Garden

[Rosehill_1]

On 5/24/2014 JustJazzmom said:

Rosehill said:

JJM, checking in to tell you what I have been up to. I took your advice and put roses in the area you suggested them for. I really wanted to order the varieties you suggested, but had a limited budget to work with, so I bought roses locally. Most are just getting started, along with 4 bushes that are already pretty nice sizes. Most are hybrid teas, with a couple of floribundas. Thanks again for all of your answers when I had questions for you. If the roses all flourish, it should be a beautiful sight. I realize that hybrid teas are not disease resistant and will require some care. I have been reading the organic rose forum on garden web, and there are some good arguments against using chemicals.

I plan to apply epsom salt twice during the growing season like you said above. I may have missed it in another post, but how much epsom salt does one apply? Do you scratch it into the ground or just sprinkle around the rose? What granular food do you suggest to use on the roses, once everything is leafed out? Can you tell me that amount to apply monthly as well?

I have been reading the rose form on garden web and the composted chicken manure sold by Menards is highly recommended. I am not sure whether to use this or the food you are talking about, or both.

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You use about a half a cup of Epsom salts around each rose and you could either scratch it into the soil or let the rain wash it in (if you have mulch down over the area). Ideally its good to remove the mulch, add your fertilizers around each plant and then reapply the mulch. I'm lazy-- I let the rain wash the amendments into the soil.

Feed the roses monthly during the growing season (in Northeast its end of April, May, June, July and August. Stop feeding in August (no September application ) -- you want to tell roses to start going dormant and stop putting out new tender growth. I use Espoma Rose Tone which is organic and I use about a half cup around each rose. Do the Epsom salts in April and again in July. Wait till roses leaf out to apply the fertilizer and the Epsom salts.

Now the chicken manure is a low nitrogen fertilizer and is not a complete fertilizer like the Rose Tone or other rose foods you can buy in nurseries. You can even use seaweed emulsion too (also organic like the chicken manure). It just adds a little oomph to the soil around your roses.

Right now I am dealing with aphids (most are gone now thanks to ladybugs) and am awaiting the rose slugs to start attacking the leaves.

Rose slug and the way the damage looks on leaves.. they hide underneath the leaves. If you see one (they blend in to the leaves as they are green) just squish them. Picture shows them greatly magnified.

JJM, when I planted the roses, I only added some composted manure to the hole. Some have leafed out a bit. Can I apply the epsom salt and rose tone at the same time? I would like to get these plants growing.

[JustJazzmom]

Yes, you can do it at the same time.

[goodstuff]

Do you have a technical college or other school in your area that offers a horticulture program? Sometimes the program and/or individual students can be hired to help with design projects like yours.

[Rosehill_1]

On 5/31/2014 JustJazzmom said:

Yes, you can do it at the same time.

Thank you, JJM!

[luvmyteddy4]

These are mostly perennial plants and bushes in my front yard where I have part sun and part shade. They are not blooming in the picture yet but it's a few years old. I don't have recent pics yet.

I had everything cut back last week.

[snapdragons]

Hi Rosehill, I am new here and was looking at your request and pictures of the trouble areas. I am an avid gardener that lives in the lake Ontario area of NY ! My suggestion is to remove all the daylilies and set aside. Rake up the whole area with a 3 prong hoe and add compost, mix into the soil. I would make a border of variegated Hosta, set 2-3ft apart, in between the hosta plant Snow in Summer. Now about 3 ft back from your hosta border I would plant 3 or 4 Endless Summer Hydrangea ,space 3 ft apart. Now stagger your Daylilies closest to your house behind the Hydrangeas. On the trellis I would put Honeysuckle, I have Gold Flame, whatever color strikes you is fine. Honeysuckle is a very fast grower with beautiful flowers. This is a very low care garden. These plants are very hardy. Keep your Azaleas in the garden, towards the brick . I would also grow Honeysuckle on all The arches you have, again easy to grow, no THORNS and easy to cut back. I do all my own gardening, and if I had to wait for my husband and son to do the flower gardens I would only have dirt beds. Start your gardening early AM or early evening when it is cooler. And get a small flat shovel with a handle, 3 prong hoe, and small trowel, and gloves should be all you need. Wear old clothes and have fun. Look up these plants on the Web and you should be able to get these plants from any garden store, Lowes, Walmart, or nursery.

[Lilysmom]

I love snapdragon's ideas. I am such a fan of Endless Summer Hydrangeas. Hydrangeas are my favorite flowering bush. I have them all over my property.

The only question I had about snapdragon's recommendations was the honeysuckle. In our area they are considered invasive. My BIL just took out a huge honeysuckle that reseeded all over his yard. The root system was huge. I'm just worried that this could become an issue next to a foundation.

Good luck with your plantings. Some great ideas here! LM

[JustJazzmom]

Here in NY, same issue with honeysuckle, and I believe I suggested clematis for the trellis or a climbing rose.

[snapdragons]

I suggested that she use Gold Flame Honeysuckle which is a hybrid, I believe the honeysuckle you speak of is a wild or older variety . The older varieties were very invasive. My Gold Flame is growing on a heart shaped trellis and has not taken on any out of control growth. I use Clematis and climbing roses too, but suggested the Gold Flame that I bought from a local nursery as very easy to care for and blooms almost continually. I have it planted close to my brick front and I believe since this plant is now 5 years old and has not spread to any surrounding areas of my garden that it was a good recommendation. I do prune any of the wayward vines to keep the shape but the base of the plant stays at the trellis. The vines are very easy to trim and thin out when necessary, unlike climbing roses, with all the thorns, where to cut the stems, and insect infestation , for a novice gardener could be a little intimidating. I also love all the hummingbirds that are attracted to the honeysuckle. Clematis is so beautiful, but is a slow grower and the flowers only last for a few weeks and would take a very long time to fill in the trellis.

[Lilysmom]

Thanks for the clarification snapdragons.