MrsCartagena
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:53 pm
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

New Rose Care Needed

Besides all the wonderful posts, the basic information I have found here has been very helpful.

I am an avid indoor Plant Mother, but never had roses, I was always afraid that I would purchase them & they would die off because of my lack of knowledge (how I love the internet) I took the plunge yesterday & am happy that I did.
I will with the green thumb I was born with hopefully will be able to pass on my Roses to my Daughter & my Son one day.

I have purchased 2-Climbing roses (not sure but this is the name provided me: Candyland)
Also was able to snag 1-(GORGEOUS) "Shockwave" the most beautiful Yellow Roses I have ever seen, well at least in the picture I was shown...I pray that my own will turn out to be that beautiful one day.
Another one was called "DayDreamer". Now these names may or may not help one with giving me more information, but the latter are not trees or climbers *(as I was quickly told)*

Okay now to my questions:

1. Besides the obvious of how & what to plant them into, are there any special steps I can do to ensure the roses will grow & not go into "Shock", die or be lacking in proper nutrients?
**soak in water at least 24 hours before planting
**make sure the depth & drainage is proper
**Miracle-Gro Quick Start (liquid or powder?)

2. I have 5 chihuahua's all of whom love to frolic in my huge yard, but I do not use ANY type of Chemical Fertilizer or bug killer. I use all NATURAL, but have been having a hard time finding a good PET & Child friendly products...preferrably HOMEMADE All Natural potions would be best)

3. Where I can see "How, When & Where to Prune?"

I have seen that not many people are too active in the Rose care area, but I hope that as I learn I can help others.

Take care

Mrs Cartagena
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
First Time Rose Family

doccat5
Green Thumb
Posts: 399
Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:48 am
Location: VA

Welcome to the wonderful world of the rose addict, my dear! LOL
Let me look up what you mentioned on the helpmefindarose.com site..and maybe I can help you get started. Well, not having much luck in that department. Can't find Candyland, but Shockwave looks interesting and should preform well for you. It's medium height, floribunda, so if you deadhead the flowers you'll get continuous bloom all season.

Climbers take some time to mature and really start to produce so don't get discouraged if you don't get masses of blooms as first. It's their nature and it takes them about 3 years to really get rolling.

I do not use fungicides or pesticides on any of my roses including my few Hybrid Teas and I do fight black spot every year. HTs are prone to more of those type of diseases than other roses. It's something to consider when your are selecting a rose bush. HTs are beautiful, but they are like caring for a new born baby most of the time. It's a lot of maintenance.

Myself, I prefer the old roses, mosses, and rugosas. For their beautiful show of continuous bloom, their fragrance and their rose hips (wonderful tea and potpourri)

If these of yours are bare rooted roses, do by all means put them in some water immediately. And make sure you add your amendments to the hold, including a banana peel :) Roses love the potassium. I normally use compost tea as a fertilizer for mine. I have 4 that are over 20 years old and are doing fine. :)

Hope this helps. Don't be afraid to ask questions......:)

brubel
Full Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:17 pm
Location: MD

Hi Mrs.Cartagena,

I've heard Miracle Gro is a nice fertilizer for roses.

As far as a pesticide, I have used and would recommend Milky Spore. Milky Spore is not harmful to humans or pets: it's all natural. Roses are very vulnerable to bugs, especially Japanese beetles, so I would definitely do the pesticide; I would just use Milky Spore vs. conventional pesticides.

brubel



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