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ROSE CARE FOR MARCH
by Betty Mott, Consulting Rosarian
by Betty Mott, Consulting Rosarian
As I walked through the garden today, smelling the sweet fragrance from the daphne, passing sunny yellow daffodils and purple grape hyacinth I am reminded that spring is a promise to be fulfilled by summer in the garden. Everything looked so tidy. I grabbed my digital camera to capture this moment in the garden before it awakened into a riot of color, fragrance, and wildlife. For a brief time I am in control of my garden, a mix of roses, perennials, strawberries, lettuce, blueberries, Meyer lemon, herbs, and native plant volunteers that the birds and squirrels bring me every year.
Starting off the season right with proper pruning provides your garden with the first steps toward growing healthy, vigorous roses. Remove and dispose of old diseased leaves and pruning remnants from under your rose bushes. Pull out weeds which will compete for water. Take a look at plants that are close to your roses, cutting back perennials and companion plants to improve air circulation around your roses.
Keep eyes on newly planted or relocated roses making sure they are hydrated, and canes protected by mulch until the plants are established. We have been extremely fortunate in February to accumulate several inches of rain. The water reduction level in Marin for spring 2009 is still uncertain. MMWD is in the process of finalizing the details of its water use reduction program, which is scheduled to become effective April 1. If the reservoirs contain less than 50,000 AF of water on April 1, a 10-percent voluntary water use reduction plan will be implemented.
If reservoirs drop below the 40,000 AF level by April 1, a mandatory 25-percent reduction plan is called for. As of February 22, 2009, the reservoirs contain 57,041 AF. Rainfall year to date (July 1, 2008 through February 22, 2009) totals 28 inches, compared to average for this date of 38 inches. Last year for the same time period we had 39 inches of rain. Check their website for daily updates: http://www.marinwater.org
This is the time to plan for less water use. Consider planting potted roses in the ground. They will require less water to thrive. Make plans for mulch. MMWD is still offering Bay-Friendly Landscaping rebates for water-efficient landscape materials (mulch.) You can download the application from their website, purchase the product, then submit the receipt with your application.
In Southern Marin, Martin Bros Supply on 232 Shoreline Hwy in Mill Valley offers several mulches, which you can purchase by cubic yard, bag, or bag yourself at a discount. My favorites are Mango Mulch a Grab n Grow product out of Sonoma, and turkey mulch. There are better prices up North for mulch at Sonoma Compost 550 Mecham Road in Petaluma http://www.sonomacompost.com/ or Grab n Grow 2759 Llano on HWY 12 between Santa Rosa and Sebastopol http://www.grabngrowsoil.com/. Mango Mulch Compost has been a great product for my heavy clay soil and is a powerful supply of nutrients along with beneficial bacteria and micro-organisms, made up from horse and cow manure, grape and apple pumice, soft rock phosphate, green sand and is free of pathogens. It is a complete fertilizer, soil builder, compost, all in one. The mix contains rice hulls and high humus which is great for our clay soils.
Why mulch? What happened to last year’s mulch? You mulch for protection. By applying a layer of organic matter around the base of the rose you will smother weeds, protect the life of the soil surface, keep the soil from drying out, add nutrients and humus to soil as it decays. Mulched soil is cooler in summer, prevents rainwater from splashing soil onto the leaves which might contain fungus mold or disease spores. Finally mulch improves the appearance of roses adding a dark back ground to highlight the roses.
What happened to last year’s mulch? That’s the beauty of it. Your soil life and plants were fed as it broke down, loosening the soil so it drains better, roots were able to spread making every plant grow healthy and strong.
As your roses spring into action finger prune (knock off) new growth heading for the center of the rose, although some rosarians choose to let it grow but prune it off with the first blooms. With new growth come the first unwanted visitors. Deer just can’t resist those tender new leaves. For those of us dealing with deer there is nothing more devastating than to wake up to the destruction of deer in a rose garden. After years of trying to thwart their hunger, the only full proof method is a locked six foot fence. For rose gardeners who cannot build that fence, either Liquid Fence or Deer Out are products that will deter the deer as long as it does not rain. You will need to apply it once a week even though the instructions say once a month. I have tried everything from human hair, bitter systemic tablets dug into the dirt, cotton balls soaked with coyote urine, shiny objects, bells, bird netting, and motion lights. And yes, they have already starting nibbling on my climbers two weeks ahead of last year’s journal notes. Good luck and be sure to share any success stories.
Shortly after the deer, aphids, spittle bugs, and leaf rolling caterpillars arrive on the scene. Fortunately, aphids and spittle bugs are more unsightly than damaging. A steady stream of water in the morning of a sunny day will knock them off. Be careful not to encourage black spot that may develop when spores are continuously wet for at least 6 hours. For aphids and spittle bugs, I use a small paint brush and a soapy mug of water to do the job (put a few drops of dishwater soap in a small mug of water). If stronger control measures are needed, try insecticidal soap. As a last resort an insecticide could be used according to the label directions. . If you use an insecticide, beneficial insects will be killed as well and you may create an imbalance in nature in your garden. Remember that by not using chemical sprays your garden will soon fill with ladybugs and soldier beetles that will get control of the pest in short order. Leaf rolling caterpillars on the other hand take a bit more work as they wrap themselves in the tender leaves, dining on buds and foliage. If you notice rose leaves stuck together, disturb the leaf and the small green caterpillar will shoot out the bottom into your mug of soapy water. It is sometimes easier to just squish them with your fingers. After capturing the caterpillar untangle the leaves to prevent further leaf deformity.
In all cases use the method that works best for you. Consider using the least toxic spray, and make sure to read the label carefully protecting yourself, your family and your pets. A late wet spring could provide ideal conditions for black spot. Black spot requires relatively warm, wet, humid weather. The spores have to be continuously wet for at least 6 hours to germinate. Remove only the infected leaves placing them in the green can. Do not add diseased leaves to your compost pile. Spraying fungicides on leaves already infected is pretty much worthless. You will need to keep new growth coated with fungicide spraying every week to 10 days. One of the best ways to avoid black spot is to choose and plant highly resistant varieties.
Plants are coming out of dormancy with vigorous new growth and preparing for that glorious first bloom of the season. What about fertilizer? There are as many theories to applying fertilizer as to treating the common cold. My recommendation is to keep it simple. In the next couple of weeks when the heavy rains stop pull back any remaining mulch around the rose bush and check the drip emitters. Next add two cups of alfalfa pellets (without molasses) which is an organic soil additive containing hormones that stimulate growth. Then sprinkle two tablespoons of Epson salts around the outer edge of the rose bush (Magnesium Sulfate) which greens up foliage and encourages new basal breaks. Make sure to water in the Epsom salts. I use half the amount for miniatures and container roses. Adding organic matter to your soil will improve your soil. Finally add two inches of mulch to each rose bush including container roses.
After the first bloom cycle during the summer, consider adding Maxsea, a soluble seaweed plant food, fish emulsion, containing nitrogen and other trace elements, or make an alfalfa tea. Make the tea in a 32 gallon trash can. Place 6 one-pound coffee cans of alfalfa meal in the trash can. Add enough water to fill the can. Cover and let it set for 24-48 hours. (Maybe even longer to get it more concentrated, but stir often). When the alfalfa tea is ready, you may optionally add other ingredients such as 2 cups of fish emulsion, or, if you wish, a water-soluble organic fertilizer added according to the manufacturer's directions. Mix well. Give each large rose bush one gallon. For each mini-rose, give 1/2 gallon diluted to half strength. If you chose to add a time release (Osmocote) buy the 4 month release so your roses will slow down and go dormant in the winter months.
Don’t forget updates to your garden journal or take digital camera shots both great ways to document your 2009 Garden events.
A YEAR OF ROSE CARE:
January
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Last Modified: 3/14/09