SMELL THE ROSES

[NorthernWinos]

Oil...I don't prune them...they manage to winter over very nicely, very little or nodie-back, they are 3 years old now, grow like crazy.
They are a Canadian Variety called William Baffin...they don't really climb...you have to tie them up.


BTW...in a cold climate...NEVER prune your roses in the fall...it might encourage some growth that would be tender and not tough enough to winter over....Prune them in the spring.

 

[NorthernWinos]

The roses are recovering form being beaten by the winds, tattered by heavy rains and baked in the sweltering heat...

The heat has temporarily past and everything is breathing a sigh of relief....will be in the 90's again by Sunday and the heat will be turned back on.....meanwhile a nice break.

 

[OilnH2O]

NW -- are you doing any pruning through the summer -- as you might thin leggy plants, or get some for a vase, etc.?

We have one really leggy bushy rose this year that, for some reason, has yet to have one blossom -- we were wondering if pruning would stimulate it in some manner.


Dave

 

[NorthernWinos]

I prune in the spring, just the dead canes and do a bit of shaping, after that I pretty much leave them alone, unless there are some damaged canes or just to maintain shape.


I don't fertilize except in the spring, thoyou could till early summer, don't fertilize too late into the year as it will produce new growth that will be too tender to winter over.


As for dead-heading the spent flowers, I don't...too lazy and other things to do....if some do produce rose hips, then I like to have as many on the plant as possible for winter interest. Most will repeat bloom without dead-heading. If you dead-head, do not do it after mid-summer as it too will produce new tender growth that won't harden-off in time for winter and will weaken the plant for winter survival.


Your rose may not bloom because it isn't getting enough sun. It may be leggy because it is the type of rose, it may be considered a climber and needs to be staked. I have a rose that is very leggy and does not make an attractive bush, but has a very fragrant flower.


Some roses only bloom once a year, in the spring....does that bush usually bloom by now???

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[rgecaprock]

I can just smell those roses, NW have you ever made wine with them.? I made an apricot rose (1 gallon) and it was very nice. Certain flowers I think really add something. I want to try honeysuckle some day.


Beautiful and thank you for sharing your pictures.


Ramona

 

[NorthernWinos]

I have thought of making rose hip wine, but most of these roses don't set and hips...maybe someday I might do something with the petals...seem they fall while I am off doing something else....Most of these roses have none or very little fragrance...the old time ones are very fragrant and do set rose hips.


So many options as to what to make wine with. So far my harvests are not as abundant as wanted, but probably all I need.....there is always the struggle between wanting more and getting whatyou actually need.


Have you been harvesting any of the fruits you see growing on your boulevards in the city???

 

[swillologist]

We have a lot of multi-floral rose around here. There are a bunch of hips on those things. Just wondering if you could make wine out of those?

 

[NorthernWinos]

Apparently you can...


http://www.brewerylane.com/wine/recipes/rosehip_wine.html


http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques46.asp


http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/butler95.html


http://www.honeycreek.us/recipes/rose_hip.htm

 

[rgecaprock]

I have been keeping my eye on the elderberries along the road to work but these darn city folks cut down the whole bush. I was disappointed.


Then my friend couldn't pick the muscadines for me so I didn't get to have a chance at those either.


I'll have to check out one of the big stores here in town that have all kinds of unusual fruits and see what they have.


Ramona

 

[swillologist]

Thanks nw. The picture about half way down on the backwoods home site looks just like what we have here. My neighbor came by last week and he has lost some of his sheepin his timber. He was bloody from his shoulder to the tips of his fingers. He had been looking for them in the rose bushes he has back on his place. I will have to check with him to see if he has sprayed them. If not does anyone want some rose hip? LOL

 

[NorthernWinos]

Roses are coming and going...as well as all the other pretty things....

Kind of sad...the iris, peonies and others are gone for another year...summer is slipping by...

Other lovely things bloom and are gone...time passing away.

 

[rgecaprock]

NW,


I love your garden. Do you have solar lighting there? I'm trying to see everything. Could you take some pictures closer and tell me what all you have planted there. I see hollyhocks, clematis.... How far is it from your house? You must spend alot of time there wandering around the paths.


Ramona

 

[NorthernWinos]

This bed is along the driveway...a long way from the house.
The lady who lived here before had a small bed out there...I made it a little bigger before we moved here and would come up every week to mow the lawn and would bring some plants from our old place...the bed kept getting bigger....it was suppose to be a butterfly garden and turned out to be just perennials and wild flowers.


This garden has seen prettier days, some good stuff has died and some other stuff has to be removed because it is taking over. In front of the Hollyhocks is a wild blue Lady Bells that spreads and has to be contained...in front of it is May Night Salvia and inferno of it is a Loosestrife. There are a lot of Daylillies and Iris....Behind the Clematis is a white Veronica...also have a wild white Veronica called Culvers Root...some of the wild flowers live well in flower beds...others take over...I am battling a yellow flower out there called Jerusalem Artichoke...looks good in the wild, but not in a flower bed....as well I thought Goldenrod would be good for the butterflies...trying to get rid of it.


On the yellow side of the garden...

A Yellow Foxglove, Day Lilly, a wild Butter & Eggs, yellow Loosestrife...and others that have come and gone already.
Many flowers havelived and are gone from that bed....some I have just given up on trying to grow. try to have something blooming at all times...but some times are pretty barren....It is an effort to get water out there, so they have to be tough.
Will Post more photos as stuff blooms...if it looks good...I am not real happy with that be right now...the dog dug a hole out there and ruined many things...

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[NorthernWinos]

Sunday's Posies, to cheer you.....


Wild Blanket Flower..

Gallardia....

Prairie Coneflower...

Front...Pink and Blue Veronica, Silver Mound, wild Purple Loosestrife..

Monarch on Purple Loosestrife...

Enjoy!!!

 

[grapeman]

The wild purple loosetrife makes a very striking flower, but being non-native here in NY it became an invasive species. It took over basically all the wetlands and peat bog areas since there was nothing to keep it in check. When my brother was at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge they introduces a predatory beetle to feed on it to help get it in check.


Anybody interested here is a link to apress release at the time.


http://www.news.cornell.edu/chronicle/97/7.24.97/loosestrife.html

 

[NorthernWinos]

Wild Purple Loosestrife is also invasive here in MN, being as I am not near water I grow it...I'm just an outlaw!!!!


I also grow the tame Purple/Pink one sold in greenhouses called Lythrum..[Lythrim]..a bit more floriforous...

As well as the yellow, white and other colors...
Alexander's...

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Waldo]

All very beautiful NW. Definately a nice place to sit in the cool of the evening and watch the stars battle the sun for dominance of the skies above. A nice glass of homeade wine would probably enhance that experience somewhat.

 

[rgecaprock]

We have had so much rain and dampness that mushrooms are popping up all over. They have their own beauty.

 

[swillologist]

Yes they do Ramona . Here is what we have blooming right now.

I can't really take credit for these. A couple of plants were here when we moved in and they have took over the corner by themselves.

 

[scotty]

Where we live, there is so much insectaside sprayibg that i dont dare to pick them. I loved to pick wild mushrooms and cook them.
Long Island NY was bad 20 years back also.
Times change.
I imagine in your area the wild mushrooms are still good to eat.

We have had so much rain and dampness that mushrooms are popping up all over. They have their own beauty.