As we approach pruning season, you’ll be looking more closely at your roses, and you may encounter rose canes that appear darkened or dead.  Likely, this is dieback, a condition characterized by the progressive death of stems and canes that can ultimately compromise the health and appearance of your rose…

It’s nearly bareroot season, and time for the annual process of rose introductions.  A new player in roses (at least new to me) is Altman Plants with renowned rose hybridizer Ping Lim.  According to their website, Altman Plants began with the vision to grow the highest quality plants and make…

With the first rains of the season comes the potential for Botrytis – the disease that can turn lush blooms into a brown, soggy mush.  This common disease is also known as Botrytis blight, bud rot, gray mold, wooly mold and when growing on grapes, the “noble rot” where it…

There is nothing quite as lovely as a rose bud unfurling, framed by lush, healthy, deep green foliage. Rosarians strive to attain and maintain their roses for this often-illusive picture. With the advent of modern roses (developed after 1867), more and more roses have been hybridized, and the results have…

Spiders get a bad rap; many people go to great lengths to get rid of them. Is it their other-worldly appearance? Concern about being bitten by a poisonous type or simply the idea of “creepy, crawling” things? Whatever the reason, before eliminating them, it’s good to understand the invaluable role…