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Developing a rose garden
- Developing a rose garden A small rose garden can do much to
colour and dress up your landscape design. Just watering your
roses will not do, care for your roses like you would your baby.
Some tips on rose care.
- Direct sunlight is ideal for the growth of roses, though they
will tolerate partial shade. Keep that in mind while planning
your garden.
- Keep the soil rich and loose and pamper your roses generously
with food and nutrients. Garden soil should be mixed with generous
portions of compost and manure. Even cow manure will do. Provide
nutrients on a regular basis as roses require a significant amount.
- Phosphorus is the magic ingredient in fertilizers to promote
bloom of big, beautiful flowers. Fertilize on a regular basis
if possible every two to three weeks. Use a higher nitrogen fertilizer
at the beginning of the season to promote growth of leaves and
roots. Switch over to higher phosphorus as the first buds begin
to appear.
- Roses like lots of water and loose soil, which drains well.
Adjust your watering to add more for sandy soils and less for
clay soil. Water at the base of the plant, and avoid getting the
leaves wet. Hot humid weather is a breeding ground for rose diseases.
Adding water to the leaves during humid weather will help promote
disease. Also insecticide or fungicides sprayed on the leaves
will be washed away.
- Do not, ever, neglect your rose garden. Weeds can ruin its beauty
and rob your rose bush of water and nutrients. Avoid this by applying
a heavy layer of mulch. Organic mulches are preferred as they
will convert over time to compost, further enriching your soil.
You can add several inches, effectively blocking all but the most
persistent of weeds. Or, you can lay down black plastic, then
add a lighter lay of mulch.
- Prune your bush on a regular basis and allow several main stems
to grow and develop. Prune such that there is enough room between
the stems for good air circulation. This will help to avoid plant
diseases.
- Take steps at the first sign of insects or disease. Do not wait
for a serious condition to develop. Early and regular treatment
is recommended. Do not wait till pests take up residence on the
plant or in the flower.
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