{"id":3277,"date":"2019-01-03T18:47:13","date_gmt":"2019-01-03T18:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ongardening.com\/?p=3277"},"modified":"2019-03-06T23:14:20","modified_gmt":"2019-03-06T23:14:20","slug":"selecting-new-roses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ongardening.com\/?p=3277","title":{"rendered":"Selecting New Roses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We have\nentered the season for focusing on roses. Many gardeners have a bed dedicated\nto roses, or a scattering of roses among other perennials plants in the garden.\nIn some cases, gardeners have been thinking about adding one or more roses to\ntheir landscapes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In either\ncase, the fall quarter is the right time for two aspects of gardening with\nroses: preparing existing plants for winter dormancy, and selecting new plants\nto add to the landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hybrid tea\nroses are the most popular variety of roses for most gardeners. These plans\nhave been developed for extended bloom periods, resistance to diseases, and\nvigorous growth. Modern roses typically are repeat bloomers, as contrasted with\n\u201cold garden roses,\u201d which bloom once each year. At this time of the year,\nhybrid teas are presenting their last blooms, and looking like they are quite\nready for a seasonal rest. The accompanying photos show blossoms of \u2018Mary\nRose\u2019, a hybrid tea rose by David Austin, as they appeared in early May, and as\nthey ended the season in late November. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rosa ‘Mary Rose’ in early May<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Rosa ‘Mary Rose’ in early November<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Preparing Roses for Dormancy <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Stop\ndeadheading, transplanting, and fertilizing to avoid encouraging new growth. <\/li>
  2. Remove\nfallen leaves and other litter that could harbor fungal diseases.  <\/li>
  3. Clean off\nany diseased leaves, failed buds, crossed and thin canes, and any top-heavy\ngrowth. <\/li>
  4. Reduce\nlarger plants to 4 or 5 feet in height, and tie canes to structures to minimize\nwind damage.
    \n(This a lower priority in the Monterey Bay area\u2019s moderate climate.) <\/li>
  5. Provide a\ntwo-to-three inch layer of mulch to provide nutrients and protect roots from\nfreezing. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Selecting New Roses for the Garden <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The bare\nroot season for roses begins around mid-December, so a planning session is\ntimely right now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Bare-root\nroses are available at the lowest prices each year, through either local garden\ncenters or mail-order nurseries, simply because the plants can be shipped and\ndelivered with out the costs associated with containerized specimens. This is a\ngood time to add roses to your garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Gardener who\nhave wandered unprepared into the annual offering of bare root roses, whether\nin a local garden center can find the range of choices to be overwhelming. For\nexample, a local garden center in Santa Cruz has already posted its 2018 list\nof bare root roses, including 183 bush roses, twenty climbing roses, and\ntwenty-three tree roses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The first\nstep in selecting plants might be to look for just one of these three\ncategories: bush, climbing, or tree roses. Each of these kinds of roses can be\nan asset in the garden, but an orderly selection process should focus on one\ncategory at a time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The next\nstep in selection depends on the gardener\u2019s priorities. A helpful list from the\ngarden center ideally would indicate blossom color, fragrance, disease\nresistance, type, and perhaps other characteristics. Consider each of these\nvariables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n