Hello Dear Rose Friends,
We hope you are staying well as there are many, many people who are now sick with various strains of flu and Covid. Here, Gra and I are well but we have had issues with staff illness.
Everything takes that little bit longer when just Stacey, Janelle, Gra and I are at the helm getting parcels packed and connecting with you when necessary.
Our grower also has issues. Normally working with at least 14 people digging, grading, and sorting roses but there is just 4 staff so yes, this season is one like no other. We all need to be patient!
We are sure that if you’re understanding, despite weather conditions, we’ll get your roses posted before the end of winter. Even if they arrive in spring, we guarantee they’ll be perfectly well if you follow our planting instructions.
Time to Prune Your Roses
Since we’ve passed mid-winter, it’s timely to prune your roses anytime now. Here’s a short video of me pruning in our garden during the recent demonstrations.
Quite sincerely, pruning is all about getting your secateurs and loppers nicely sharpened, gloves on. Get your head in the right space of relaxing and knowing that you really can’t get it wrong.
Letter from Mick:
"Good afternoon. Nice to see some sun ...
I was once nervous, scared, apprehensive, whichever is most appropriate for pruning roses. Trying to find the perfect outfacing bud. Cutting on the right angle. At the right time of the year.
But then I saw a Gardening program from England. They cut the roses back to the stump. (Above any great I’m sure) Then they covered the plant with an eight-inch black pot and waited for the snow to fall. Once spring arrived, they took the pot off and let the roses grow away.
I’m not nervous anymore. I think they are nearly foolproof to prune. Cheers and thanks for the newsletter. Mick."
My reply:
Here in Australia, we don’t need to cover our roses with anything to protect them from snow or severe frosty conditions. I would urge you all to get your gloves on, sharpen your secateurs/loppers and go prune your roses. It’s such a pleasure!
Once pruned, I recommend you throw a handful of organic fertilizer around each rose bush. Ensure there’s adequate mulch to avoid excessive weed infestation, and apply the organic rose management program even though there’s not much foliage yet. If you continue to apply this program monthly, I can ensure you’ll have way fewer issues with insects or foliage disease during the early flowering in spring.
This email exchange is interesting for you all:
Hi, Can you tell me if lime sulfur is organic????? I have been wanting to use lime sulfur for a few years now but I am very hesitant when I went looking for information on it I became more confused than ever. Some say to use it in the summertime but others say use before bud swell can you enlighten me on this, please?
Many Thanks … Robyn
My response to Robyn:
Hi Robyn. I'm glad you asked. We don’t use lime sulphur. In fact, in almost 40 years of rose growing, never have! The smell is atrocious! Best you get yourself steering in the direction of looking at the Eco-organic range of products. These products were developed here in Australia. They’re fabulous across the whole garden, not just rose-growing. If you stocked just Eco Oil, Eco Fungicide, Eco Seaweed, Eco Neem and Eco Aminogro, you’d have a complete pack of organic garden management.
Try to stay away from international sites about rose management! Here in Australia, we have the greatest care package that will ensure you grow beautiful, healthy roses without all the harmful chemical products, organically, naturally!
The Eco-organic range of products is guaranteed to take care of you, your family and your environment, economically, efficiently and supremely effectively.
You can learn more at
www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au and you can always email us at info@rosesalesonline.com.au if you require more information about organic rose gardening.
Hope this is helpful… cheers! Graham
A giggle for you this week …
A: Take me to your weeder!
Winter Warm Rose Bundle
A delightful WINTER WARM bundle of roses this week are three of the loveliest apricot roses to plant as a group in your rose garden. They are the perfect blend of fragrance, cut flowers and healthy, free-flowering bush roses!
Including pack post, just $90 delivered to your door immediately
One last Garden Giggle before you GrOw!
A: Hairy Potter.
Enjoy this week in your garden as the winter sun shines after freezing mornings. Cheers from us all here at Clonbinane …