Hello dear rose friends … “I love Spring anywhere, but if I could choose, I would greet it in a garden” … and there is no other place but the garden, where this glorious season delights all the senses quite so magically! Have you heard a thrush call in the evening or maybe a wattle-bird in the morning – the kookaburras, the magpies and the tweet of the pardalotes and the wrens – all busy harvesting nesting material … what a business!
THE ROSES ARE POTTED AND READY TO FLOWER … Yes, busy times behind us now as all the roses are potted and bursting forth with a delightful display of all the various colours of their foliage – some glossy and light green, the stunning dark almost black red, the browns and dark greens; some serrated edged, some dull-matt grey/green … all really beautiful and fresh with the rose buds forming within this colourful display.
To ensure this bounty of foliage stays lush and healthy, if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to fertilize the rose bushes! Timely also to start the spray maintenance program by mixing the following amount of product to 10 litres of water:
¼ cup liquid seaweed
¼ cup Eco – oil (insecticide)
¼ cup Eco – Rose (fungicide)
Eco – Neem (if you have a massive outbreak of aphids or other insects!)
All the products we use and recommend are entirely natural and organically-certified. They are designed to assist Mother Nature when weather conditions or environmental variables occur that create an outbreak of pests/disease and can be used on your vegetables and fruit trees knowing that you can confidently harvest within hours of spraying!
NEVER SPRAY IF THE TEMPERATURE IS PREDICTED TO BE OVER 30 DEGREES! Morning application of the spray maintenance program is preferred because the stomata (pores) of the plant are open and very receptive to nutrient uptake … if time does not permit morning application, do it after dinner … just DO IT so that you can enjoy the glory of beautiful, healthy roses with an abundance of flowers.
CLEMATIS … Such a magnificent sight … a rose flowering in all it’s beauty with a Clematis twining it’s way through the rose blooms. Hybrid Clematis are one of the strongest and most beautiful compliment/companion plants of climbing roses and I urge you to dig a ‘double hole’ when you’re next planting a climbing rose … pop a Hybrid Clematis alongside the rose ensuring the Clematis is planted on the shaded side of the rose.
So many gardeners say they have lost their Clematis … you MUST plant the Clematis very deep in the soil because it requires a cool root-run – put a large rock at it’s base to keep the roots cool but definitely plant it in the sun!
Clematis tolerate frost far more readily than the roses …!!!! The Clematis in the gardens here are about to flower – roses won’t be flowering until late October. Truly, they are one of the toughest, hardiest and most spectacular plants! Buy one this Spring!!!
TOUCHING TESTIMONIAL … The Winter roses were late, couriers were unreliable and I was missing spending quality time with my gorgeous 80 year-old Mum! We had a beaut day out!
Hi Diana,
To all readers of the Rose Rambler I would like to comment on the FANTASTIC personal service with my roses delivery.
As we know due to seasonal conditions deliveries were delayed, mine more so by my absence to “sunnier climes” (DARWIN)! On my return my roses were personally delivered by none other than Diana who took the opportunity to take her Mum for a drive to Bendigo, deliver my roses and have lunch!!
I hope the lunch was nice! My roses have struck beautifully!!
Many Thanks,
Paul Penno Eaglehawk!
So nice when it all works out and there’s a happy customer. For those who didn’t enjoy such personal service, I do hope our roses are now thriving in your garden!!!
GRA’S BITS … I will start with a laugh – did you know that humour helps us learn …?
Q. What do you call a pig doing karate? A. A pork chop!
Lucerne mulch actually feeds the plants as well as …
- Saving water
- Adding nitrogen, potassium and a host of other nutrients and minerals to the soil
- Improving fruit and vegetable yields
- Strengthening flowering plants like roses
- Fantastic for no-dig gardens
- Worms love it!
Small square bales can be purchased from produce stores; we sell it here at the Rose Farm in bags – it’s been milled for easy application – light mulch around the roses NOW!
IN CLOSING … Have a great, happy week – Diana & Graham Sargeant
P.S. Write this date in your calendar: SUNDAY, 1ST DECEMBER, 2013 – SPECTACULAR ROSE EVENT AT THE STATE ROSE GARDEN, WERRIBEE – FREE DAY OUT WITH ROSES, ROSES AND MORE ROSES! BE THERE!