Epsom Salt and Its Role in the Rose Garden

Epsom Salt or Magnesium Sulfate is a chemical compound made up of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. It gets its name from the town of Epsom in Surrey, England, where it was originally discovered.

Epsom salt is a popular remedy for many ailments. People use it to ease health problems, such as muscle soreness and stress. It has many health benefits but I’m not going to talk about its health benefits here but its role in the garden.

I remember the first time I bought 5 boxes of the quart size of Epsom Salt at the drug store. People looked at me with that questioning look - “What is wrong with you?”. I had to tell them that I used them to fertilize my roses. “Really?” I had to show them the label where it said good for plant growth.

Epsom Salt is an important part of the rose diet. It is an essential element for plant growth and since its availability is limited in our soils, we have to supplement it. Without magnesium in the soil, the plant roots can’t take up available calcium and potassium. It is absorbed by the root hairs and located for the most part in the leaves.

Magnesium is a photosynthetic pigment which causes water and carbon dioxide to react in the presence of sunlight to form starch, followed by many other nutrient building reactions. It keeps the nitrogen in the lower leaves and forms the chlorophyll molecule, the most important molecule in the formation and development of plant life.

I usually put in a cupful of Epsom salt in the hole for big roses and ½ cup for mini roses when I plant them. I also sprinkle them around the garden in the spring and another application in the fall. Water them after each application or do it before it rains. Epsom salt will help keep green foliage on your roses and encourage new basal breaks. It works the same way with all your other plants.

Nowadays, they sell several Epsom salt brands at gardening centers. I prefer the drug store variety because I know it is the real thing.

SUMMER ROSE CARE IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

Soroptimist International – Mini, Pink Blend

Summertime gardening in the Lowcountry is not easy. We have to ease ourselves and our roses through the heat and humidity while we prepare for the glorious fall season just ahead.


Your roses will continue to bloom happily in the garden, even though their flowers are smaller and less full than in cool weather.


Frequent watering during hot, dry weather is essential for healthy roses. Roses need to be watered daily when temperatures are in the 90s. Roses grown in pots may need more frequent watering. Spraying on a routine basis is essential for preventing blackspot and fungus diseases. Fertilize with light, but frequent feedings. Apply organics for the final time in August at the rate of 2-3 cups per bush.

Deadhead your roses to keep them blooming. Keep an eye out for spider mites. They thrive in hot weather and will quickly defoliate rose bushes unless you take immediate corrective actions. Cut your roses back in late August - early September to produce big, beautiful fall blooms for yourself and for taking to the fall rose shows. Trim away stems and branches growing toward the center of the bush to improve air circulation and reduce the potential for spider mites to gain a foothold in your garden. If you are planning to exhibit in fall shows, you will need to stagger pruning long canes over a couple of weeks, considering recycling times for the various varieties: Slow Recycling Varieties: 55 to 60 days for heavily petalled varieties such as Uncle Joe, New Zealand and Touch of Class. Medium Slow Varieties: 50 to 54 days for varieties such as Crystalline, Elizabeth Taylor, Peace, and Olympiad. Average Varieties: 45 to 49 days for varieties such as Color Magic, Double Delight, Gold Medal, Nicole, French Lace and some heavily petalled miniatures. Fast Varieties: 40 to 44 days for varieties such as Altissimo, First Prize, Fragrant Cloud, and large minis such as Giggles, Tiffany Lynn and Miss Flippins. Very Fast Varieties: 35 to 39 days for singles such as Dainty Bess, Playboy, Playgirl and single minis.

Gardening Hazard - Tetanus

It is a good idea to have a tetanus shot at least every ten years, although for those of us who are always working in the soil, five years is probably preferable. We all work in the garden and sometimes get stuck with thorns. A small cut or scrape is enough to admit tetanus bacteria.

Tetanus bacteria live in the soil and compost. It can have some rather unpleasant symptoms and cause very serious problems and nobody needs those which make having tetanus shots very important.

According to webmd.com, you should suspect tetanus if a cut or wound is followed by one or more of these symptoms:

·        Stiffness of the neck, jaw, and other muscles, often accompanied by a grotesque, grinning expression

·        Difficulty swallowing

·        Irritability

·        Uncontrollable spasms of the jaw, called lockjaw, and neck muscles

·        Painful, involuntary contraction of other muscles.

Since there is not a lot going on in the garden now, please call your doctor and make your appointment.

Until next time. Stop and smell the roses.

Rosalinda Morgan

Suggested Winter Readings

Next to rose gardening, my favorite hobby is reading. I can’t get enough books to read although we have already so many books in our home library. Winter is the best time to indulge myself. Here are some books which you might find helpful in the coming season.

Taylor’s Guides – Roses

Completely Revised and Updated by Nancy J. Ondra. Everything you need to know can be found in this guide. There are almost 400 photographs of roses with description as regards to their growth habit, winter hardiness and fragrance.

Landscape with Roses by Jeff Cox

This is an excellent idea book on new ways of using roses in your landscape; in the mixed border, walkways, arbors, containers, even clambering up a tree and adorning architectural structures. There are over 300 full color photographs and about 100 black and white photos.

Beautiful Roses by Marie-Helene Loaec

Writer and journalist Alphonse Karr (1808-1890) said “A rose without perfume is only half a rose.” This book is about fragrant roses. If you are interested in planning a garden with the most fragrant roses, this is the book you should read. It has pictures of 50 roses arranged by color and chosen for their unforgettable fragrance. Information on their history, characteristics and cultivation are included, together with hints on companion plantings. The last chapter deals with 50 guidelines which are the keys to success in rose growing.

Roses for the Scented Room by Barbara Milo Ohrbach

The book is full of entertaining, gift-giving and decorating ideas celebrating the beauty of roses. Beginning with the basics, Barbara describes the many varieties available, from old-fashioned roses to modern hybrids, and explain how to choose the best roses from a florist or from your own garden. She offers dozens of simple how-to ideas for using them in the home or giving them as gifts.

Stop and Smell the Roses by Rosalinda R Morgan

It is a rose book with motivational twist or rather a motivational book with a rose twist. “Stop and Smell the Roses” includes some of the roses I grow in my garden. There are 33 roses featured in the book. There are almost a hundred rose-related photos all in full color. If you can’t go to a rose garden, this is the next best thing. In addition to all the rose photos, there are 101 motivational tips that will inspire you to make positive changes in your life to make you happy, healthy and successful.

Until next time. Stop and smell the roses.

Rosalinda

"Stop and Smell the Roses" available on pre-order at Amazon Kindle

Feeling stressed out lately? You’re not alone.

In a world buzzing with frenetic activities, we find ourselves as busy as ever. No wonder we are all stressed out. It is time to change our bad habits. Most of our health problems are due to our unhealthy lifestyle. Studies show that stressful living causes health problems. Find out how we can improve our well-being by following simple tips for stress-free living.

Inspire yourself into a healthy lifestyle!

Do you know that roses have curative powers? In the olden days, roses were used to make all sorts of medicinal potions to cure maladies and drive away bad spirits. A bouquet of roses uplifts the spirits any day of the year. Even a single rose in a room will liven it up on dreary days. When we are in distress, a rose will cheer us up.

“Stop and Smell the Roses”, my newest book, includes some of the roses I grow in my garden. Read about those beautiful roses in full color if you can’t go to a rose garden. The book is chock-full of motivational tips that can improve our well-being. They are simple tips that will inspire us to make positive changes in our lives to make us happy, healthy and successful.

So take a break in my garden. I want you to stop and smell the roses.

“Stop and Smell the Roses” is now available on pre-order at Amazon Kindle. Reserve your copy today! Click here.

Until next time. Stop and smell the roses.

Rosalinda

ROSE GLOSSARY

Here is a Rose Glossary to help you understand some rose terms and enjoy your rose gardening hobby to the fullest.

ARS – American Rose Society

Anther – the part of the flower which produces pollen.  It is the upper section of the stem.

Axil – The angle between the upper surface of the leaf stalk and the stem that carries it.

Balling – the clinging together of petals in wet weather so that the bloom fails to open and turns brown.

Bare-root – a rose dug up at the nursery and sold with no soil around the roots.

Basal shoot – a new shoot that emerges from the neck or crown (bud union).

Blind shoot – a mature stem which fails to produce a flower.

Bloom – stem having one-bloom-per-stem with no side buds.

Bract – a modified or reduced leaf that occurs beneath and next to a peduncle.

Bud eye – A dormant bud on the axil of a leaf.

Bud stage – Rose should be less than 50% open.  Sepals must be down.

Bud Union – the swollen part of the stem where the scion of a grafted rose meets the rootstock.

Calyx - the green protective cover of a rose flower which opens into 5 sepals.

Cane - one of the main stems of a rose plant.

Collection Class – multiple stems or blooms in specified classes.

Corolla - the petals of a rose flower considered as a single unit.

Cultivar - a named rose variety exhibiting distinct and consistent features, indicated by single quotation marks.

Deadheading – removing spent flowers.

Disbudding – removing buds from side or center of spray to improve overall appearance of specimen.

Disease Resistant Roses – Roses that have been bred to resist many diseases.  Disease resistant are just that resistant but not immune to disease.

Foliar feed – a fertilizer capable of being sprayed on and absorbed by the leaves.

Hard Pruning – Rose canes are severely cut back to less than 6”. Not all types of roses respond well to this treatment.

Hilling – A method used to protect roses from winter damage. Material, such as compost, is mounded 10-12 inches around the base of the bush after the ground is frozen.

Hip - the fruit of a rose, large and decorative in some varieties.

Inflorescence – the arrangement of flowers on the stem.

Lateral branch – a side branch which arises from a main stem.

Leaflet - the individual segment of a compound rose leaf.

Node - the point on a stem from which leaves and buds emerge.

Old rose - strictly speaking, a rose introduced before 1867, but more loosely used to describe any rose grown or introduced before 1900.

Once-blooming - a rose that flowers only once in early summer and does not repeat.

Open bloom – roses should be completely open and center stamen visible.

Own root roses – roses that are not grafted, a rose propagated as a cutting rather than by grafting.

Peduncle - a stalk that supports a single flower or flower cluster.

Pegging – bending the rose cane to the ground to encourage lateral branches.

Petal - the showy, usually colored part of a flower.

Petiole - the stalk by which a leaf attaches to a stem; also leafstalk.

Pistil - the female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of an ovary, style, and stigma.

Pith – the spongy material at the center of the stem.

Pollen – the yellow dust produced by the anthers.  It is the male element which fertilizes the ovule.

Prickle – the technical term for a rose thorn.

Recurrent flowering – same as repeat flowering.

Remontant – roses that repeat flowers during the season, same as repeat flowering.

Rootstock - the root portion of a plant onto which the scion is grafted; also understock.

Rose Rustler – a person who propagates Old Garden roses from cemeteries and old homes sites.  Etiquette requires that permission be obtained if possible before cuttings are taken.

Scion - a shoot grafted onto a rootstock; the "top" of a grafted rose.

Sepal - one of the five individual, leaflike divisions of the calyx.

Specimen Class: Single stem of any rose variety in specified classes.

Sport - a spontaneous genetic mutation, often resulting in a plant that bears flowers of a different color or with more or fewer petals than the original plant.

Spray – stem that has two or more blooms with or without side buds.

Stamen - the male reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of a filament and anther.

Standard rose – a term used for tree rose.

Stigma – the part of the female organ of the flower which catches the pollen.

Stipule - a small, leaflike appendage that occurs at the base of the petiole.

Sucker - a stem, usually unwanted, that originates from a rootstock.

Sustainable Roses – are those roses that are winter hardy, possess above average insect & disease resistance, and require little or no pesticides in order to remain healthy.

Stage – an exhibition rose that is at its most perfect phase of possible beauty.

Stem-on-stem – Refers to a bloom on a stem that branches off another stem. This Y formation cannot be exhibited.

 

Visit my website - www.rosalindasgarden.com

 

 

CHARLESTON LOWCOUNTRY ROSE SOCIETY FEBRUARY 2014 MEETING

The Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society will hold their next meeting on Sunday, February 2 at 3 PM at Berkeley Electric Cooperative Office, 3351 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC 29455.

The program will be on Pruning given by Bob Lundberg.  Bob is an American Rose Society Master Rosarian, the Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society Consulting Rosarian Chair and the Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society Program chair. The program will start with a discussion of the tools required to accomplish the pruning task, followed by some comments on why we prune and the different approaches to pruning as we go through the growing season.  There will be a discussion on the approach to pruning different classes of roses.   At the conclusion of the discussion period, there will be a demonstration of spring pruning on Hybrid Tea and miniature rose plants.

Membership in the Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society is open to anyone with interest in roses. Dues are $15 for single membership and $20 for family membership annually, January - December and includes information-packed newsletter, The Charleston Rose and participation in all society activities.

For more info, email Rosalinda Morgan at RosalindaRM@comcast.net. To join, send dues to Matthew Morgan, Membership Chair, 3056 Sugarberry Ln., Johns Island, SC 29455.

Visit our website – www.charlestonrose.com.

CHARLESTON LOWCOUNTRY ROSE SOCIETY JAN. 2014 MEETING

The Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society will hold their first meeting for 2014 on Sunday, January 5 at 3 PM at Berkeley Electric Cooperative Office, 3351 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC 29455.

The program will be "Your 2014 Master Plan in the Rose Garden" to be presented by Bob Lundberg. Bob is an American Rose Society Master Rosarian and is also the Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society Consulting Rosarian Chair. He and his wife, Sandy Lundberg, maintain a rose garden of about 400 roses in Blufton, SC. They are top exhibitors, having won numerous awards from rose shows at the local, district and national level. Bob will go through each month and give an overview of what you should be doing in the garden. He will have a flip chart for each month and will also put the same information on a hand out.

Membership in the Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society is open to anyone with interest in roses. Dues are $15 for single membership and $20 for family membership annually, January - December and includes information-packed newsletter, The Charleston Rose and participation in all society activities. For more info, email Rosalinda Morgan at RosalindaRM@comcast.net.

To join, send dues to Matthew Morgan, Membership Chair, 3056 Sugarberry Ln., Johns Island, SC 29455.

FORMAL ROSE GARDENS – PART II

This is a continuation of FORMAL ROSE GARDENS - PART I published on April 2, 2013.

ELEMENTS OF A FORMAL ROSE GARDEN

Strong Axis – Paths of some nature be it grass, pebble or other materials provide visual axes that lead to a focal point.  It could be an urn, statue, an arch or some kind of architectural feature.  At the L’Hay les Roses in France, the most arresting focal point is the “Dome” and pergola.  To frame an axial view, sculptural forms of evergreen plants, a big urn or statue on a pedestal are situated at the entrance and exit.  One of the most basic garden layouts is the four-square form, the result of two straight paths intersecting at right angles to form a cross, yielding four rectangular or square planting beds.  It could also be some kinds of unique geometric shapes.  This could also take the form of four beds with a focal points at the center of the cross.  It could be an urn, sundial, armillary or punctuated by an upright pyramidal shaped tree or shrubs.  The William Paca Rose Garden in Annapolis, Maryland is a fine example where in the center of the formal beds is a Southern Magnolia Tree.  Five-to-eight-foot wide beds remain a favorite layout for small formal garden.

Level Ground – Throughout history when most of the great formal gardens in Europe were being established, the site underwent considerable leveling of the terrain.  It is hard to create balance and symmetry when the terrain is undulating waves of slopes and steps.  To create the visual effect needed, a formal garden has to have at least 12 feet by 12 feet minimum area of level space.

Symmetry – The most definitive feature of a formal garden is the symmetrical layout.  Symmetry enables the garden to create order and balance in the landscape.  No matter what the shape and size of the garden, if you draw a line down the middle of the formal garden, one side is the exact replica of the other side.  English poet, Alexander Pope in his Epistle to Lord Burlington written in 1731 described the formal gardens:

            “…each Alley has a brother,

            And half the garden just reflects the other.”

Well-Defined Pathways – Paths should be wide enough to accommodate two people walking side by side.  Evergreen shrubs like boxwood define the line of the pathway.  Gravel, stone, and brick are good choices for paving.  An edging of brick set three inches above the pathway well defines the edge.  Grass plants also work well. Pathways are good for outlining the geometric shapes of the parterres and enhancing the look and order of the overall pattern of the garden.

            Walking around or through a formal garden is a great way to appreciate it.  When I visited the formal garden beds at Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria, with very intricate patterns of the formal garden beds, I found it best to view it from a promontory way across from the garden beds.  For an expansive garden, this is the best way to see the beauty of the garden where you can see the design in its broad range.  In a small garden, ideally the best way to see it is up close.

Planting Beds and Parterre – When you think of formal garden, what comes to mind is the  classic parterre created in the 17^th century in France. It is an upshot of the medieval knot garden of the 15^th century.  The original French parterres were vast and complex in a number of interesting ways featuring clipped boxwood in swirling arabesque designs.  In the kitchen garden at Chateau de Villandry in France where vegetables and herbs are planted in eye catching parterres, the outline of the nine equal square beds of different design outlined by low box hedges is quite striking.  In the Ladies’ Garden at Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire in England, the box-edged beds are in the shape of fleur de lys and filled with old garden roses and enclosed with ironstone walls.  Today, only public gardens can support the grandeur of classic French parterres by calling planting beads by the same name is quite acceptable and endearing.

Structural Appeal – In the middle of winter when all the plantings are at rest and just the evergreen and the outline of the beds are visible, the formal garden should still be interesting to look at because of the underlying architecture of its design.  The brickwork, urns, statuary, fountains and other sculptural objects, the paths and the design of the beds lend a beauty all its own in the desolate atmosphere of the wintry days.  Evergreen also provides  a lovely contrast to the serene settings.  In my old garden, when the snow was just starting to stick to the ground, the outline of the garden is quite visible and the garden still looks great even with all the roses in stick form.

Defined Borders – Most of the formal gardens in England and France and even in the United States are bordered by enclosures.  However, a formal rose garden does not have to be enclosed.  The contemporary formal rose garden is usually a garden within a big lawn.  A well-designed layout, a central focal point, brick edging or the use of low, clipped boxwood, or other evergreen to form the outline of the bed create the effect of a formal garden within the framework of a big garden.

A formal garden does not have to be stiffly groomed clipped boxwood trimmed to perfection. To offset the stiffness of a formal garden, give your overall landscape an “oomph” for a better word.  The best formal gardens should have their own personality, an element of character, a surprise to make them more interesting.  Into that time-honored layout, add something to soften the edges so to speak.

Birdbaths, seating arrangements, pergolas, arbors, obelisks, urns and statues enhance the beauty of a garden.  Unlike the grandeur of the formal gardens of the Grand Manor Houses of England, the Chateaus of France and the Mansions of the wealthy robber barons of the United States, the contemporary formal garden of a true rose gardener is a combination of the rigidity of the formal garden structure of the past and the practicalities and charm of the contemporary garden of today.  So use your imagination and go for it.  Nothing like a formal rose garden!  It makes your garden more special.    

Roses are not difficult to grow contrary to popular belief as long as you know what they need. Why do you think Roses have been around for millions of years?  All they need are food, water and sunlight.  Just like you and me.

  

Here at Rose Gardening World, we’ll educate you about the Rose - our National Floral Emblem and the state flower of several states.  Welcome to the World of Rose Gardening or Rose Gardening World where Rose Gardening Tips, Rose Growing Advice, Planting a Rose Garden, Rose Descriptions, Where to Buy Roses, Where to see Rose Gardens, Rose Culture, Rose History, Rose Events, Rose Verses are all here in one place.

   

We are constantly updating our contents so visit Rose Gardening World often.  We want to help you grow Beautiful Roses and we welcome comments.  Take time and smell the roses.

Happy Rose Gardening!

 Check my other blogs:

YES, YOU CAN GROW BEAUTIFUL ROSES 

PLANTING BARE-ROOT ROSES

CLEANING ROSE PRUNERS BLADES

PRUNING YOUR ROSES

DAVID AUSTIN ROSES

DAVID AUSTIN ROSES IN COMMERCE

HARDINESS ZONE MAP

Visit my website

Join a local rose society

Join the American Rose Society