How to grow potted roses well
Today is the WINTER SOLSTICE - shortest day of the year and now, because it’s so wet, we look forward to welcoming lots of sunshine to dry our sodden soil as we need to dig the roses … aaaaah!
… we’re definitely challenged again this season as we cannot get machinery out into the paddock to dig the roses … it’s been so wet here in southern Australia and now our grower has resorted to hand-spading to keep his army of workers busy! Of course, this is much, much slower than when the bushes can be under-cut with tractors. Digging roses is delayed, however, you’ll receive your roses before the end of July we believe.
A giggle for you ...
Q: What do you call a train carrying bubble gum?
A: A chew-chew train.
If you’re going away for the winter school holidays or perhaps just a sojourn away from southern Australia into the welcoming warm arms of northern Australia, do let us know because just today, I received a call from a desperate customer who opened a pack of roses which had been sitting on her doorstep whilst she was overseas … we don’t need this kind of drama!
Please email your dates away from home – we’ll pop those details on your order to be sure your roses arrive when you’re home and ready to plant them.
Last week I promised to tell you how to GROW ROSES WELL IN POTS …
Grow roses well in pots
Alan, a customer who lives on the fourth storey of an apartment complex in suburban Sydney asked my advice for watering his new roses … he recently moved into the complex, has always loved growing roses in his garden and now wants to grow them in pots on his balcony.
Naturally, he doesn’t want to cause an issue with other residents so how does he water his pots adequately without water dribbling down the building or onto other balconies below him? Here’s what I told Alan …
- When growing roses in pots, buy planters no less than 40cm x 40cm because the bigger the pot, the larger the rose will grow
- Use only top-quality potting media – if you can find one which has coir fibre, select that brand as the coir holds moisture more readily
- Purchase large saucers to place under the planter so that excess water runs into the saucer and not all over the balcony
- Be sure to adequately soak every particle of potting media each time you water or parts of the media will remain dry and can be difficult to re-wet
- Use liquid seaweed in the watering process at least once a week and fortnightly you could add some liquid fertilizer too
- If you can source it, buy milled lucerne or pea-straw to use as a mulch over the entire surface of the pot – this will retain moisture and microbes to ensure your potted roses flourish!
- At least bi-annually, you should remove the rose from the pot, give it a thorough root trim and replant into fresh potting mix.
For a hard surface like a balcony, it’s also a wonderful idea to purchase those trolleys so that pots can be readily moved around. When a particular rose is flowering stunningly, put it right outside the window so you can enjoy it from indoors … if you pamper your potted roses you’ll be very rewarded with lots of magnificent blooms over an extended period of time.
A giggle for you ...
Q: What’s a vegetable’s favourite kind of joke?
A: A corny joke.
Special David Austin Rose Bundle
… If you’re desperate to get a few lovely roses into your garden this winter, these three are readily available and can be posted NOW …
Abraham Darby - the label actually says ‘large shrub’ but we grow this as a climber to 1.8mts tall – superbly prolific and delightfully fragrant large blooms.
Lady of Shalot - another large shrub which can reach 1.8mts tall – incredibly free-flowering and supremely healthy with a spicy fragrance.
Graham Thomas - one of the most free-flowering golden yellow roses which withstands all weather and situations – will grow to at least 1.8mts tall.
Please be patient as we endure more wet weather whilst endeavouring to hand-dig roses to fulfill all bare-rooted orders as quickly as we can …
Meantime, be sure to prepare the area of garden where you propose to plant your new roses and have another lovely week in your winter garden.
Love from Gra, Diana, Mooi and the happy team at Silkies Rose Farm.