Hello Dear Rose Friends,
Summer has finally arrived and here in the south, we’re still experiencing quite cool nights and regular rain events with sunny days. A weather combination that fits with you northern gardeners but is foreign to us so we’re scrambling to maintain healthy foliage in such humid conditions. Big old ‘fat rain’ pours down on us as I’m typing … very tropical weather!
Sing along to Christmas carols when you’re stuck in a traffic jam or cleaning the house, enjoy children becoming excited; there are flowers in gardens all around us and we can romp and play in the summer sunshine. Remember, it’s the little things that count! Go quietly and enjoy the lead-up to Christmas.
It is now imperative to apply the Organic Rose Management Program whenever weather conditions allow. Never, ever spray when it is expected to be more than 28 degrees! If at all in doubt, we suggest you reduce the Eco-Oil and Eco-Neem to HALF STRENGTH because as you can imagine, any oil applied to rose foliage will cause burning in hot weather.
Insects should be pretty much under control except white-fly which is residing in lush meadow grasses and perhaps, in high northerly winds, we’ll see thrips on all the light-coloured flowers. Quite honestly, both insects are very difficult to be rid of so the best method of management is to remove all damaged blooms as quickly as possible to allow the rose to recover and produce lovely new foliage and flower buds.
For quick reference, here’s the Organic Rose Management for 10 litres of spray:
- ¼ cup Eco Fungicide
- ¼ cup Eco Oil
- Scoop of Eco Seaweed (or follow directions on pack of your product)
To the above recipe, you can add either Eco Neem if there is infestation of insects to be controlled OR your favourite foliage fertilizer such as Eco Aminogro or some other fish-based fertilizer.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Never use more than FOUR products in one spray program
- Don’t ever spray when the temperature is over 28 degrees
- Mix all products by vigorously shaking the container prior to spraying
- Never store this spray for later use – make up as much as you need and adjust the recipe to your needs, eg. halve every product for 5 litres of spray
- The spray must dry on foliage for at least one hour prior to watering / rain
- Drench leaves of roses to run-off – spray under leaves if you can and also avoid spraying flowers if you can!
- Yes, you can make up this recipe and pour over roses from a watering can – not product economical but certainly time efficient
- We recommend spraying early in the day when the stomata (pores) of the leaves are open and receptive
- If you have excess spray after drenching the roses, visit the veggie bed, fruit trees or other plants in your garden
Remember that you should constantly trim your roses. If the plants don’t look great due to humid conditions, give them a trim, apply fertilizer around the base of each plant and deep soak with at least 20 litres of water once a week.
Let the rose get on with recovery and you’ll be pleased to see gorgeous flowers within six weeks. You lose hair and skin every single day, just like roses lose foliage and flowers.
A QUICK GIGGLE THIS WEEK:
Q: What animal should you never play cards with?
A: A cheetah.
Roses for Your Garden
These beautiful roses will look stunning in your garden and make beautiful gift ideas for that special gardener in your life. What better way to prepare your summer garden than to introduce some beautiful new roses!
Friesia - A refreshingly bright canary yellow-flowered Floribunda rose. This rose will definitely lift your spirits and so will its fragrance. Nice glossy, healthy, dark green foliage, free blooming, and compact growth. If you want a yellow rose with fragrance, this is one we highly recommended. BUY NOW!
Mr. Lincoln - Mr. Lincoln is a Hybrid Tea Rose which hardly needs any introduction as it is the most commonly requested dark red rose. In our 35+ year history in offering rose plants for gardeners to plant in their gardens, yes, you guessed it, this is the MOST HIGHLY SOLD HYBRID TEA ROSE - year after year! BUY NOW!
Just Joey - Hybrid Tea rose with charming waved petals of creamy-buff-copper, very free flowering habit – a true delight! Just Joey has been a home-garden favourite for many, many years and will continue to delight for years to come because of its simply charming colour and wavy petals. BUY NOW!
We hope you are enjoying this lovely warm weather and having a great time preparing for the Christmas holidays! Cheers from Gra, Diana, Mooi, and the chooks at Clonbinane …