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Do roses like company?
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Posted by whitejade z5 MI (My Page) on Mon, May 30, 05 at 9:02
| From reading this forum a bit (and learning a lot thank you all !!) , I am starting to picture lots of totally rose-oriented garden beds...I have my nine roses interplanted in my landscape but have always wondered what would a garden bed of JUST roses be like in terms of disease resistance, etc. Does anyone have both interplanted roses and designated rose beds? And if so and you treat them all the same way, do you find that there is a difference in diseases and pests? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Do roses like company?
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| ANy monoculture is going to have more pests and disease than a planting with a wide variety. This is an especially important point to those who try to grow roses organically. Give the roses plenty of air and don't crowd their companions in close, but do give them companions. Leave yourself some paths in close to the roses for maintainence too. Rose boot camps of straight line soldiers in a rectangle planting are the most succeptible to disease, and the least aesthetically pleasing to most eyes. That type of growing roses is suited best to those whose mission it is to create a single perfect bloom for a rose show and who don't mind the fussing and spraying associated with growing them like that to do so. |
RE: Do roses like company? Monoculture
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| I thought I would try to revive this thread and see if anyone knows of any articles on good plants to put w/ roses to help deter bugs and provide a pleasant scent or look. Brandy |
RE: Do roses like company?
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| How about some experience instead of an article? I find that each of my roses has different plant neighbor needs. They are each in a different location in my yard, which I am sure has something to do with this - beynd being totally differnt personalities (mini roses are different than shrub roses are differnt than hybrid teas in general - they have different types of basic genetics) And I find that making the rose happy through good soil , good organic fertilization, enough water and then great plant neighbors they have *good flow with* are key to controlling insects. I have some classic "weeds" next to some of my roses. I have a Sweet Chriot mini roses that has been doing WAY better ever since the Plantain came to be sitting next to it. My Baby Love shrub rose likes anything with lemony scent nearby...like lemon thyme, lemongrass, lemon verbena. It also seems to adore borage though. And a Nearly Wild rose has been doing well with sage next to it and pennyroyal almost underplanted. We tend to plant things like clematis and other "fine perennials" next to roses but I have found that the better plants are the ones we designate "weeds" or are herbs. Oh...and speaking of clematis, I'd had one for years that never did very much ...UNTIL a Burdock "weed" began growing right next to it. Again, all the other care elements ere the same so there is a very good chance it was the new plant neighbors that made this plant so much happier for the past 3 years. I've been planting using this type of a feng shui approach - kind of an "ask the plant" approach, really - for years now and I see very good results! |
RE: Do roses like company?
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| some say Lavender and so I planted that. Turns out Lavender hates water and fertilizer. It's a great companion, but keep the good stuff away from it. This was a big shock to me. I lots several of 'em before I figured it out. I have Salvia May Night and that is a good one for me. Thanks for the suggestions. |
RE: Do roses like company?
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| I have planted my roses with daylilies for past 4 years and they have done well. |
RE: Do roses like company?
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| what a great suggestion with the daylillies....I have noticed my roses like lemongrass plants too so I wonder if the strap like leaves are part of this. |
RE: Do roses like company?
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| Roses look great with daylilies; also low-growing geraniums, catmint, salvia, and lavender. All of these companion plants need much less water and fertilizer than roses, so you have to be careful to skip over them with the hose. |
RE: Do roses like company?
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| I have had success with lemon grass, lemon balm, ladies' mantle and coral bells. Also, the ladies' mantle and coral bells have helped immeasurably with excess weed growth. They seem to have a chemical in them that retards broadleaf weeds. |
RE: Do roses like company?
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| Ive heard garlic is a good one as well. |
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