Most home gardeners living in the latitude of northern Vermont expect to grow hybrid teas less than 5’ to 6’ feet tall. The idea is that it’s foolish to try hybrid teas in climates like ours, with frequent sub-zero temperatures in winter. An active rose society in Vermont is proof enough that good roses can … Read more
The problem of pruning roses baffles most growers of woody or semi-woody plants in home gardens. These gardeners do not realize that a plant has enormous regenerative capacities and that the older the plant becomes, the less living tissue is disturbed by pruning. Pruning is the mechanical removal of any part of a plant by … Read more
Many of my roses are in beds prepared nearly 30 years ago, and although there have been some replacements, most of the bushes are those planted then. With little opportunity to rework the soil, it became extremely acidic over the years, down to pH 4 to 4.5. Last year, I removed the mulch and worked … Read more
Roses are heir to various diseases and pests, but rarely more than one at a time. This is a great blessing. Furthermore, the means of combating them are easy and take little time. If you can spare 15 minutes a week (in the average rose garden of 50 plants) for prevention and cure, you are … Read more
As we learn more and more about the art of living outdoors, we realize the importance of tying our houses to our gardens. Many contemporary houses have been planned with this idea in mind. The rooms flow into the outdoor areas, so there is never a feeling of being shut in. A sense of spaciousness … Read more
Believing that a rose garden is a family affair and that it is never too early to create an interest in roses, Jackson & Perkins Company of Newark, New York, constructed a special child’s garden of roses last June. And to increase its “child-appeal,” the garden was planted with varieties from the Pustoccino family of … Read more
The question of spring and fall planting of dormant roses is often asked and is among the most controversial. I have practically ceased to regard rose planting as divided into separate camps – spring versus fall, wherever you may live, reserving the right to recommend the time according to the place. Rose Varieties Varieties also … Read more
Roses are an all-season crop – the most continuous one in the flower dome. Perhaps for this reason, many gardeners assume that roses can wait if other jobs are pressing when it comes to early spring chores. Consequently, the early attention roses should receive often gets put off from weekend to weekend. If you want … Read more
In late Autumn, rural homes, boundaries of arable lands, and persimmon orchards of Japan are decorated with abundant, delicious fruits — ranging from bright red to orange-yellow — of Japanese persimmons. They have been our most affectionate and intimate fruit trees for many centuries. Now, they are becoming important not only in the home garden … Read more
Since 1950, liquid fertilizers have enjoyed a newfound and steadily increasing popularity among home gardeners. This enthusiasm spotlights the power of modern advertising, for, lacking the impetus of the latter, commercial growers were much slower to accept liquid fertilizer for use on their greenhouse crops. Because of the effectiveness and labor-saving features of applying nutrients … Read more