Smell the Roses

SUMMER TIPS FOR GORGEOUS GARDEN ROSES

What rose lovers want is quite simple; an abundance of blooms and healthy bushes. The team at Outside & In met up with SA’s much loved rose guru’s, ‘Ludwig's Roses’ at their rose farm north of Pretoria, where they know that visitors expect to see masses of blooming flowers all summer long. We got the inside scoop on tips and tricks for the blooming best roses in town:

SELECT THE RIGHT ROSES

For the gardeners who don’t have time to fuss over their roses, or dislike using poisons to control diseases – we now have a range of disease-resistant varieties known as ‘Eco-chic’ roses, which are resistant to black spot fungal disease. These include Antico Moderno and Fairytale roses with old-fashioned blooms (many of them fragrant) and shrubby Panarosas that can be used as climbers, single specimens or in landscapes. You can spot these roses in the Ludwig's rose catalogue with the ladybird symbol.

In our selection of new roses, we also concentrated on roses ‘made for South Africa’ as well as landscape roses that are low on maintenance and are strong growers even in poor conditions. These are the ‘Stamina’ roses, which produce pickable blooms, on a strong, leafy bush that has a wide and deep root system. They can withstand variable rainfall, heat and other adverse weather conditions. These roses can be spotted in our catalogue with a red mannequin holding weights symbol.

HOW TO PLANT

Roses do best in fertile, organically rich soil that drains well. Remember that they will be growing in that soil for the next 20 years, so they need a good start. Make a 50cm deep and wide hole, adding compost, or Ludwig’s rose planting mix and Vigolonger controlled release fertiliser to the soil. Place the rose bush, still in its growing bag, in the hole. Make sure the level of the rose in the bag is the same level as the bed. Remove the rose from the bag, tease out the roots if necessary, and plant, firming down the soil. Water well.

WATERWISE

Roses like deep watering, at least twice a week during very hot weather. Deep watering less often (40 minutes a turn) is better than 5 to 10 minutes of watering every day. What prevents water from reaching the roots is compact soil, competition from other plants, or runoff in sloping beds. During summer, spike compact soil with a fork, wiggling it to open up the soil. Where there is root competition, either remove the competing plants or plant the rose in a large container and sink it into the ground, as protection against other roots. Build up or terrace sloping beds.

DON'T NEGLECT FERTILISING

For roses to flower four to six times during summer they need extra nutrients once a month. Vigorosa fertiliser, which contains both micro and macro nutrients, supplies all their nutrient requirements.

GROOMING

Cutting off of dead flower heads encourages the rose to resprout, so that it flowers almost continually.

PESTS

There are two pests that are rose spoilers during the summer season:

Red spider mites suck the sap from 1 the leaves. To get rid of them, drench the underside of rose leaves with organic Ludwig’s Insect Spray and repeat five days later. Or allow beneficial insects like Spical and Spidex to hunt red spider mites.

2Thrips deforms new growth and flowers. Spray with biological mushroom spawn Sheba and Adino, also available through Ludwig's Roses. Ludwig’s Roses

www.ludwigsroses.co.za

@ludwigsroses @therosethatgrows