Pollinator Friendly Roses
With a spectacular week of sunny days, our gardens are somewhat more easy to access and we’re getting on with pruning now … hope you’re doing the same!
… as we continue to receive emails about all sorts of issues that our customers have with their roses, this one from Kumi is worth sharing:
"Hi, Thank you for sending my rose order. I'm new to the roses and I'd like to have your advice, please. The bare rooted rose of Jude the Obscure had crossed branches as you can see on the photos. In the future, should I cut the crossed branch when the new shoot facing outwards develops? Perhaps next spring?
Next season I'd like to have more purple roses. Thank you for the brochure. Regards, Kumi"
My response: That is a challenge Kumi! If I had removed either of those branches, you would have received just half a plant and some varieties do this awkward growth habit … I would let the plant establish with all these branches and then do corrective pruning next season … I actually see a lot of the modern shrub roses and DA’s are so bushy that cross-over branching is not an issue … the more branches, the more leaves, the more leaves, the more flowers! Cheers and enjoy …
It's very important to remember that the growth habit of every rose is different – just like we all have different features and just as well … I’m bald which, I’m sure, you ladies wouldn’t like to be … ???
A giggle for you ...
Q: What was the first animal in space?
A: The cow that jumped over the moon.
We’re all familiar with the busy buzz of bees in summer when they’re pollinating our roses. It’s winter now so they’re not as active however, there are other insects who will do a superlative job of pollinating your winter garden but you must plant winter-blooming flowers and veggies to supply pollen for their protein and energy source.
Sugary nectar is important for carbohydrates. Insects like butterflies, wasps, hoverflies and bees will thrive in your garden if you keep quality food up to them. They’ll dominate in numbers ready to use aphids and thrip as their food source in early spring when those insects start to create issues and be bothersome to lush rose foliage.
Stay ahead of the pack and plant ornamental flowers on borders, in pots and hanging planters to encourage as many beneficial insects to your garden NOW so that they’re there, ahead of the potential problem insects in spring.
Pollintor-Friendly Roses
Here’s a bundle of three ‘pollinator-friendly’ roses that will thrive and influence beneficial insects to stay in your garden, thus reducing the need for spraying insecticides and pesticides in your garden this season.
Plant them in different areas of your garden and you will be amazed how these glorious roses encourage buzz and beauty in your garden!
Another giggle for you ...
Q. What do you call a bear with no ear?
A. B!
Enjoy the longer days as we are now in the last month of winter … still another few weeks of bare-rooted roses available with some very late orders to be posted during the next two weeks after roses being hand-spaded from very boggy soil – soon our winter season will end!
Cheers from the team at Silkies Rose Farm