Growing Roses in Michigan

Heres the little darlings....

Was at Dow gardens last summer, I never saw so many jap beetles in my life. They were devouring the roses.

If the weather doesn't get any better the soil may not warm up until August :).

Paul

Boy Paul if thats the case thats all the more reason for people to foliar feed their roses.

This winter I lost my Sunsprite rose and my red Europena rose. Both Heritage roses came through with flying colors. They must be tough. The Fourth of July is alive as are the Chicago Peace and Queen Elisabeth and Graham Thomas. I have a few others that made it through too but can't think of their names now. As soon as I hit post/send I'll remember. :)

I used to be a fanatic about covering up the roses for the winter but now it's every many for himself. If they croak I'll just buy new ones. I used to whack them down and put foam cones over them in the fall after the ground freezes but don't bother now and cannot tell the difference in how they do.

My favorite rose is a thornless climber. I hate thorns!! I think they should make all roses thornless. :)

Brenda

Tree like a rose, I have about 5 hawthorn trees,
they have thorns about 10 times the size of a
rose. Every time I mow the lawn I end up with
one stuck in a tire. I finally foud this stuff called
http://www.slime.com/ Slime it works great.
I'll attach a photo of one of my larger hawthorns
right of the flag
Edit for a somewhat bizarre link http://www.controverscial.com/Hawthorn.htm
I had never seen a hawthorne tree till we moved here about
5 years ago. One thing I know is that birds love this tree?
It gets a small flower in the spring. and berry later.
In the winter there are always alot of birds in this tree
way more then any of the other ones close by.

This message was edited May 5, 2005 12:45 AM

Hawthorn in the spring, (photo R) If you can find
this tree at a nursery they are a nice tree. but flowers
are not like a rose just the thorns. Still
birds love this tree. As best that I can describe
it it's like a magnolia with smaller flowers
and very big thorns. I mow a steep hill and
this tree is at the base of it, after hitting low
branches and looking like I've been in a fight
with a cat I've trimmed them up so that I don't
have to worry about poking an eye out.

Paul your thoughts appreciated on foliar feeding if this would be helpful if nutrients can't be taken up by the roses roots in cool soil.

Rose
Let me do some checking on this.
Its a very good point. I think we're getting close to the 50 degree soil temp here, I'm going to check today.

Paul

Okay Paul...let us know what you find out and thank you! ;)

Heres a reply from Nancy Lindley on our soil temp discussion.
I like the Osmocote idea just before the ground freezes.

Hi Paul,

I think the soil temp is getting close to 50 deg now. I wouldn't be too keen on foliar feeding when it's still too cold. Actually, you'd get into less trouble by using something like Osmocote, Rosetone or BioBloom too early. Their release rate is dependent upon soil temp, so they won't release nutrients too early. Janet Macunovich is a big advocate of applying
Osmocote in the late, late fall, during the final garden clean-up. She points out that it doesn't release when the soil temp is cold and fall application can save you time in the spring when you're really busy.

Nancy

Thanks for the info Paul. I'm wondering about why Nancy says not to foliar feed now.

I hate to hijack the thread, but I don't think this deserves a new thread:

How do all of your roses look now? Mine is still not leafing out.. lots of what looks like greening at the base, but the ends are brown and a little brittle..

Thanks in advance,

Nick

Nick.....have you pruned your roses yet?? If not, then you need to cut them back and get rid of the old dead wood.......Be carful when you do that. Are they Tea's or climbers, or what? You don't want to cut back your climbers too far....I am northeast of you in the Tawas area and all of mine are leafing out.

Nick since you are farther north be patient. We've had a cold dry Spring so maybe its taking your roses awhile to break dormancy. How much sun do they get per day? Have you been dry there too? Make sure you are watering your roses deeply and once they leaf out give them some made for roses fertilizer.
And like DA said trim back the dead and brown parts.

Mine are showing alot of new growth.

Paul

Thanks guys. It is a Joseph's Coat climber... It has been kinda dry, and they are a north and west exposure... I will water them thoroughly this week and hope for the best. It was a bargain rose, so I am not super concerned... but who likes to see all that work down the drain? :-P


Nick

Nick......did you just plant that rose last year...........I was told that the St.Joseph Rose was for zone 6 or higher.....


Deann

Deann,

My research indicates at least zone 5a. This is for "Joseph's Coat". I am not sure about a rose with the name of "St. Joseph".

I did give it a nice drink tonight, and pruned back some of the dead canes.
I had heard not to go crazy with the pruning on new climbers, but i figure it can't hurt at this point.


Nick

Nick how are your roses doing now?
Are they leafing out okay now that we've had some warmer days and rain?

well.. i see the leaf buds. ugh.. I might just take it out. I am not sure.. what do you think I should do?

Nick

Be patient.....some of us take longer to grow then others.....

Deann

I'd leave it in too.

My first rose bloom today Martin Frobishere.

Paul

Congrats Paul! :-)
My buds aren't even showing color yet but it won't be long.

Roses are really popping open now!
Its about time and what we rose-nuts have been dreaming of all winter.
New rose for me (in 2004) "Lillian Gibson" is bowling me over.
Its grown like a weed and loaded with blossoms this year!

closer view

Cottage Rose.......Beautiful Rose.......Here is one of mine that is blooming right now....I believe this one is called Theresa Bugnnet...There is another behind this one in a soft pink, just like this one, but I have no clue as to what the name is.....planted that when I first started gardening and

Deann

whoops, never finished my sentence.......wanted to say, planted that when I first started gardening and really didn't have clue about named Roses, or named anything.....Anyone know the name of this red one?? It grows low to the ground....

Deann

Here is a picture of the pink one....lots of blooms, almost look like a sweetheart rose....

Deann

Heres a shot of Moonstone that just opened

Paul

DA I'm really bad on ID roses. Sorry!

The roses are in full swing and of course the rain has really battered them but we needed that rain desperately. Oh yah, those Rose Chafers don't help either. GRRR!
Then after the RC are done the dreaded Jap beetles show up.
GRRRR again!

I would like to recommend a great cane hardy rose for Michigan.
English Rose 'Constance Spry' Mine is maturing is wowing me with her huge cabbage blossoms! If you have room for a climber and love big bodacious cabbage blossoms this rose is a must have!
Wonderfully fragrant too.

Updated photos
Another wonderfully hardy and vigorous rose that is blowing me away this year is Rambler 'Lillian Gibson' available form North Creek Farms in Maine.
Amazingly vigorous, the one pictured here was planted just last year!
She is smothered in blossoms and a stunner.

This message was edited Jun 15, 2005 3:35 PM

Lillian Gibson

Canadian Explorer 'John Davis' puts on quite a show too and its a repeat bloomer although it tends to get powdery mildew and it not very fragrant.
I'm trying Neem this year for black spot and mildew. Hope it helps.

John Davis

My Albas are some of my favorite roses and their perfume fills the air. YUM!


Pompon Blanc Parfait from Great Lakes Roses

Alba 'Konigin von Danemark' from GLR

Rambler 'Russelliana' but check out the bloom count for such an immature rose!

Russelliana is also know as 'Russells Cottage Rose'.
It is cane hardy in Michigan and has delightful mauvey-plum blossoms that have a paler picottee edge.

Roses & Peonies...what could be finer?