Survival of the Roses
(late spring to early summer)

It has been a rough winter for roses in my garden. Many of the hybrid teas were killed back by winter desiccation and temperature fluctuations. I've been in the process of pruning them back quite hard, and there should be fairly good recovery. But a few roses will need to be replaced. Be picky about choosing varieties that grow well in your area.

Since potted roses are generally grown in a soilless mixture, it is important to prepare your garden soil to allow new plants to acclimate and grow. I dig planting holes at least 20 inches wide, but no deeper than the container in which the rose is growing. The soil removed from the hole is amended with one-third compost, mixing it thoroughly. Synthetic fertilizers added to the bottom of the hole? Forget about it! These fertilizers are composed of high salts and will hinder the root growth and impede water uptake.

I will fertilize the new bushes in a month or so, after they have had some time acclimate in their new setting and apply an organic-based rose fertilizer.

Old-Fashioned Roses

Old-fashioned shrub and species roses require less maintenance than most hybrid tea, grandiflora, and floribunda roses. They are easy to maintain by early pruning to remove the weakest growth and older canes. This helps rejuvenate the shrub for improved flowering. You'll also be pleased with the vigor and hardiness of these roses. They are much more resistant to insect pests and diseases.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of many old-fashioned roses is their fragrance. The morning breeze fills the air with the scent of fresh rose petals. Despite the despicable winter and early spring, my 'Harrison's Yellow' rose is flourishing. It's blooming now, showing off its delightful yellow, semi-double flowers. If you're looking for a carefree rose, consider adding this one to your landscape. Blooms unfold along the entire length of the arching, mahogany-brown, thorny stems. The fern-like leaves are light to medium green and abundant in a good growing season. This rose is very winter hardy, and we've never had any problems with powdery mildew or other rose diseases.

Where roses grow, insects will find them. The most common early season pests are soft-bodied insects called aphids. They're easy to control, though; just hose them off stems and foliage with a stream of water. Repeat as often as needed. Natural predators will also take care of a good many so encourage the wild birds and lady bird beetles. When needed, I will eventually mix up some homemade soap spray to discourage rose insects.

As temperatures begin to stay consistently warm, tiny pests known as spider mites will attack certain rose species. These tiny spider-like creatures congregate on the lowest leaves of the bush and will be found on the bottom sides of the leaves. To detect, hold a sheet of white paper under a set of leaves and tap the foliage sharply. Mites, if present, will be visible on the paper as tiny moving specs. Spider mites don't like water, so an old remedy that discourages mites and waters the rose garden is the use of a "frog-eye" sprinkler. It delivers water to the lower foliage, killing mites, while deeply irrigating the rose garden.

Roses can be temperamental flowering shrubs, but with the right selection and common sense care, you can successfully grow them even in the toughest of situations.