Hello Dear Rose Friends,
We trust it was your team that won the AFL or NRL Grand Final … it was a very proud and magnificent weekend here in Victoria! Nice to cap it all off with a good rain event over much of our beautiful State … hope you enjoyed rain at your place because talk is, we’re all in for a very dry late spring/summer so anything coming from the clouds to water our gardens is a gift!
… If you haven’t already, it’s time to turn the tap on and be sure to check all components in irrigation systems. Try and set your timer for say, twice weekly even during extremely hot weather and leave the system running longer at each watering to ensure very deep soaking down to the root zone of your plants!
When watering pots, be sure to water the entire surface of the pot so that every grain of potting media is wet at each watering – if you see bubbles after you’ve soaked the pot, soak it again until bubbles stop. In some instances, it’s a great idea to put saucers under the pots because the roots will take moisture by osmosis – if they don’t get adequate moisture from water going through the pot, they’ll draw it up from moisture and nutrients in the saucer!
This should be monitored so there’s no incidence of root-rot – just like out in a garden bed, being dry for a short time is not going to kill your roses – being sopping wet for a long time can be very detrimental.
Today I said to a customer that I wish I could be there at her place to assist with getting this right so I urge you to take time to check your soil type to know how much water, how frequently is going to make plants happy in your garden!
A giggle for you ...
Q: What has a head, yet no eyes, nose or mouth?
A: Lettuce!
MORE ABOUT MULCH - WHICH TYPE SUITS YOU?
Perhaps the most pertinent question is which type of mulch is BEST for your rose garden? When you get to know the nutritional value of various mulch materials, you might consider putting your prejudice aside and I’m once again resorting to Diana’s well-researched wisdom from her book,
All About Roses
A Quick Guide to Common Mulches … There are many different types of mulch available. In order to determine the best mulch for your garden, you must consider what you want the mulch to achieve, for example, only weed reduction and water conservation, or also helping your plants to grow. Some of the more common mulches are listed with a quick guide on which to choose and dependent, of course, on what mulch is available in your locality.
Organic mulches can be created from either living or dead material. They will generally decompose in the soil and can provide valuable nutrition for the plants. They suppress weeds, act as an insulator to ‘even out’ soil temperature and conserve water. All organic mulches conserve water by reducing evaporation due to sun and wind, suppress weed growth, and encourage worm activity. Organic mulches hold and retain water for later use by the plants.
Even the uneven surface of most mulch acts to prevent water run-off, helping water to be absorbed more readily into the soil. Carbon/Nitrogen levels are noted in brackets. Note: the lower the first number, the faster the mulch decomposes and provides greater nutrients to the soil. The higher the first number, the longer lasting the mulch.
Lucerne (12/1) Lucerne (alfalfa) is the ‘prince’ of mulches, having a low carbon/nitrogen ratio. It is a mulch that breaks down quickly and adds substantial nitrogen and other beneficial elements to the soil. Lucerne breaks down to feed plants, stimulate biological activity and improve the soil structure. Lucerne is an ideal mulch that feeds roses, it is also a compost activator. For best results buy lucerne which has been chopped into small pieces, otherwise the stalks can be very woody. As it decomposes quickly it will need topping up more regularly than other mulches. If possible, know the source of the lucerne you purchase, because second and third-cut lucerne will have fewer weeds than first-cut. This is especially important if the lucerne is organically grown and, ideally, has not been sprayed with weedicide.
Animal manure (12-20/1) All animal manures are great mulches. Fresh manure must be used cautiously as you can burn plant roots and it often contains weeds. Most animal manures can have a strong odour when fresh so consideration needs to be given to the wind direction from your garden to your home. Any type of animal manure is best left to mature for a month or more prior to application on the garden. Manure is best added to the compost heap in layers, where it will break down to create humus that can then be used directly around the rose plants. Since most animals are treated with worming inoculations, check with your manure supplier about when the animals were treated. What goes into the animal will definitely come out and the chemicals used might also kill the worms in your soil. Composting first is the best way to make use of valuable animal manure.
Pea straw (25/1) Another nitrogen-rich material, pea straw breaks down quickly and conditions the soil and it is ideal around roses. Pea straw may contain a few pea seeds that will self-germinate. These can be easily weeded out or left to grow to provide natural nitrogen-fixing properties to the soil and edible peas to harvest for dinner. Use a ‘biscuit’ of pea straw along the border of rose beds to reduce the incidence of birds flicking the pea straw off the garden and exposing the soil.
Seaweed (25/1) Ideal mulch with long-lasting properties. Seaweed is known to be beneficial in reducing pests and diseases but must be thoroughly washed to remove excess salt prior to lying directly onto the soil around roses. When using seaweed as a soil conditioner, add it in layers with manure in a compost heap to help it break down quickly. Harvesting seaweed is illegal along some beaches so check with your local authorities prior to collection.
Leaf litter (60/1) Leaves provide excellent natural mulch, particularly if they have fallen from the trees within your garden. Autumn leaves can be distributed directly over any other mulch on the rose garden or added to the compost heap but they should never, ever be burned.
Sugar cane mulch (60–80/1) A good mulch but can be quite acidic so is best used only occasionally and in light layers around roses.
Wood chips/Pine bark (100–500/1) One of the most readily available mulches, wood chips are economical for large rose gardens where I recommend lucerne/pea straw immediately around the base of the roses and wood chips over the entire garden for an excellent long-lasting mulch to conserve moisture and reduce weeds. Wood chips break down slowly and change colour as they weather.
Straw (Wheat or Barley) (80–100/1) Crop straw is high in carbon and takes longer to break down. In the rose garden, place this type of straw well away from the base of the roses because moisture sits in the straw and when that heats up it can cause sunburn on the rose stems. We prefer to use this straw in biscuits along the border of the rose garden because it is heavier and birds cannot flick it away as easily. Placing damp newspaper underneath inhibits weed infestation of the rose garden. Place biscuits of straw around the garden while tending the roses to reduce soil compaction. Use crop straw liberally on the compost heap to keep it warm and retain moisture within the heap.
Mushroom compost (31/1) A good-looking mulch material. However, it is not particularly nutritious, nor is it cheap to purchase. Care needs to be exercised with the pH level, as it is frequently too high (alkaline) which will restrict plant growth and cause leaves to curl. Definitely NOT recommended for use on a rose garden.
Sawdust (500/1) Makes a good mulch and reduces weed activity. It does not absorb moisture if applied too thickly. If used as a soil conditioner, apply some nitrogen fertilizer as it uses the nitrogen in the soil as it rots. Use sparingly on large areas between roses but not directly around the base of roses. Course sawdust is ideal for weed-free pathways at the edge of the rose garden.
Newspaper (170/1) Newspapers 4–5mm thick provide good weed suppression and moisture retention when placed under mulch material. When using around roses, ensure that the newspaper is 10cm (4in) clear of the rose understock stem to allow moisture to penetrate under the layer of newspaper.
Non-organic Mulches These mulches may be man-made materials such as plastic, or mineral substances such as gravel. They are generally water-saving and help to even out the soil temperature. However, they do not provide any nutrients for the soil and can even starve plant roots of oxygen. Gravel, scoria or pebbles are not recommended to use if you want to dig into the rose garden bed. Whilst conserving soil moisture and keeping ground temperatures even, weeds often become a considerable nuisance even where weed-suppressing mat is used beneath the stones. Plastic might be excellent for keeping weeds at bay, however, it will encourage shallow root systems, stifles oxygen intake and definitely fails to add nutrients to the soil so is NOT recommended for rose garden beds.
Tips • Mulch is absolutely necessary in a rose garden. • Don’t apply mulch on windy days to avoid inhaling dust particles. • Mulch encourages earthworms and microbes in the soil. • Mulch retains soil moisture, maintains even temperature and inhibits weeds.
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FIRST TO FLOWER HERE AT CLONBINANE
… The winner is definitely Pierre de Ronsard which is on the north face of our shop area … what a magnificent rose which is always gracious with magnificent blooms.
To celebrate it being first to flower, why not buy one if you don’t already have one and we’ll send you one of our most versatile roses, Sea Foam, FREE*.
Every garden would have at least one spot that NEEDS a rose like Sea Foam. Plonk it in an open, sunny location and let it grow upwards or downwards, sideways … do with it what you want by stretching canes to suit your needs and it will flower abundantly from season start to end without fuss. An awesome old rose which should be in every rose garden!
Pierre de Ronsard - One of the most popular climbing roses which produces masses of creamy-white to pale pink blooms deepening to carmine at the edges in cooler weather. Flowers freely and repeatedly. Only very lightly scented but this rose makes up for that by its abundant health and massive production of flowers over a very extended season.
Another giggle ...
Q: What do race horses eat?
A: Race food!
Between here and next week, enjoy your garden and pop in if you’re out and about on the move soon …
* Promotion ends 12 Oct 2023
