ROSE RAMBLER 26TH JUNE, 2020 – Hello dear rose friends … let us start with a bit of a giggle, quoting a story sent to us by our long-time gardening friends, Mary & Leon …
“I was working in the garden this weekend and my wife was about to take a shower. I realized that I couldn't find the rake so I yelled up to her, "Where is the rake?" She couldn't hear me and she shouted back, "What?" I pointed to my eye, and then I pointed to my knee and made a raking motion.
My wife wasn't sure and said "What?" so I repeated the gestures. "Eye - Kneed - The Rake"
My wife replied that she understands and signals back. She first points to her eye, next she points to her left breast, then she points to her backside, and finally to her crotch.
Well, there is no way in hell I could even come close to that one so exasperated, I went upstairs and asked her, "What the hell was that? She replies,
"Eye - Left Tit - Behind - The Bush"!!!
We so hope you have as much fun in your garden and if you have gardening experiences that you would like to share, please email info@rosesalesonline.com.au
"Hi Diana … My lovely roses arrived today and I have holes dug ready for them as they swim in their seaweed bath. Like Tony in your newsletter of last week, I hate having to trim them further but know it does them good."
"Thanks for taking such good care of all us rose lovers. Sallyann"
I just know that some of you can’t wait to be pruning your roses so let me tell you that one of the most important things to do while you are pruning your roses is to take biscuit of straw/lucerne or a large piece of cardboard/newspaper to lay around the garden while you are walking through the roses!
Stomping around damp soil causes soil compaction which will cause grief for earthworms and soil microbes – treat your soil and all its components with respect and pad your step with a thick biscuit of straw!
Yes, you can compost your rose prunings:
- Cut the pruned stems to 10cm lengths.
- Place them in a heap with other compost.
- Add leaves and lawn clippings for at least 4 months.
- Turn occasionally and always keep moist.
The secret to successful composting of pruned rose stems is to ensure the heap is nearly a metre high and in a very sunny location to ensure it heats up. Add lots of leaves and other putrescible materials (weeds, vegetable waste, etc.) and water with seaweed solution occasionally.
Confidently use the resulting compost around each rose bush before you lay a thick layer of mulch in October/November prior to summer heat drying the soil!
A closing joke:
Q. What happens when a frog’s car breaks down? A. He gets toad away.
BIT OF ‘HOUSEKEEPING’
Due to Covid-19 restrictions tightening, we have decided to remain closed to the public however, roses can be left at the gate if you are driving by on the Hume Freeway and wish to collect.
Due to extremely poor reception on our landline phone 03 5787 1123, we request you call Diana’s mobile: 0418 33 77 65 and please understand that there has been an incredible demand recently.
If you email info@rosesalesonline.com.au your queries will be responded to – I open the computer every morning, usually at midday and then later in the afternoon/evening.
There is a plethora of organic rose growing information on our website: rosesalesonline.com.au/all-about-roses
IN CLOSING… A large consignment of roses has dropped into Silkie Gardens Rose Farm this week and we expect to collect huge numbers again next week – still no standard roses which will be dug in coming weeks – ready for processing mid-July as we anticipated!
A lot of orders will be processed but please be patient because you will definitely receive notification when your roses are posted or ready for collection! Meantime, rug up and go dig and dung your garden bed in preparation for planting new roses this winter …
Cheers from Diana, Graham & Mooi at Clonbinane