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annika1970

how to organic rose garden

annika1970
19 years ago

This is my second year growing roses. The first year I used miracle grow rose food religiously every 2 weeks and sprayed for fungus and insects as well. I only did this because it was my first time growing roses and I wanted to give them a fighting chance. I would like to start growing them organically so I get more beneficial insects in my garden. I have several questions. How often do you feed your roses(every 2 weeks or couple of times a season) and what do you feed them. I've read a lot about the ammendments you add at the start of the season, epsom salt, alfalfa tea, bone meal, blood meal etc. Are these ammendments just continually added throughout the growing season. Any web sites or other information you could provide to get me going the organic way would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Shannon

Comments (11)

  • _sophiewheeler
    19 years ago

    The first thing you do is choose roses that are suited to your growing style and climate and give the shovel to the disease magenets. Choosing wisely is more than half the battle. Then, a little manure, alfalfa and lots of water do the rest. In zone 5, the other major consideration to rose choices would be their hardiness. Choose hardy and care free varieties and neither starve them or make them gluttons. Look at the varieties suggested by the nursery below, and don't buy into the marketing hype at your local nursery.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Spring Valley Roses

  • Rosaneurosa
    19 years ago

    Shannon,

    Michigan can provide some interesting twists to rose gardening. With success, I use the following recipe:
    --3/4 cup Rosetone per month per bush
    --1 gal. Neptune's Harvest per bush per month
    --1/2 Epsom salt twice a season (early and middle)
    --1 gal. of Earthjuice Grow per month (alternating with Neptune's Harvest)
    --One shot of Miracle Gro per month
    Mulch the hell out of your roses; compost like mad, too: coffee grounds, grass clippings, banana peels, etc. I prefer to compost at the end of the season and "cap" it with wood chip mulch in the spring. If possible, I like to have a 4 inch mulch layer by the time the hot weath begins.

    I often spray my bushes with 2% milk and water (1:1) for powdery mildew if I see any cropping up.

    I prune hard, and it seems to reduce disease.

    Yours,

    Paul

  • pinkcarnation
    19 years ago

    Rosaneurosa,

    You mentioned 1/2 Epsom Salt..1/2 cup??

    Thanks, Jackie

  • Rosaneurosa
    19 years ago

    Jackie,

    Yes, 1/2 cup of Epsom salt--sorry. Other issues one wants to consider are rose quality and, yes, I am going to beat a dead bush, pruning. I am reluctant to buy any rose that is not a bare root rose. All of the hardware store varieties including many on the online stores, too, are not grade #1 roses. If possible, buy roses from one of the companies that uses virus-free stock and offers some kind of guarantee. I have had very good luck with Jackson and Perkins and Edmund's.

    Pruning: a heavily pruned rose is happy! I cannot say enough about a good hard pruning in the spring. Any canes that do not appear viable--discolored, hollow, or with discolored pith--should be chopped off; in addition, any "twiggy" growth should be chopped off as well. Ever since I started pruning heavily, my roses have been far less disease prone. In addition, any growth along canes that does not produce canes I cut off. I have often found that the non-flowering growth seems most susceptible to blackspot.

    Walk through your garden daily looking at your plants, touching them, and talking to them. If you are observant, many problems can be dealt with before they become epidemics. Additionally, pay attention to growth patterns because they will aid you in pruning your roses next year.

    Yours,

    Paul

  • _sophiewheeler
    19 years ago

    In many parts of the country, soil magnesium levels would make adding that much epsom salts toxic to your roses. In any case, magnesium poor soils aren't that common and adding epsom salts doesn't do near as much for basal breaks as does alfalfa. Get your soil tested. It's important to know what you have before you go poisioning your plants by adding too much of anything. Way too many gardeners use a high phosphorus fertilizer under the mistaken impression that it makes for more blooms. Phosphorus can build up in the soils to toxic levels also. The ideal fertilizer ratio for roses is 3:1:2, which incidentally, alfalfa is. Alfalfa also contains a growth hormone that makes a bigger difference than just the NPK.

  • abrodie
    19 years ago

    I was intimidated by rose-growing for the first few gardening years. Now I have tons. I plant them with lots of compost, bone meal, blood meal, and twice a summer I pile lots of compost around the base. I read somewhere that discourages any number of rose pests. Well, it's working for me. Several years ago they got rust, which I controlled witha 10% solution of milk. They have powdery mildew this week which I am trying to control with a 50% solution of listerine. I agree with Hollysprings that the most important step is your choice of good disease-resistant plants.

  • Kimmsr
    19 years ago

    How to grow roses in Michigan depends somewhat on your soil. In the clays roses tend to do better then in the beach sand, but overall lots of organic matter is needed whether you have clay or sand. A soil well endowed with OM so it is evenly moist (plants do not uptake soil nutrients if the soil is not moist) and well drained (very few plants like a really wet soil, no air) will allow you to grow roses that will be essentially pest and disease free.

  • MapleLeafMama
    18 years ago

    Am I to understand from your post that roses like clay soil?
    Because if this is the case, I'm a lucky girl-it's all we have here!
    Sandy

  • roseleaf
    18 years ago

    I also agree that the two most important factors are choosing the most hardy and disease resistant roses for your region, and then probably remaining usual things to do are watering, fertilizing, and pruning. Taking care of roses shouldnÂt be any more work than the rest of other plants (non-rose) in your garden. I donÂt have any major pest outbreak to speak off, and credit that to the balance of pests and beneficial insects in the garden. Japanese Beetles can give the most noticeable damage for the short time theyÂre around.

    As for what to fertilize monthly, IÂve used Alfalfa (meal or tea), Rose Tone, Holly Tone, or just my own mix of kelp meal and fish meal. Bone meal is added to the mix for new plantings. Soluble fertilizer such as Miracle Gro is helpful for young cuttings, and during the transplanting period. Excessive use of it doesnÂt benefit the soil and earthworms, comparing to the use of composts and organic fertilizers.

    I donÂt remember that I have to do anything else. Good for lazy folks like me.

  • barb_roselover_in
    18 years ago

    Some of these products I am not familiar with. Were they purchased through an organic source like Gardens Alive or where? I have not seen those names. Thanks - Barb

  • roseleaf
    18 years ago

    The fertilizers I use are purchased from local feed stores, garden centers, HD, or Lowes. I have not bought from Gardens Alive, though IÂm aware that they carry extensive listings of organic products.

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