| I have always loved flowers but had no thought | | | | between the hills right on top of the summer |
| of growing roses until a couple of years ago when | | | | mulch. About the middle of March, I gradually |
| my husband set out a dozen rose bushes near in | | | | remove the hills of dirt and manure, completing |
| our backyard. These didn't do well but by their | | | | the operation by the first of April when we may |
| failing offered the stimulus I needed to become | | | | have a few light frosts but no more hard freezes. |
| interested. I set out my first plants in 1995. So | | | | I have found that the sooner the hills are |
| fair seemed the rose to me that once started I | | | | removed, the longer plants remain dormant. |
| went all out and now have 115 rose plants and | | | | Pruning |
| expect to have more. | | | | In the fall, plants are cut back to within 3 to 4 |
| From the first, chance played a kind role in my | | | | feet of the ground to protect them from wind |
| venture with roses. Luckily, I had been gardening | | | | and snow. In spring, pruning is completed in the |
| which included enriching a red clay vegetable | | | | usual manner and should be done, if possible, |
| garden at our home. In 1995, when I was ready | | | | when buds start to swell. |
| to plant roses, the ground was ready to use. | | | | I use a coping saw, pruning knife and shears and |
| The land was level and in full sun. I set out 30 | | | | prune to within 18 to 24 inches of the ground, |
| plants bought from a reliable nursery. The bed | | | | leaving 4 to 6 of the best canes. I paint each |
| was laid out in 3 rows 20 inches apart. Holes, 10 | | | | pruned cane with an pruning paint. Pruned this |
| inches wide, were dug to a depth of about 12 | | | | way, the first blooms are at their best the first |
| inches and plants set in them 20 inches apart. | | | | of June here in West Virginia. |
| Nothing was added to the dirt put back around | | | | If, however, I wish to enter a later show, I prune |
| the plants. | | | | part of my bushes to 12 or 14 inches. Then, the |
| I did not know enough to hill the plants with soil at | | | | first blooms will be at their best about a week |
| planting time but Mother Nature blessed us with | | | | later. The lower pruned bushes will have |
| rain every day that week and they all lived. I | | | | somewhat longer stems but no better blooms. |
| didn't feed or water the plants and sprayed very | | | | Cut buds on the longer stems will keep no better |
| little. The plants neither grew nor performed well | | | | than those on shorter ones. |
| that first season. | | | | By October there's very little difference between |
| That fall, realizing there was more to rose | | | | low and high pruned bushes. The higher pruned |
| growing than buying plants and digging a hole in | | | | one is usually 8 to 10 feet tall while the low is 6 |
| the earth to put them in, I joined the American | | | | to 8 feet tall but better formed. Once I |
| Rose Society. | | | | experimented by not pruning bushes in an |
| By the spring of 1996, I knew a little more. I | | | | established bed. Never again! Bushes were tall and |
| bought 30 plants again and since the ground I | | | | bloomed freely but were not pleasing to the eye. |
| planned to set them in was level, I thought some | | | | Spring Care |
| provision should be made for drainage. | | | | Pruning completed, mulch, compost and manure, |
| Three trenches, 24 inches deep and 14 inches | | | | put on the previous spring, are removed. Now the |
| wide were made. The bottom 12 inches of soil | | | | union or graft can be seen about an inch above |
| was dug and discarded and replaced by 4 inches | | | | the ground. To supply food and protect rootlets |
| of sand and gravel. On this, an 8-inch-deep | | | | and the graft from the sun, I recover the beds |
| mixture of topsoil, peat moss, rotten cow manure | | | | with fresh material as soon as the old covering is |
| and some bonemeal was placed. The rest of the | | | | removed. |
| trench was filled with a mixture of one part | | | | Since the rootlets are near the surface, I never |
| peatmoss and two parts topsoil. | | | | do any digging or loosening of the soil in any of |
| The third spring after I was bitten by the rose | | | | the beds. First, I put on a one-inch layer of |
| bug, I planted 30 more plants. Because the | | | | six-month-old cow manure, the manure being |
| second bed was sinking, leaving an uneven | | | | mixed with water in a tub to make it semi-liquid. |
| surface, the third was dug to a depth of only 13 | | | | Next I add a half-inch layer of compost made by |
| inches. No sand, gravel or manure was used and | | | | adding about 6 pounds of 20 percent |
| much less of the other materials. Since the | | | | superphosphate to each cubic yard of leaves and |
| method used in laying out Bed No. 2 did not make | | | | grass clippings in the compost pile. On this I place |
| for better drainage but acted as a reservoir, I did | | | | a 2 to 3-inch mulch of equal parts ground corn |
| not provide for drainage in this bed and I believe | | | | cobs and peatmoss. I prefer this to any I've used. |
| that failure due to poor drainage is rare, anyway. | | | | Feeding Program |
| If I plant any more beds of roses, and I'm afraid | | | | As soon as buds appear on new growth, the |
| I will, I will use Bed No. 1 as a pattern. Roses will | | | | covering is pulled back 8 to 10 inches from each |
| be slower to start but after they get going they'll | | | | plant. First, a gallon of water from the hose is |
| be harder to stop. I believe this bed t0 be | | | | given each plant and this is followed by a small |
| tougher in every way. Perhaps roses are like | | | | handful of mixed food containing one part iron |
| humans, a little hardship in the beginning, when not | | | | sulphate, magnesium sulphate and borax; four |
| too harsh, makes for success in later life. | | | | parts potassium sulphate and 20 parts |
| Yet, if ever I want plants to come up in a hurry | | | | superphosphate. Each plant is given another gallon |
| but do not care for their future or quality of | | | | of water and then recovered. |
| bloom, I'll plant them as I did my third bed but add | | | | This is repeated each month until September |
| to the soil of each plant one tablespoon potassium | | | | except that in July and August, one tablespoon |
| sulphate and six of superphosphate. This must be | | | | ammonium sulphate is added to the feeding of |
| applied to the soil in such a way (over, around and | | | | each plant. Two weeks after each feeding, I add |
| under roots) so as not to touch roots. I have two | | | | a small handful of manure to each plant and |
| piles of soil for each plant. The one for direct | | | | water as before. If the weather is hot and dry, I |
| contact with roots is entirely free of chemicals. | | | | water more frequently. Deep watering, done |
| I never had the soil of any bed tested as I could | | | | often, is most essential. |
| see no need to. A different method of planting | | | | Some may think this a lot of food. But, a plant |
| has been used for each bed. In one bed, nothing | | | | growing from 20 to 100 inches and producing an |
| but organic matter has been used. It has done | | | | abundance of long-stemmed flowers, needs a lot |
| well but I'm convinced that top feeding of a | | | | of food. Last September I cut a rose bud from a |
| mixture of organic and inorganic matter is best. | | | | bush with a 44-inch stem and one 48 inches long |
| All roses I've bought from the second bed on | | | | the same day. Both came from the first bed. |
| have been those recommended by the American | | | | Health Measures |
| Rose Society. These have been exhibition as well | | | | Plant diseases and insect control is begun as soon |
| as decorative types. Feeding them was begun in | | | | as growth appears. In using insecticides and |
| the second year. Roses in the second and third | | | | fungicides, thoroughness of application and timing |
| beds were watered regularly from the first year | | | | are most important. |
| and came up with a bang! It was only at the end | | | | I have eliminated black spot from my garden. A |
| of the third year that the plants in the first bed | | | | long pair of thumb dressing forceps or have been |
| caught up with the other two. All three beds have | | | | a great help to me in fighting black spot; By using |
| now been planted long enough to prove a few | | | | the forceps, I can remove a diseased leaf easily |
| things to me. | | | | without touching and so infecting a healthy one. It |
| To a visitor all three beds would appear to be | | | | also keeps hands at a safer distance from thorns. |
| going along at about the same pace and to be | | | | While visiting rose gardens, I've often observed |
| equally lovely. But not to me. There is a tender | | | | the owner pull off leaves infected with black spot |
| spot in my heart for the first bed. Probably, | | | | and then put his contaminated hands on healthy |
| because it was my "first child." | | | | foliage. Is there a better way of spreading this |
| Many more small roots grow near the surface in | | | | disease? |
| the first bed than the others and so need | | | | I've used malathion spray for the past two years |
| summer as well as winter protection. I, however, | | | | and have had excellent results with it in controlling |
| care for all beds the same way. To hold moisture | | | | insects. |
| in the soil and keep heat out, I mulch in summer. | | | | Growing roses brings with it many delightful things. |
| To keep canes and rootlets from freezing, I hill | | | | Besides their beauty, one has the fun and sport |
| and add manure to the mulch in autumn. In my | | | | of competition and the pride of exhibition and |
| section, the lowest temperature in winter is about | | | | there are friends made in the good company of |
| from 5 degrees above to 5 below zero. Winters | | | | rose lovers, all interesting and friendly people and |
| may be severe enough to freeze canes right | | | | free from guile. The true rosarian has no secrets. |
| down to the protective hills. Sufficient dirt is, | | | | It is not an everyday thing that a man begins to |
| therefore, brought in from other parts of the | | | | grow roses and in so short a time produces such |
| garden to hill around each plant to a height of | | | | extraordinary beauties that they win hearts and |
| about 8 inches. Then, a little manure is placed | | | | raves from friends and rose lovers. |