Patrick Scheible wrote in message ...
(melitie) writes:
I first heard about zones in US and Canadian sites, because these
countries have places with very different climates. That's why zones
are important to american gardeners. However, I personally think
sometimes they exaggerate about them when it comes to roses.
There was a time I was living in Epirus, Nothern Greece, where winters
are extremely cold, maybe like zone 5 or 6 (US) and the rose plants
everywhere there were wonderful. Now here in the island with the
climate being like US zones 9-10, I see that my roses suffer from
June to August and more. This is because roses don't like extreme cold
and ice, but on the other hand don't like too much heat either. They
get sunburnt and the buds open in a few hours...
[snip]
The zone system leaves a lot to be desired even here in the U.S.
Zones are based only on the winter minimum temperature, without taking
into account how wet or dry it is or how warm it is in the spring and
summer. I'm in Seattle, and our zone is the same as lots of Texas,
but the preferred roses and common diseases are very different because
there it's hot and humid all summer and here it's cool with a dry
spell in August and September.
Cheers,
-- Patrick
Hi Patrick,
I agree that climate details are to be taken into consideration when
it comes to gardening and agriculture generally. It's just that zones
is an american "invention" which is not applied in Europe and is not
known in Europe. In my opinion this is good in someway because I
personally feel free to try all rose varieties I like without having
doubts about their future. I own over 150 rose plants in different
places (winter minimum temperatures from -10 C to +5 C ) for the last
24 years and I have never lost a rose plant because of climate
factors. I have only lost one from a bacterial disease and about 10
because of poor bareroot conditions when bought from abroad. Roses are
very hard shrubs which like to be taken care of, regardless of the
local conditions.
Sorry for my different opinion and forgive me for my bad english.
Regards to you Patrick and Jesus from Spain.