On 1/28/12 7:39 AM, wrote:
Hello everybody,

yesterday I wrote an interesting post on my blog and I want to share
it with you for free.

It contains nice tips and tricks to get beautiful roses in 2012.

Just use the link below:

http://www.best-gardening-tips.com/2...to-do-in-2012/

The Web site says:
Mulching
If you’ve covered the soil around your roses with mulch or compost
during winter, take most of it away and apply a new layer.
I certainly would NOT remove mulch just as it is turning into compost.
I merely pile even more leaves on top. Of course, that is only for the
rose bed in front of my house. The rose bed in back has a thick ground
cover that serves very well as a mulch.


The Web site says:
Pruning
In spring, this means to remove old and diseased parts of the plant
In the spring? My roses were all pruned by 8 January. At that time,
some of the roses were still blooming, which meant my wife got a nice
bouquet.

Also, pruning involves opening up the center of the plant to improve air
circulation. Finally, it is supposed to reduce the number of canes
(main branches) to 3-5 in order to create a sturdy scaffold for new
growth; otherwise, the plant might have many weak twigs instead of
strong branches. See my
http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_rosepruning.html.


The Web site says:
Spraying
You should also spray your roses if you’ve noticed fungus or mildew
on them. I like to use a combination of lime sulphur and horticultural oil
Copper sulfate and oil are much better at eliminating mildew, rust, and
over-wintering insect eggs. I always mix some liquid soap into any
spray; it acts as an excellent wetting agent, ensuring that the spray
does indeed cover all of the plant.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary