Thank you for your words of wisdom, Shiva.
Although I do occasionally cut a bouquet if rain is predicted, I really
don't grow my roses to cut and bring into the house .. I want them to sit
out there in the garden and bloom their heads off! The picture window by my
dining room table looks out over my rose garden. It's such a pleasure to sit
and drink my tea and muse on the roses in bloom that day, or go out and walk
the paths and inspect my beauties! Too often the Austins are just a pile of
petals on the ground. I want it all! Beautiful form, color, vigor, lasting
quality!

Well, this is my first experience with trying to grow roses to reach their
maximum output, rather than just blythely fertilizing and watering when the
mood struck. I can see that I have a LOT to learn!!

Thanks to you and all the group for their responses ...
Sue



"Shiva" wrote in message
s.com...
On Tue, 10 Jun 2003 00:45:46 GMT, "Susan Solomon"
wrote:


Thanks for your comments, Aswhad... I probably am a little quick on the
draw
with the shovel!
I'll spray them for mildew and let them grow a while longer. But I do
wish
the Austin blooms lasted longer!

Sue in SoCal
probably expecting too much too soon


You know, Susan, they really do shatter quickly, that never changes.
It doesn't bother me at all for two reasons,

1. I don't mind replacing vase roses every day if need be. It is my
early morning ritual to go out and look at the roses. When I have
roses that shatter quickly, such as the rose Scentimental, which I
would not be without, but shatters after a SINGLE DAY, I just grow
more of them so I always have more blooms.

2. For me, there is something creepy about a rose that has been in a
vase for a week. Like spoiled produce. The longest I will keep a rose
in a vase is four days, changing the water daily.

Perhaps you might start a thread such as "Roses With Long Vase Life."
Then those who know can help you choose next year's batch!