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ROSE CARE FOR OCTOBER
by Betty Mott, Consulting Rosarian
by Betty Mott, Consulting Rosarian
As I sat on my garden steps waiting for my watering can to fill (diluting the fish emulsion that was attracting every fly and yellow jacket in Mill Valley), I marveled at the tenacity of roses in my garden. Having returned to Mill Valley from Maine where sunshine and warm days are cherished only from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and seeing roses covered with Japanese beetles, I realized just how fortunate we are to live in a climate that allows us to enjoy roses April through December with relatively few diseases and pests.
Rose gardeners in Maine must also marvel at the tenacity of their roses, where the temperatures range between 20-48 degrees for seven months of the year and with monthly precipitation of 3 to 5 inches. Gardens were filled with polyanthas, rugosas, and a few floribundas including: ‘The Fairy’
(Pol, light pink, double, 1932, 8.7), 'Red Fairy' (Pol, medium red, 24-30 petals, 1995, 8.0), ‘R. rugosa’ (Sp, mauve, before 1846, 9.1), ‘R. rugosa alba’ (Sp, white single, 1784 alba, 9.1) and 5 petaled ‘Betty Prior’ (F medium pink, 1935, 8.2). Note the ARS rating for these roses are 8 and higher. These roses are survivors. Where were the hybrid teas? I questioned one gardener who considered hybrid teas to be an annual unless “You are prepared to haul them in for the winter and protect them against the extreme temperatures.”
Back in Mill Valley my roses are still producing beautiful fragrant blooms long after the Astilbe and Dahlias have lost their luster as daylight hours decrease and rain enters the forecast. Having applied my last application of fertilizer for the year, my garden walks find me pulling off diseased leaves, raking away diseased leaves under the bushes, and removing canes smaller than a pencil which will make my winter pruning easier. It will also reduce opportunities for disease as moisture and cool temperatures enter the weather forecast. With re-bloom cycles ranging between 6 and 8 weeks during spring and summer, I begin to just snip off the tops of spent blooms, (instead of cutting down lower). Going full cycle once again with the rains and cooler temperatures will bring on Botrytis Blight. In the spring you may have noticed the infected flower petals looking spotted or discolored. In the fall you will see waterlogged blooms taking on a gray-black mycelial growth. Remove and discard these infected blooms reducing the amount of sporulation that can winter over in decaying plant debris. As always with roses do not place infected plant matter in your home compost.
I now welcome the beautiful fall color display of rose hips signaling the beginning of dormancy. When the rains begin I remove the few remaining petals leaving only the hips, allowing the bush to finally enter into dormancy and a well earned rest. Although I always hope for a small bouquet of roses on Thanksgiving and Christmas, I realize the 2009 rose season is coming to an end.
At this time of year, I like to go through my garden shed making sure my pruners have been wiped clean and any remaining fertilizers, Epsom salts, or other garden products are protected from the moisture of the winter rains. My goal is to not have a garden shed full of outdated chemicals and fertilizer wintering over. These days, as many rose gardeners consider gardening without chemicals and sprays, what should one do with these left over products? I considered pouring mine down the gopher holes in my backyard, but instead acted responsibly and hauled a full box over to The Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at: 565 Jacoby Street, San Rafael, CA. They accept latex and oil based paints, stains, shellacs, solvents, thinners, additives, adhesives, waxes, fuels, propane, motor oil and oil filters, anti-freeze, batteries, garden sprays, gopher bait, rat poisons, ant traps, fertilizers, spray cans, pool chemicals, photo chemicals, lead, mercury, bleach, household cleaners, fluorescent bulbs, TV's and computer monitors.
A resident of the household that generated the waste must accompany the waste material that is dropped off. Proof of the residency is required in the form of a drivers' license, tax bill, or utility bill that shows the street address. For more information, call the Hazardous Materials recording at 415-485-6806.
Taking out my journal I start listing the roses that need to find better growing conditions than I can offer in Mill Valley. I like to remove the rose, put it in a five gallon container, and offer it up as a dormant, pruned, disease free rose in February. When looking for a new home for a rose and bringing it to the rose raffle do your best to donate a disease-free healthy rose. Take the time to download or include picture of the rose bloom, note the ARS registered name, ARS rating, your location and the issues you had with the rose. This will insure a good home for the rose. Making a list of the roses to remove in my garden journal is important so I do not give that unhappy rose one more year. Letting go of poorly behaving roses is difficult. Gardeners are nurturing by nature.
Having recently attended lectures on the challenges we face as California gardeners from drought and global warming I realize we can all do better, and continue to grow and enjoy beautiful roses in our gardens. “We live in a Mediterranean climate, and instead of fighting the climate, we need to learn to live in harmony with it.” As a small step, consider replacing annuals with native plants requiring less water, so that water is available for to your roses. Take a few minutes to think about your vision of a better way to garden through sustainability.
Start preparing your garden for winter, cutting back perennials, and cleaning away plant debris.
The time is nearing to let those valiant roses rest and build strength and vigor for spring.
A YEAR OF ROSE CARE:
January
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Last Modified: 10/20/09