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| Mr. Lincoln pleases everyone - strong fragrance, long stems, great growth, stupendous blooms. |
Being introduced to new varieties of roses at a low cost - about $5 per bare root plant - is an advantage of clearance sales. The latest and best often cost around $30 a plant - supplies limited! I avoid getting the newest ones breathlessly promoted.
But the disadvantage of late season sales is waiting for them to catch up with the ones ordered that arrive in earliest spring. I am starting to see the bargain roses come alive now. However, a warm October promises a lot of new blooms for them.
My experience has been that the two-year bare root roses will bloom about one month after planting. They take some time to get established after that. Once they are in their third year, roses are more productive, thanks to the growth of the fungal network feeding water and nutrition to their roots.
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| Edith's Darling |
One bargain rose is Edith's Darling, a Downton Abbey rose. Do you remember the baby's name? Marigold - and that rose reminds me of that flower.
Some clearance roses feature short stems and more blooms - floribundas. That does not go well when collecting roses for a normal vase.
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| Veterans Honor |
Beginning the Rose Garden
Here are some steps to follow -
- Read up on them during the winter and order bare root roses in January. Potted roses in spring give little flexibility for the grower. Order 3 to 5 of one variety.
- Pick an area where they will get plenty of sunshine in the morning and shade in the afternoon. The opposite may work too, with sunshine in the afternoon only.
- In the fall, cover that area with leaves, dead grass, or organic amendments like mushroom compost, Stinky Peat (peat compost), horse or rabbit manure. Soil creatures will pull that down - and it is a fastneasy way to kill off the lawn grass. Cardboard and newspapers also add to composting the lawn.
- Plan on storing rainwater, becauses roses thrive on God's own natural fertilizer.
I would start with 3 to 5 roses I really want, rather than a mix of colors, because identical ones will make a better bouquet and perform the same way.
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| Pope John Paul II |
