Thanks for the compliment, BTW. I keep taking photos with my phone. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a better photo of Our Lady once she opens up more blooms.

Hi Mas: That's an absolutely beautiful bouquet of Rosa Mundi and Louis Odier .. thank you for posting those 2 beauties. It's a cute vase too.

I'm so sorry about your rose midge. Of my 20+ years of growing roses, this is the FIRST YEAR that I have rose midge, because I'm too lazy to get alkaline horse manure this year. There's weird insects & nematodes in the manure that eat the rose midge.

Peter Schneider in his book "Right rose, Right place" blamed horse manure for inducing rose midge. I disagree, since my soil is rock hard alkaline clay, versus Peter Schneider's sandy & acidic soil.

I researched on agricultural midge, or swede midge. Experiments at Cornell University stated, " Laboratory results indicated that extremely dry and extremely wet soil hinders swede midge emergence. Optimal moisture content for swede midge emergence was from 25 ��" 75 %, and varied in different soils." Cornell University recommends crop rotation, but that's not possible with roses.

That explains why I don't have rose midge in my rock-hard clay. My heavy clay is sticky-wet when it's rained, and rock-hard when dry. 15 minutes from me is Cantigny rose park, with 1,200 roses. They use zero mulch, just bare dirt. But when people mulch with bark, that retains optimal moisture level longer for midge germination.

More from Cornell University: "These results suggest that cultural practices, such as flooding fields during non-cropping periods to achieve 100% soil moisture level or even DRYING THE SOIL, may be viable methods to reduce swede midge emergence. Similarily, swede midge populations and damage are expected to be REDUCED when saturated soil or drought conditions occur."

eHow recommended that for rose midge, removing the top soil, and putting new soil in late season will stop midge from germinating next year. That's what I do in zone 5a for winter-protection: I dump new soil in late fall, to protect my roses. The bagged soils here are alkaline clay, pH near 8.

Only 2 of my 55+ roses have rose midge, since I did not dump sticky alkaline clay this past winter. It's just fluffy potting soil, which holds the ideal moisture for midge germination. Conclusion: Midge doesn't like soil too wet, nor too dry .. and sticky alkaline clay does just that.

More from eHow: "Apply insecticides. Pyrethrins and Neem are effective against a range of insects.

From one University Extension, I learned the midge hatch from the top 1 to 2" of soil, so removing the top surface of soil helps.

From Missouri Botanical Garden "Rose midges are microscopic insects that can blacken and kill rosebuds and leaves. The destructive, whitish maggots usually hatch after the first bloom cycle and rasp tender plant tissue as they feed, causing leaves and blossoms to blacken and shrivel. An unchecked, heavy infestation can eliminate bloom from late spring to early fall. After feeding, the larvae drop to the soil, pupate, and emerge as reddish or yellowish brown flies within a week. To control this pest, remove and destroy affected flower buds and leaves as soon as you spot midge damage."

Here is a link that might be useful: Cornell University on midge

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Wed, Jun 4, 14 at 23:17

Here's an abstract from Science.naturalnews.com

"The results indicated that extremely wet or dry soils significantly hindered C. nasturtii emergence, regardless of soil type, suggesting that soil type alone may not be a major factor regulating C. nasturtii abundance.

Optimal moisture content for C. nasturtii emergence varied for different soils. Most C. nasturtii pupated within the top 1 cm of soil. Furthermore, we found that >5 cm of soil cover effectively reduced the emergence number and delayed the time of emergence."

*** The above explain why my past years of applying horse manure monthly as mulch resulted in zero midge. Midge doesn't travel far, they feed where they hatch.

Too dry or too wet soil discourages midge from hatching from the soil. My Golden Celebration rose is damaged with midge, but only 3 feet from it is William Shakespeare rose, which is right next to a gutter-down-spout, it's always soaking wet there, and WS rose has no midge damage.

Here is a link that might be useful: Impact on soil moisture on Swede midge

Straw,

Thank you for the all info. Hopefully all this rain that we've had will hinder some midge germination.

One of my rosarian friends here in Indy told me that to treat midge, you have to treat 5 feet around the plant. Because I interplant with other plants and also plant very closely, that makes it very difficult to treat the plants individually. Additionally, I have 120+ rose bushes.

I wish I could buy horse manure but I think you need to have a farm that you can buy it directly. I've never seen it sold at a nursery or box store. Do you let it rot in an area of your yard before applying it?

I read that if you put down black plastic around the plant and cover the grown, the midge won't be able to get to the grown and pupate. I will love to do and might be able to do with some plants but so many of them have other stuff planted at their feet. I've been removing damaged leaves and buds daily but this is a problem that I do not wish on anyone. I feel that the pesticide I'm putting down will basically wipe out all my efforts to build beneficial fungi and bacteria not to mention earth worms. :(

Straw,

While looking up rose pictures on HMF, I came across your photos (Chicago, IL 5a)? I love the photos and comments on the photos. You have a lot of wonderful roses.

Hi Mas: Wow! You have 120+ rose bushes ... that's a lot, and I'm so glad that you share your wonderful garden in this forum. Seaweed has 160+ roses, but her roses in Southern CA is much bigger, thus more watering all year with her meager 11" of annual rain.

The stable where I get mushroom compost has this huge pile. The top is fluffy wood chips mixed with horse poo, the bottom is dark composted horse manure (mushroom compost) ... that host the beneficial nematodes (small worms) that destroy midges. Here's an excerpt from below link:

"Inside compost is a diverse environment that plays host to hundreds of thousands of organisms. These range in size from microscopic bacteria and fungi to large beetles and earthworms. Among the most prolific of these creatures is a family of rudimentary microscopic worms called nematodes. Although some nematodes are pesky garden parasites, the majority are considered beneficial.

Beneficial nematodes might reduce the population of plant pathogens or parasites directly by preying on them or indirectly by outcompeting them within their local environment. A French meta study published in 2011 reviewed dozens of recent studies on parasitic nematodes. Many of the studies reviewed showed that beneficial nematodes in compost prevented parasites and disease in the target crops."

*** From Straw: Stores sell bagged compost, or humus & manure cheaper than bagged mushroom compost. It's easier to spread them around plants. Folks report that plastic, newspaper, and cedar mulch DID NOT help with midge-control.

Due to Seaweed's old laptop, she sent me pics. of her garden, so I can post here with my fast PC. Below picture are roses from Seaweed's garden, with her comments:

"... was just looking at Toulouse Lautrec, yellow lemon scent one, add Talisman (left big one), and Princess de Monaco (big right). In the center 2 top lovely Love Potion, my fav. for today, deep purple Ebb Tide, cut too late, already wide open, but clover scent very strong even 8am, Cabana, next to Talisman, center George Burns, and down below bottom are 2 Passionate Kisses. Smell your roses and be thankful to God, that's what I say to myself."

Here is a link that might be useful: Nematodes in compost

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Mon, Jun 9, 14 at 12:55

Thank you for the info. Good to know that the plastic was ineffective. I'll just continue with my awful pesticide, and worry about building back good bugs once I get rid of the midge. So depressing!

Yes, i have that many as of this year. This year I've gotten out of control buying roses and doubled my collection of roses. Most of my Xmas, Valentine's day, Anniversary's gifts, etc. came in the form of more rose bushes. Since many of them are from this year, they are still very young.

Seaweed's bouquet is gorgeous! Wow, those roses look very happy. Very nice composition too.

You grow Old Port and Basyes Blueberry, right? How do you like them? Do you grow them in the grown?

Sorry to comment that my eye sight is fine, but driving or seeing the screen movie theatre with double visions, meant that I would have to cover one eye to see normal one object instead of 2, taking photos having been fun part of daily routine, in case you are curious about it.
So fun to read and view all of your roses, can image that scents of roses, and lucky to be part of your contribution!!!

Hi Seaweed: Thank you for informing that your eyes are fine for taking photos ... I sure appreciate all the fantastic pictures you took. You asked me what is midge ... looks like you don't have midge whatsoever in dry Southern CA. For pictures of midge damage on roses, see below link:

Cornell University stated: "moisture content for swede midge emergence was from 25 to 75 %, and varied in different soils." So anything too dry, or too wet would discourage larvae from hatching into adult midge.

Hi Mas: Old port and Basyes Blueberry both are hardy, and in the ground. They survived last brutal winter. They both are heavy bloomers, but can't compete with my Austin Wise Portia (great scent), nor Stephen Big Purple (better scent than Old Port). Basyes Blueberry is a landscape rose, rather than for cutting ... it has a intense wild rose scent. BB is very drought and disease-resistant.

Below are my fav. fragrant roses ... Sonia Rykiel beat Comte de Chambord both in bush beauty, and best scent. It's a floral & raspberry & lemon scent ... like a cross between Jude the Obscure rose and a bourbon.

Sonia Rykiel is the top rose, W.S. 2000 is the second red rose, and the rest are pink Radio Times (damask scent), and Mary Magdalene (beige and fabulous myrrh). Bouquet picked yesterday, June 4.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of rose midge by Oregon State University

hi Seaweed! I didn't know anything about midge either until I moved to Indiana. When I lived in Utah, all I had to worry about were aphids. No other real pest or fungal diseases and mild winters with a nice blanket of snow to insulate the roses. It was rose heaven! I think the Midwest is more like rose purgatory: every single pest and disease, plus extreme weather both in winter and summer. Roses prove every year that they are tough plants.

Straw, your roses are gorgeous! I'm drooling over them. I can't wait to have Sonya. That one has been on my wish list for a very long time. Do you grow other Generosa roses?

So, if you had a choice between Jacques Cartier and Old Port, which one would you go for?

Hi Mas: I'm drooling over your Rosa Mundi, and how neat for 2 roses to climb up the pine tree. I am crazy about Seaweed's Princess de Monaco (big white with pink fringe), and her Love Potion. It's nice to see roses that I can't grow in my zone 5a, alkaline clay.

Sonia Rykiel is the hardiest of Generosa Rose. Madame Paule Massad is another hardy one. Predfern in my Chicagoland grows both, but other Generosa died on him. Yellow Franco is a wimpy Generosa, best for warm climate.

I grow Francis Blaise and Versigny, both are my favorite. Versigny died this past winter ... poor location. But I will grow it again, if I have a chance. It glows like a sunset, with an amazing fruity scent .. floral apricot-pie, YUM !!

Before is Versigny last year, 2 large orange blooms. The pink ones are Annie L. McDowell, white is Bolero floribunda, and yellow is Golden Celebration. That bouquet made my house smelled like a cross between a bakery and a florist shop.

I grew both Jacques Cartier and Old Port. I keep Old Port, but gave away Jacques Cartier ... I hated that bush, it looked like a big-giant weed, the flower is small & ugly .. but the scent was good. People complained about Jacques Cartier, I'm not the only one. Comte de Chambord also has this messy look to the bloom, but at least it blooms tons, plus bigger bloom.

Old Port is a beauty, both in bloom and in bush .. worth buying. Plus it's almost thornless.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll add Versigny to my wish list. The picture of your roses is wonderful! I'll inquire on Old Port from Burlington.

Here is a photo of Madame Wagram. She is a tea that I grow in a pot. I got her this spring from Antique Rose Emporium. It is still a relatively small plant but the blooms are very big.

There are two climbing roses here but you can't see them from this side of the arbor b/c Jackmanii Superb wants to take it all.

Hi Mas: I like your Madame Wagram tea rose and your Clemantis bush? ... I admire your winterizing roses in pots. Do you have a big garage? Mine is 2 1/2, I wish I had bought the house with 3 car-garage, but that backed up to a noisy highway. In recent years I don't keep pots in the garage, since I'm too lazy with watering in the winter.

This past winter was brutal for everyone, a friend in Texas lost some roses to the winter. Versigny rose would had survived, if not for my putting it right next to the gutter-down-spout. It's always wet, thus can't develop deep root. Same with Marie Daly (pink), right below a gutter-down-pour. W.S. 2000 survived because I moved it a week before Thanksgiving, and planted very deep next to a gutter down-spout.

If you are into awesome scents & spectacular blooms, Gruss an Coberg and Eugene de Beauharnais are sold at Burlington Roses. They are on the hot-list, and was sold out when I wanted them.

I already installed 3 rain-barrels for the back, still have 3 more gutters-spout in front .. hopefully I can talk hubby into putting some pretty rain barrels for the 3 front gutters.

Below is a picture of Old Port bloom, I counted 11 blooms/buds for a 1.5 x 1' small plant. That's almost as good as Comte de Chambord 1' x 1' and 8 blooms. The secret? I learned from Prickles (Bailey) when he put salmon scraps & shrimp shells into Young Lycidas rose in a pot, and got 100+ blooms. Since I don't have fresh seafood bits, I soaked 3/4 cups of Alaska fish fertilizer pellets NPK 4-6-6 for tomato in 5 gallon bucket, let it soak for a few days.

Surprisingly, the odor was quite low, much less than Chickity-doo-doo. Alaska fish fertilizer pellets has alfalfa meal, blood meal, fish bone meal, and sulfate of potash (potassium sulfate). The liquid made my wimpy bands in pots from 3" tall, no leaves early May, into full of buds now. The solids I threw on Comte de Chambord, and it exploded in buds.

My Duchess de Rohan band grew leaves, but still yellowish. I grew another Duchess de Rohan last year into a huge bush since I put gypsum & sulfate of potash in her pot. So I made a batch of Alaska pellets, plus gypsum in a 5-gallon bucket, just for Duchess de Rohan and my tomato plants. Those guys have higher needs for calcium.

Seaweed in CA does the same: she soaked chicken-manure in a bucket with water, let it soak for a few days, and water her roses. That way it's less hot & less salty for plants, plus phosphorus & potassium are more mobile as soluble, rather than solids in her dry climate.

That reminds me to order some soluble gypsum from Kelp4less, $10 for 5 lbs., free shipping. But their website isn't working right, it sent me an error message, when my order went through. So I tried again 2 more times, and ended up with 3 repeated same orders ... they phoned me and cleared things up.

Below is a bloom of Old Port, taken this morning. Below link from Kelp4Less lists the benefits of gypsum for plants:

Here is a link that might be useful: Benefits of gypsum, listed by Kelp4Less

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Fri, Jun 6, 14 at 13:03

Alright, you two!!!Cut it out! These pictures have got me believing (again) that I can grow these (again).

Last year, I ordered at least 25 rose plants.....ARE, DA, and a nursery in CA that I can't remember. I have 6 left. Marchessa Bochella, Prairie Rose, Variegata de Bologna, 1(of 3) F J Lindheimer, Engelmann's Quest, 1(of 3) Mutabilis.

I have had antique roses since 1987, and cannot remember ever losing one, until I moved from z9, to z8, to z6. Here in southern KY, I cannot seem to keep a rose alive for anything. I have NEVER sprayed anything, now I seem to use Neem oil everyday, and poor MB still has totally skeletonized leaves.

Thanks for giving me hope!!

Old Port looks gorgeous! How big does the bush get by the end of the season?

I've always grown a few roses in pots that I overwinter in the garage, mainly b/c I always have roses that I haven't had time/or become too lazy to plant in the grown, plus a few that are not hardy. Last winter, I got super lazy and didn't water them properly, losing many of them.

Gruss an Coberg looks really pretty. How big does it get?

I grew Eugene de Beauharnais in a pot for many years until last year when I finally gave up on her. It used to both mildew and blackspot at the same time. I have no other rose ever mildew for me here. She did not like growing in my yard/pot. :(

I've been ordering a few things from kelp4less. Thank you for recommending that site. They have great products, and great prices.

I love that Alaska fish fertilizer for tomatoes. I have not soak them. What ratio do you use of fertilizer to water? How long do you soak the pellets for?

I bought crab meal fertilizer, which is basically crushed crab shells. I very soon discovered that the only way I can use that is by putting it in the planting hole and covering it with plenty of dirt. My dogs were going crazy with it. They LOVE most organic fertilizers.

How do you condition your roses so that they will last in a vase?

Hi Springroz: Welcome to Organic Rose Forum! So glad to hear more from cold zoners. I learned lots from the late Karl Bapst, rosarian in zone 5a, Indiana. He was honest to admit that he went overboard with fertilizer, and damaged the tiny feeder-roots in early spring, thus they died to spring frost.

Late fall I put too much chicken manure on tiny Paul Neyron .. he got killed by spring frost. But the roses which I never fertilizer nor water survive last brutal winter the best.

Just last week I mixed molasses NPK 3-1-5, plus sulfate of potash (salt index of 43%, plus 27% sulfur) in a large container of water .... to fix yellow leaves on my tomato plants, which I already fixed my alkaline soil with gypsum (calcium sulfate). I tested a tiny-bit on roses in my pots, to see the effect of lowering pH plus salt.

Rose du Roi went from healthy to droopy leaves, and started mildew, no matter how much water given. Old Garden Roses on wimpy own-roots, can't handle salt in fertilizer like the vigorous Dr. Huey root (which most modern roses are grafted on).

Potting soil pH ranges from neutral to slightly acidic, 6.5 ... versus my rock hard alkaline clay at pH 7.7 ... that's why the tiny bands in pots were badly affected by the 21% sulfur in sulfate of potash.

Sulfate of potash is OK if only 1/8 teaspoon per gallon of water, as suggested by Kelp4Less, but more is harmful. Gypsum can be used more, since the salt index is only 8% versus 43% salt as in sulfate of potash. Gypsum contains 17% sulfur, less is best for pots.

Hi Mas: Thank you for your experience with Eugene B., I'll bypass that one, sounds wimpy to me. Old port stays under 2' x 2'. I don't grow Gruss an Coberg, but people report it as being vigorous with a fabulous scent.

Alaska fish fertilizer pellets for tomato has NPK 4-6-6 .. the last time I put 1/2 cup per 2 gallon of water, soak for 3 days, and give a few tablespoons to pre-watered bands. They love that .. it's important to water the soil 1st, before applying soluble fertilizer, then water again. I learned the hard way that even soluble can burn, if the soil is dry.

I have hard water, with lime (calcium carbonate), which firms up roses in the vase. People put calcium chloride in canned foods to firm up veggies. The last time I tested calcium citrate tablet for roses, and it doubled their vase-life.

Below the procedure to test your soil pH using 50 cents of red cabbage leaves, and $1 gallon of distilled water, see link below. It's also used to test the pH of your tap water.
Boil red cabbage in distilled water, then boil red cabbage separately in your tap water. Compare the 2 colors. If your tap turns bluish, then it's alkaline. If your tap turns violet like distilled water, then it's neutral.

Below is Stephen Big Purple (own-root), which survived this past winter, zone 5a. Picture is taken today, it's actually prettier in real-life than Old Port, and easily beat the Old Garden Rose in scent. It repeats well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cheapest way to test soil pH using red cabbage

Here's Stephen Big Purple bloom:

Hi springroz. Welcome!

Straw, that is a gorgeous bloom! I'm putting it on my wish list. I love purple roses.

thank you for the tips on the fish fertilizer and the cabbage pH test. I am going to try both.

Today I'm going to our local rose society first garden tour this season. My favorite part about belonging to the rose society is visiting other members' gardens. The problem with that is that you always come with new roses that you saw and now HAVE to have, but then again, that is also part of the fun.

Hi Mas: Glad to hear from you ... you are so lucky to belong to a Rose Society and tour others' garden. My neighbor invited me to join her garden club, but she said the garden-tour visited mostly shady gardens.

I'm not thrilled about shady garden ... mine is already shady. That's why I like to visit Cantigny Rose park, full sun, with 1,200 roses. The only roses I liked there were Austin roses, esp. Jude the Obscure.

Roses Unlimited had a sale this past week, but everything was sold out early. So glad that they lower the limit from at least 3 roses to 2 instead. This September, I want to order 2 roses from Chamblee in Texas .. they have the biggest one-gallon root balls. Hopefully they have Lady Emma Hamilton, and I want 1 blue rose. If anyone know how the scent of Love Song compare to Blue Girl, please let me know. Thanks in advance.

I killed my Heirloom hybrid tea since I could not stand the gaudy purple color. I prefer blue over purple roses.

The only blue I have now is blue iris, see below. I wasted $$$ on every variety of iris possible, but 90% of them died during last years' spring floods. I lose much less roses than I did with other perennials. Roses are quite tough for cold zones.

Mas_Loves_Roses, lovely blooms and what a lush clemitis!

Strawberryhill, That is a gorgeous bicolor iris. That color combo purple edged white....another of my favorites in Iris.
WOW! More good info! I am going to experiment with the chicken poo in water and fish fert. Seems not only roses, but all flowering plants need that nutrient support to hold up more than one bloom at a time. I'm understanding how important feeding routine is in all the
blooming denizens of the yard. Am intrigued by the purple cabbage ph monitor.

This is one of 2 Climbing Edens out front 4 years ago when it was gifted and planted for my mom. She is so easy. Gets attacked by rust also, but doesn't phase her vigor one bit. Rarely sprayed for anything, but am looking to handle all my roses without strong chemicals. She's 3 times as big, now, but I didn't get any shots of her in bloom this year.

I have an at least 5 years old compost box full of broken down garden waste/leaves. There is sweet smelling dirt or humus at the bottom of the box. I believe it's called at this stage. Now, I'm excited to use it as a top dressing for more pest protection of the rose bushes.

Love the info, here!

This post was edited by aztcqn on Sun, Jun 8, 14 at 6:12

My best disease free rose since I've owned it for 4 years. Never has been sprayed, never has had ANY problem in Cali foggy winters or dry summers.
Captain John Ingram has the true rose scent that I had only found in hand lotions! I was hooked the first itme I smelled its incredible rosey scent.

Strawberryhill, Now I have to have Annie L. McDowell! What a delicate softly colored beauty.

This post was edited by aztcqn on Sun, Jun 8, 14 at 6:35

Hi aztcqn: That's the most beautiful Eden climber that I have ever seen! Your Eden climber took my breath away .. all I could say is "WOW". Your Captain John Ingram is such a beautiful & disease-resistant roses. Thank you, aztcqn, for gracing the Organic Rose forum with your garden.

That Chickity-doo-doo is mighty stinky, yesterday I dragged it out, intending to fertilize my garden before a rain, but one whiff of it made me cancel the idea. Pennington Alaska Vegetable & Tomato pellet fertilizer NPK 4-6-6, is very low odor. I soaked 1/2 cup of those pellets in a bucket of water for 3 days, and that didn't stink up. I smelled an odor when I scraped the solids off the bucket, but it wasn't bad.

It's sold at HomeDepot at 3 lbs. for $7.97 .. actually better than chicken manure since it's less in nitrogen, and higher in phosphorus & potassium ... more appropriate for warm zone. It's too cold in my zone 5a to grow climber, but I wonder if Mas in zone 6a grow climber?

Below is Pat Austin rose, the most disease resistant one in my garden ... always clean for the past 3 years. It smells yummy ... floral-mango-nectarine. Both my neighbors like Pat Austin the most among my 55+ roses. She's a cutie with glossy foliage, and orange blooms.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alaska dry fish pellets at Home Depot for $7.97

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Sun, Jun 8, 14 at 11:27

Below is Pat Austin rose last year, showing healthy foliage. This year I used chicken manure, and her foliage became darker green ... will post a bush-shot once it blooms.

hi gardening friends!

aztcqn, thank you! Your roses are drool worthy! I love Eden.

Straw, is there not a local Rose Society in your area? The garden tour/party was a dream. The hosting member is also the co-host of Rose Chat Radio. I've linked her garden blog below. You can see photos of her garden. Just gorgeous!

I grow several climbers/rambler: Ghislaine de Feligonde grows over an arbor. John Davis and Rosarium Uetersen grow against the fence. I also have Colette against the fence. I have Laguna in a pot waiting to be planted. I started it from a cutting. I also have Alchemyst. I would grow more climbers but I'm out of space for them.

Straw, your iris is gorgeous! I got Love Song but it is new to my garden this season. I first saw it at the nursery about a month ago and it was love at first sight. Lovely, lovely blooms. The fragrance is mild but you can smell it. I don't know much about Blue Girl.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Garden Diary

Here is my contribution for today. This is a single spray that my tiny, band-size Flower Girl sent. Can't wait for her to grow and load herself with flowers.

Straw, your Pat Austin looks beautiful. I keep going back and forward on whether getting Pat or Lady Emma H. next spring. They look so similar. I think I might bet lady Emma but it is a close call. How much do you like Pat throughout the season?

Hi Mas: I clicked on your link "The Garden Diary" ... what a treat !! I love her garden, plus shots of Biltmore Estate. Her infant is SO CUTE !! Her Rugosas are outstanding. It's nice to see best-performers like Munstead Wood & Miracle on the Hudson, etc.

I have Lady Emma Hamilton on my buy-list, but kept delaying getting it, until I figure out how best to fix my alkaline, limy clay. Lady Emma is known as wimpy, Seaweed has that. Pat Austin is vigorous and a blooming fool ... Pat likes it soaking wet. Lady Emma is related to Pat Austin, but it has slight pink hue. Pat is PURE orange. For a great landscape, nothing can beat Pat in its bush-beauty & tons of blooms.

Thank you, Mas, for the picture above of white-spray rose. That's so pretty. Also thank you for the info. on Love Song .... glad that it has a scent. The fertilizer and pH adjustment can make a difference. For years I smelled nothing from Christopher Marlowe ... until I mulched him with cocoa mulch (with many trace elements) .. the scent turned awesome!

I'm going to order Lady Emma and Love Song from Chamblee. The more I grow roses, the more I pay attention to "bush-beauty" and how long the bloom last in the vase.

Hi Straw,

Her garden is absolutely amazing! I have to say that her rugosas look magnificent, and the fragrance of Roseraie de l'Hay is unmatched to any other I have smelled. She hosts the radio show rose chat. it is all on podcast. You can listen to the episodes from her blog or from The Redneck Rosarian's blog (her other co-host).

I care a lot about the overall plant look more than individual blooms that is why I mostly grow shrub/floribundas and forgo most HTs. Thank you for the info on Pat. That really helps. Sounds like I should go for Pat. I like vigorous plants. I think you need that in cold climates.

I love Chamblee Roses. As you said, you receive nice, one gallon, well-established plants. Also, you can't beat the price. My Love Song is grafted so I'm considering getting an own-root from Chamblees and have two of them. I just really like this rose.

Just spread some Chickity Doo Doo around the yard in anticipation of the rain. It is supposed to rain a good bit tomorrow. Boy, does the yard smell!

Hi Mas: Same here too, I've spread that today, at noon time ... but Radio Times' scent beat the stinky Chikity-doo-doo. If it doesn't rain tonight, I'll going to scrape off some of the chicken-manure off my tomato ... I don't want them to be Jolly Green Giant.

I poured my 3-days old solution of Alaska fish pellets plus gypsum around the pale tomatoes & band-roses ... Immediate greening within 10 hours, I'm impressed. It must be the Kelp meal. The reviewer at Home Depot website is right:

"My vegetable plants are growing big and the leaves are a healthily green color after applying this fertilizer. The other reason I like this product is that it saves me time seeing it's a time released fertilizer. I don't have to keep reapplying it every 2 weeks."

*** From Straw: The instruction says lasts up to 6 weeks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alaska fish pellets for tomato at Home Depot for $7.97

I think that nothing beats Chickity Doo Doo in terms of inexpensive, organic fertilizer. I put down two bags and was able to fertilize the entire yard (lightly). Even with all the rain we had last night, I can still smell it around the yard. We're supposed to get more rain today and tomorrow so that should take care of it.

I like the Alaska fish pellets. I would love to do the entire yard with it but at the cost per bag, it is reserved for the roses and tomatoes. I will try it in liquid form next time. The dogs don't seem to go as gun hoe on it as they do with the other organic fertilizers which is a major plus in my book.

I get my order from Burlington either tomorrow or Thursday. Can't wait to see my new roses! :)

This isn't a rose but my neighbor has a dove that is nesting right on a lower branch on her blue spruce. Even when we got really close to her, she did not move.

Hi Mas: When you get bands from Burlington, it's good to dunk the root balls in a bucket of water to rinse off the excess salt & Osmocote granules from the nursery.

I did that last year, and they improved. I forgot this year, and Duchess de Rohan didn't grow any leaves, until I washed its root in a bucket of water. Accumulated salt can stop roots from growing. What are the roses you get from Burlington?

The bloom I enjoy the most in the vase now is Stephen Big Purple bloom .. good vase life, nice color, and BIG & Fragrant. What are the blooms you enjoy the most in the vase? Mas, you have Twilight Zone, how do you like its scent & vase-life? I have never seen that in real-life, would love to see your pics. ... thanks in advance.

That's a great shot of a dove in your neighor's spruce ! We have lots of dove with my Norway spruces. My husband took a picture of an eagle nest in a nearby pine-tree:

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Tue, Jun 10, 14 at 13:44

Wow! That picture is amazing!!! What a treat! Do you have a lot of woodlands around where you live?

Thanks for the tips on rinsing the roots! I'll do that. I'm getting: Honorine de Brabant, Annie Laurie McDowell (thanks for the recommendation!), Aunt Margy's Rose, Sweet Pea and Tuscany Superb.

I don't know that I have a favorite for vase yet. It seems that whatever is in bloom is my favorite. Many of the roses that I love for look and fragrance are not good cut flowers. That is why I decided to plant a few HTs this year. The rose that I have seen last the longest in a vase is St. Patrick, hand's down. No fragrance though. Twightlight Zone is new in my garden. I got her on sale as a bare root rose from Edmunds recently. It has not bloomed yet but it is growing very nicely despite being planted late in the season. Once it blooms, I will post pictures of it/report on the fragrance.

Here is a photo of Scentimental that I took today. I thought I had lost her but she came back!

Here is another non-rose photo. I just love this clematis! This is Madame Julia Correvon. She has been with me since we moved in this house in 2008. She always blooms her heart of against a north facing wall.

Hi Mas: That Clemantis is precious !! I have never seen that before in my life. The stuff I've seen around here are blue & purple Clemantis. I love that red-violet color. Thank you for sharing those 2 beauties: Madame Julia Correvon and Scentimental.

We have wet-lands across the street, where the deer are. This year no deer came to my garden ... thank God for that.

I went to Meijers today, I'm so impressed with their nursery: foot-tall blooming lavender $3.58, 3'-tall pepper plants loaded with peppers, Bonnie tomatoes with fruits for $3.58 each. I bought 2 more: Black Prince, and a black cherry. Now I'm up to 18 tomatoes, but 3 of them are Black Krim, which are compact & not much fruits. Last year the Black Krim was SO-GOOD on sandwich, much better than Beef-steak.

I no longer grow Beef-Steak since it's so late. I prefer early firm & meaty ones. I saw Meijers' potted roses, $8.96 each .. they have reddish/purple Laguna Climber that smell really good. There's one pot of hybrid tea left, "Perfume Delight" grafted on Dr. Huey. But I saw mildew leaf, despite 2 days of non-stop rain.

Dr. Huey is known as mildew-prone .. so whatever grafted on Dr. Huey is more susceptible. That's why I prefer own-root roses ... much healthier. One person in CA mentioned that she had 2 roses: A Golden Celebration grafted on Dr. Huey, and the same rose as own-root. The own-root is clean, versus the diseased grafted GC.

Dr. Huey blooms well in dry & alkaline soil because his root does acid-phosphatase well. But the more acid produce, the more disease-prone. I have bottles of pH 8 tap water in the basement for 4 years, no mold whatsoever. I also have a bucket of used-kitchen water, which I threw used lemons to bring down the pH ... and that grow icky mold within a few days. There's a site that advised NOT to put acidic fruits in the compost.

My Golden Celebration own-root is always clean, going on its 4th year. The best & biggest blooms was from 1st year own-root with cow manure & horse manure ... then the blooms became smaller on 3rd year. My soil became concrete with pH 8 tap-water, so I fixed the soil this year .... will post blooms for this year later.

Below is 3rd-year yellow Golden Celebration, compared to pink Radio Times on the left, and orange Christopher Marlowe on the right:

Here is a link that might be useful: Bonnie Tomato Varieties & Tip to plant deep

Hi Straw,

Your roses look beautiful! I used to grow Golden Celebration in Utah and loved it. I haven't grown it here b/c I thought she was not hardy. Do you grow her in the grown?

Our Meijers had Dick Clark, Oklahoma, Lady X and a few others. Mostly HTs. They carry good stuff. I usually get my Invisible Fence for the rabbits from them. Most places sell the spray but Meijers sells the granules. It would take me FOREVER to spray all my plants but the granules can be spread in two minutes or less. It also works for deer if you ever want to protect your plants.

You should consider Laguna. My friend grows it and it is very pretty/hardy. I got a cutting from her and ended up rooting it. Unfortunately I don't have space for another climber so I had to give her up.

I'm going to add Black Krim to my tomatoes to try next year. I'm already growing 5 tomato plants for just me.

The more I grow them, the more I like clematis. I have several and keep adding more. I've had Madame Julia the longest. She came as a tiny bareroot start from Costco that my friend gave me so that I could planted it in my new home. It is a good thing that I did not research where to plant her before planting it. I've read a lot about not being able to grow clematis on a north facing wall. Since I didn't know and apparently neither did my clematis, she just keeps blooming away every year.

Hi Mas: You'll like Black Krim ... sold everywhere. It's much better than Beefsteak. Thank you for info. about the Invisible Fence granules against rabbits ... I need it next spring !!

All my roses are in the ground, I stopped putting them in the garage 2 years ago. Golden Celebration is VERY hardy ... even with last brutal winter ... it had at least 12" green cane. I'm addicted to its scent, want a second one.

I love the red color of your Madame Julia clemantis .. I wish they make rose that color .. I believe Ascot rose has that color, but sold in Canada.

Hi Straw,

I was looking for Black Krim when I was out in the nurseries in Columbus but didn't see it. I'll put in my list for next year. My tomato plants have taken off. I swear that one of the cherry tomatoes is almost six foot tall and i have not been fertilizing with nitrogen.

That is good to know about GC. I love that rose and have been afraid to grow it b/c of hardiness. Now, I only wish I had a bigger yard. I think I have reached the point that I can't get any more roses grown or pot. I have wayy to many waiting for a spot. I'm sure that I'll still find a way to fit one more now and then, I just need to really LOVE the rose moving forward. BTW, I ordered Radio Times from Heirloom. So excited about that rose! :)

Ascot is in my wish list too. I've only seen Palatine selling it and I'm sure it sells out quickly.

Here is a photo from today: The Fawn. It sprawls all over. I never fertilize it with nitrogen.

Hi Mas: Beautiful mix of roses & perennials ... I love pink and blue together!

About Radio Times: Keep nitrogen low, chicken manure is OK, but add potassium (sulfate of potash). I did that and it's only 2 feet x 2 feet. One year I used NPK 10-5-4 and it threw 6 feet canes, very stingy with blooms. Radio Times need more potassium than average.

About Pat Austin: She needs partial shade, morning sun is best. Her blooms fry easily. I notice that roses with shiny & glossy leaves like Romantica Sweet Promise or Pat Austin are VERY SENSITIVE to fertilizer-burn. Less is best. These "shiny-leaves" roses tend to wilt if given the regular dose of chicken manure. So I use only 1/2.

Someone in CA gave me a great rule-of-thumb: NO GRANULAR FERTILIZER after June 1 ... that's also true with my cold-zone 5a, but very-diluted soluble is still safe, every 2 weeks as Chamblee Nursery in Texas suggested.

Good news: Heirloom roses have sales starting July 1, like 10% of slow-moving groups (English Legend), then increase to 25%, then free shipping, and lastly 1/2 price off end of July. I still have room, but I'm really lazy in watering, so my next rose-bed will be 4-hours of morning sun, less watering that way.

Mas, I love how you mix blue flowers with pink "The Faun" rose. What's the name of those blue flowers?

Thank you so much for your tips on these two roses. I have added them to my rose notes. How about Sonia? Any remarks about her?

The blue flower in the picture is hardy geranium 'Rozanne' which I have all over my yard b/c I just love it. It is the flower that gets most comments by anyone that visits.

Oh, don't tempt me. I did not know about their sale...and they have so many pretty roses... What would you get?

Hi Mas: Thanks for another good shot of blue-Rozanne geraniums. My neighbor has them, but more lavender, due to our high soil pH.

Sonia Rykiel is a water-hog, has higher need for calcium & potassium with those zillion-petals. But if the soil surface is acidic, Sonia is quick to break out in black spots. I regret mulching Sonia with cocoa mulch last year (pH 5.8), resulting in BS. This year I dumped a $1.49 bag of alkaline manure & hummus ... no black spots so far.

For planting hole: 1 cup of pelletized lime to balance out the acidity of 1 cup of gypsum. If you can put at least a dozen of banana peels at the bottom of the planting hole, that would be great. By the time her roots go down, the banana peels would be decomposed.

See below link for my Pinterest of "Sweet & Healthy" recipes, you'll see the recipe for Oatmeal & banana & chocolate chips cupcakes. My kid never touch oatmeal nor bananas for 10 years, until I make that wickedly good stuff. We go through tons of bananas with that recipe .... lots of peels for the planting hole.

Below is a picture of Sonia Rykiel bloom when it was in neutral potting soil. Mas, your bloom will have deeper color than mine, due to less alkaline pH.

Here is a link that might be useful: Straw's Pinterest of Sweet and Healthy recipes

Thanks for the tips on Sonia. Is so interesting how different roses have different needs. I also didn't know how the pH will affect the color of roses.

I've also noticed from your post that I have probably not been putting enough banana peels in the holes. I've only been putting one or two banana peels per hole. I'm heading to Kroger this afternoon and loading up on so many bananas that they'll think I'm smuggling a monkey.

That will give us a few days to do everything 'banana' and save the peels in the fridge until I can plant the roses. I'll try your recipe too. My husband has a sweet tooth. I need to wait for the tree company to grind the tree stump in the flower bed first. I think I have some gypsum in the garage.

the pH meter that my friend lent me said about 6.7 for me but I don't know if I did it right. some areas were a bit higher too. The hydrangeas in my backyard bloom pink but we also have the only thriving holly in the neighborhood in the front yard. I have done nothing to lower the pH for them, so the soil in that area must be more acidic. Most people have taken out the holly that the builder installed b/c of severe chlorosis and puniness. However, mine has formed a beautiful hedge that needs to be clipped once a year to keep it in bounds.

Hi Mas: That was funny about the banana-joke, you made me laugh, thanks. Tree roots, or any cluster-root can secret acid to utilize nutrients in soil ... so any place that was PREVIOUSLY occupied by a plant, would have a lower pH, and more loamy soil.

Using red-cabbage juice, I tested at least 10 samples from different locations in my garden ... they all vary. The place that was previously occupied by a dead-tree, the soil is loamy & less alkaline. The place where nothing was ever-grown, is very alkaline, bluish green juice (pH near 8). The place where I solarized grass with black-plastic, leaving decomposed grass ... even when I dug below 4", the soil is loamy & light-blue in red-cabbage, around 7.3.

My neighbor planted a rose-bush right next to a tree. Last spring we had tons of rain, with flooding .. that rose came down with rust. But her other rose nearby, AWAY from the tree's root, did not have any rust. So the tree took away nutrients needed to prevent rust, plus lowering the soil pH.

Hello Strawberryhill,
love your delicious lovely Sonia Rykiel, perfect!!!

Yes nice pic of your Sonia Rykiel Straw!
All fantastic pics in this thread by everyone! :-)

Strawberryhill, Thanks for that incredible info. So what is the PH sweet spot for roses?

Hi treehugger: Roses bloom best at pH neutral to slightly acidic. My roses bloom best with rain water, since rain water is slightly acidic (pH 6 in my Chicagoland, but more acidic in the East coast).

If your roses are grafted on Dr. Huey, that root is very good at secreting acid and can take alkaline soil well, and bloom well even with alkaline tap water. If your roses are own root, then it depends on the species: Multiflora aren't good in secreting acid, and become pale (chlorosis) in alkaline clay. French Romantica as own-root secret acid well, and bloom well with my hard well water at pH above 8.5.

Hi Msgirl: I love your honesty .. I looked up El Catala on HMF, and I broke out laughing when I saw 3' in height .. translate to a slow & wimpy rose. Heirloom Roses is notorious for small root & slow start. Now they raise the price to $27 per band !! If the root is big & solid, then it flowers sooner (roses from Weeks & star are grafted on Dr. Huey, see below).

http://scvrs.homestead.com/Rootstock.html

I got roses from Heirloom Roses as own-roots and their roots were like alfalfa-sprout, instead of big & long & woody like Dr. Huey. High Country Roses in Colorado sells BIGGER own-roots at $14 per band (they ship to Hawaii). I got Austin roses from them with blooms on !!

About Dr. Huey rootstock: They are native to alkaline region, thus most healthy in alkaline clay. Dr. Huey itself tends to mildew, so high potassium helps. If your soil is acidic, then raise the pH with lime to above neutral. Lime will supply calcium besides raising soil pH.

Decades ago my neighbor bought a bunch of grafted-roses-on-Dr.Huey, he planted in our rock-hard clay at 7.7, and they were blooming like mad & zero diseases. I was jealous since I had just moved from an ACIDIC clay region, and gave up on roses due to black spots.

Since Dr. Huey is a woody-root, calcium should be supplied at 1/2 of potassium. Calcium is what makes plant tissue firm, thus more resistant to pests like thrips, mites, and aphids. When nitrogen is supplied via chemical, the quick burst of growth makes plant tissue softer, more susceptible to pests. I have been growing tomato for 30 years, and the only 2 years with big-fat tomato worms, plus blossom-end-rot were the years I used chemical fertilizer 10-10-10. Other years with ORGANIC slow-released nitrogen like manure, cocoa mulch, alfalfa .. no worms, no blossom-end-rot, since those ORGANIC sources supply low-nitrogen, decent potassium & calcium & trace elements.

bump up for reference.