Hi, all -
Lost my three English roses over the winter, and I'd like some tips before I decide to replace them. I had a Gertrude Jekyll climber on a northwest-facing wall with sun all afternoon, a Winchester Cathedral shrub and an L.D. Braithewaite shrub. Lost the Braithewaite after one winter (2009), the WC poked along, not really happy, for 3 years, and the GJ did okay for four years. I would have thought the snow cover would have protected the 2 remaining plant this past winter, but no.
I've grown roses successfully in North Carolina, but it's obviously a different game here in my 6b garden. Could you please assume I know nothing (not difficult!) and give me some guidance?
BTW, I notice that the Berkshire Botanical Garden is remaking its rose garden and has planted lots of English roses. I'll be watching what they do.
Thanks - Julie
NE Roses 101
Sorry to hear that, I have Braithewaite, 2 Margaretas, Golden Celebration, in their second and third years now. I have sandy soil so I have a drip line to each, keep the grass and area around the base clean, planted them with water crystals and a cup of bone meal. I also use a copper based fungicide once a week during the growing season. However my temps are zone 7a so there is an obvious difference, and we don't have as many Jap beetles here as on the mainland. I feed them Bayer Advanced once a month. My biggest problem is making sure they get enough water during the hot summer months since our soil drains exceptionally fast..
I've had roses for years, but this past winter or spring must have been a tough one because mine did not do well and I lost a couple after having them for years.
I live in 6b (recently upgraded to 7) and the roses did fine. I use a lot of Gardens Alive Rose Food on them and have been known to wash out the cat box and dump it in the rose bed. OK - I do it all the time. :) For black spot I add cornmeal around the base - but mostly just ignore it. I have no idea what they are as they are in my neighbor's house and he has been there 40+ years.
Thanks, everyone. This is a good start.
What about winter protection? Are we far enough north that we have to bury the canes? Take the climbers down and cover?
Julie
Julie, I have several climbers...Fourth of July, Night Owl, John Davis, and a noid pink....all but John Davis are on trellises......I just cover the bases in the late fall with manure, & they are doing fine....I did lose my one English rose....Strawberry Hill, because ice falling from the roof crushed it....
Thanks, Robin. Are you using real, from the stable manure or bagged? Does it heat up some, or is it just a covering? Did that make sense at all? :-)
I use bagged manure now, but did use the composted 'real' stuff when my friend had horses....I never cut anything off them until spring, & only what's obviously dead. Have no idea if the manure heats up, but it keeps the soil from heaving, & fertilizes them with the spring rains.....I also have all except John Davis against the garage, so that helps keep them from the wind.....John Davis is super hardy, & needs no care, but it's very large.....Here is a shot of the side of the garage, the pink roses are spent, but more will come...will post a photo of JD later....
My parents used to use manure from our ponies on the garden. Dad used to age it about a year before using it.
Here is John Davis.....last week's storm knocked it out of the apple tree it climbs on, so it's looking pretty sad....also, just before I took the photo, the airedale had used it for his potty break!
