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nwwoman_gw

Newbie with mini - some questions

nwwoman
16 years ago

I'm in central MD and was just gifted with a dark red mini from Lowe's with no info attached, other than that it was grown by Van Wingergen in Fletcher, NC. I know that it will do much better outdoors, but my question is where. The front of the house faces east so gets good sun all morning and into the early afternoon. I have a section of raised bed out front with fast-draining soil about 10 to 12 inches deep. Would that work or would I be better off planting in the back, which gets sun all afternoon with no shade. Unfortunately, the soil in the back is very heavy clay for the most part and will need lots of amending first. When would be the best time to move it outside?

Comments (4)

  • dan_keil_cr Keil
    16 years ago

    Go ahead and put it out front. Roses like the sun in the cool of the day. They need sun for 7-8 hours. Your area sounds ideal!

  • ecosse
    16 years ago

    Your front area sounds perfect.You are way better off with more morning sun. I'm a relative newbie, too, but I'd think once any danger of frost is over, I'd start leaving it out a few hours a day to acclimate it, then plant it as soon as your other plants start growing. I have to do the opposite here in the desert in the summer, lol,-leave them out a little at a time to get them used to the heat. Good luck!

  • jodik_gw
    16 years ago

    I'm a relative newbie to mini roses... about 2 years ago I purchased a red mini, no tags, from Lowe's or somewhere similar... since I know that own-root roses can take the cold winters where I'm at, zone 5 Central IL, I planted it in the garden in an area where it gets a good 8 to 10 hours of sun a day, beginning with sunrise... it's been a fabulous addition to this little garden strip I have, and has bloomed its little heart out every year, only stopping when the frosts hit!

    I plan on getting a few named varieties this spring to add to the same area... I've been so impressed by this little red no-id that I've got to collect more minis!

    I say go ahead and plant it where it will get plenty of sun... and remember that roses like lots of water and lots of feed to go with their sunshine!

  • julie22
    16 years ago

    I would say plant your new little rose in the front. That does sound ideal. I have my miniatures (or most of them) in the front of my house because they get some shade there too. They seem to do better than if full all day direct blazing sun. You just need to comepare. My minis in the back are in full blazing sun all day and are tiny, don't bloom all that great and seem to be struggling. The ones in the front that get about 7 hours of sun a day and shade part of the day are on average 2 to 3 to 4 feet high, and bloom constantly.

    Husband constantly complains about weeding and mulching my front bed because the minis are tall, full, branch out low to the ground and hard to get under. I hand him a hoe and say "Use this tool. It has a really nice LOOOONG handle on it and gets under the plants nicely." He looks at me like I"m nuts.

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