When I bought my house it had a rose growing against a side of the house.
The ground around the rose seems to have been covered with black plastic
under white rocks. Not all that attractive, IMHO, especially since some of
the rocks have "escaped" and the ripped plastic is now showing through. I'd
like to replace the whole lot. Does anyone have any recommendations for
what I should use around the base of the rose? Plain mulch? Newspaper
under plain mulch? Something else entirely? Or is the plastic under rock
the preferred method and I should just replace it with more? I'm not a
gardner at all and have no idea what I'm doing so any advice is much
appreciated! I'm not sure it matters but I'm in zone 6a.

Thanks a lot,
LauraJ

"Laura J" wrote in message
...
When I bought my house it had a rose growing against a
side of the house.
The ground around the rose seems to have been covered with
black plastic
under white rocks. Not all that attractive, IMHO,
especially since some of
the rocks have "escaped" and the ripped plastic is now
showing through. I'd
like to replace the whole lot. Does anyone have any
recommendations for
what I should use around the base of the rose? Plain
mulch? Newspaper
under plain mulch? Something else entirely? Or is the
plastic under rock
the preferred method and I should just replace it with
more? I'm not a
gardner at all and have no idea what I'm doing so any
advice is much
appreciated! I'm not sure it matters but I'm in zone 6a.

Thanks a lot,
LauraJ

IMO plain mulch is best to suppress weeds,
hold moisure in, etc. It's easy to pull back to
weed, feed, water, repair irrigation, whatever.
Easy to add to once a year or so. If you can find
some with compost in it, that will also help feed
the rose and condition the soil, but plain shredded
wood mulch works fine. I use it around all
my roses. Just don't put it right up to the
main "stem" of the rose. (As with any shrub.)

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8

Will someone be so kind to tell me why?

Thanks,

A.T.

--
"Don't you buy no ugly knife"
http://www.customknives.com

"Gail Futoran"
Just don't put it right up to the
main "stem" of the rose. (As with any shrub.)

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8