beg him to give up
in the future!!!
So far, I have only told
you my experience in creating a new rose growing area but I will continue
with a few basic requirements that should be considered when you are
thinking of growing roses. You can either do a raised bed or just an
area of ground in your yard. The requirements are not difficult but
ignoring them may prove to be a costly mistake. Growing roses is a time
consuming activity so you should consider this when deciding the size
of your garden.
Sunlight is very important
to a rose. The growing season is long here on the coast so think about
early spring and fall and if you get sunlight during those months. You
should have six hours of sun a day or more. You should also consider
how much wind the area gets and if it is near large trees or shrubs
since they may rob the nutrients from the roses. Heavy wind can break
the canes and blow off blooms. Roses do not like to have the foliage
wet so don't put them near where an overhead sprinkler will be used.
A healthy, well cared for
rose bush will reproduce it’s bloom 3 or 4 times during the growing
season so it requires good soil and fertilization. Most of the soil
in this area is either sandy or clay and will require the addition of
some organic material such as manure. The PH of the soil is very important.
This is the measure of acidity in the soil and roses do best with a
PH of 6.0 to 6.5. If you do not know what your soil's PH level is, have
your soil tested and adjust it accordingly. If your soil is very alkaline
you can lower the PH by adding sulfur. If it is acid you can raise it
by adding limestone. The type of limestone to add depends on the level
of magnesium in the soil. If the soil is low in magnesium, use dolomitic
limestone and if high, use calcitic limestone. Most of the soil around
here is acidic. If you have a lot of earthworms working your soil the
healthier it will be.
Drainage is another thing
to consider. Roses require moist soil but not wet soil. To test your
drainage remove both ends of a large coffee can and press it down into
your soil. Fill the can with water and let it stand for an hour. If
the water has not drained from the can you have a drainage problem.
Raised beds would correct this problem best.
Plan your garden for easy
maintenance. Remember you are going to have to fertilize, prune, and
spray the roses. Give yourself enough room to move easily through the
area. You can make double rows of plants with walks in between or just
stagger them far enough apart. The roses should be at least 3 feet from
the neighboring plant to allow good air circulation. Don't plant too
close to the house or a fence either because roses need space to grow.
Make sure roses in front of the area are not taller than those behind
them. You should know the growing habits of the plants before you plant
them. Most descriptions of roses say if they are upright or spreading
and if they are tall or short. You don't want to have roses that grow
so they intertwine their canes. Of course, if you are adding roses to
a flower garden of different types of plants, you can plant companion
plants closer but remember disease control is easier if the air circulation
is good.
Above all, enjoy your garden
and take time to smell the roses. Roses are so enjoyable because they
are in bloom most of the year and if taken care of will exist for a
good many years in your garden.
|
