A Roses antiquity is indicated by the fact that the name for it is almost the same in every European language.
Roses have been known throughout the Northern Hemisphere as far back as literature records. Early poets of Greece, China, and Persia all sang praises of the Rose. Dried roses have been found in Egyptian tombs.
There are several different classes of Roses. There are 3 main groups, according to usage; bedding roses, climbing and creeping roses, and shrub roses. There are approximentally 16,000 varieties of roses and 296 classified species.
Lets start off with everyone’s bloomn favorite the cut rose; When cutting fresh roses to enjoy indoors do so during the evening hours. Roses cut in the evening live 10 hours longer than those cut in the morning. The reasoning behind this is thought to be the extra supply of sugar that the leaves store during the day. Sugar is manufactured during the day, at night it travels to the roots and other parts of the plant. So this sugar can be used to nourish the flowers after they are cut.
Ever blooming roses should not be cut below the second leaf axil on the cane if the bush is expected to continue to blossom. The fewer leaves removed from the plant the more flowers will follow. If the blooms are allowed to stay on the plant until the petals fall off, the old bloom should be pinched off just above the top leaf.
Planting your Roses need sun, free circulation of air, and porous, well-drained, acid soil. Spring time planting is suggested. Full sun for 6 to 8 hours a day is best. Soil should be trenched and ready to a depth of 24 inches. If so desired remove first few inches of top soil and set aside. Remove another few inches and discard. Replace with half-rotted manure and humus mixed into remaining soil. Allow this to settle for two weeks before planting.
PLANTING: A hole slightly larger in diameter than the spread roots of the plant should be dug when planting, barely deep enough to bury the bud graft. Soil is mounded in a cone shape in the center of the hole, and the plant seated upon it. Make sure to prune any damaged, or straggly roots. Fill the hole half way with dirt and pour a pail of water into it, to wash the soil among the smaller rootlets. When water seeps away, finish filling the hole to ground level and tamp around the plant. Canes are then pruned 6-8 inches above soil level.
CARE: Roses need plenty of water when the season is dry, but it should be supplied at weekly intervals in quantities large enough to reach the deepest root, rather in small quantities daily. Watering done in the morning of a sunny day will be less likely to cause mildew than if it is done at night, when foliage main remain wet. To conserve moisture when weather becomes dry and hot, a mulch may be spread around the plants.
WINTER CARE: Most Rose bushes need winter protection in areas where temperatures fall below 10 degrees. It is standard practice to mound the soil around the plants to a depth of at least 8 inches. Canes are drawn upright, and the longer ones trimmed to 30 inches. After soil is throughly frozen, a mulch of straw, leaves or garden refuse mixed with manure may be filled in between mounds. Further protection is seldom needed, unless the plants are exposed to drying winter winds. Burlap sacs held by stakes may be used to shield from strong winds.
That is how to care for and make sure the antiquity of the brilliant Rose continues.
Thanks for reading, and untill something is bloomn next time,
Stop and smell the Roses!
bloomsnthings 