Hi, I've decided to take the plunge and plant roses. I found this newsgroup
about a week ago and am enjoying all the good information. Forgive me if this
is old hat, but I didn't find a FAQ for this group.
I live in zone 7a. Central Virginia. We have already had days in the 90's and
some nasty humidity and thunderstorms. I'm guessing it is too late to plant
roses until the fall if I go the container route, or next spring for bare root.

I try to garden in as organic a manner as possible. I really don't want to
spray if I don't have to. Two roses I've picked out are the Old Blush and
Duchesse de Brabant. Would these be good choices for my situation?
What is the best thing to do about Japanese beetles? I'm thinking milky spore
or is there something better? One of the reasons I don't like to spray is that
I have dogs and cats that are allowed run of the yard, so I'm a little hesitant
to use something like grubex.
Are own root roses better than the grafted types?
Is there any stand out website for ordering roses?

Thanks in advance!

Beth
Richmond Va zone 7a

"Bethgsd" wrote in message
...
Hi, I've decided to take the plunge and plant roses. I
found this newsgroup
about a week ago and am enjoying all the good information.
Forgive me if this
is old hat, but I didn't find a FAQ for this group.

see below for ARS website

I live in zone 7a. Central Virginia. We have already had
days in the 90's and
some nasty humidity and thunderstorms. I'm guessing it is
too late to plant
roses until the fall if I go the container route, or next
spring for bare root.

You can plant roses in containers pretty much
anytime. You might want to provide some
partial shade until the rose gets established
but then as long as it's watered well, it should
be fine in full sun, all else being equal.

It's been so long since I planted bare roots that
I'll skip that question and hope someone else
can answer. BTW, the American Rose Society
web site has some useful articles you might
look into: www.ars.org

I try to garden in as organic a manner as possible.

Me, too.

I really don't want to
spray if I don't have to. Two roses I've picked out are
the Old Blush and
Duchesse de Brabant. Would these be good choices for my
situation?

I honestly don't know since I don't grow those.
Someone else here should have the answer, or
you could call a local botanical garden, or a local
nursery that specializes in roses.

What is the best thing to do about Japanese beetles? I'm
thinking milky spore
or is there something better? One of the reasons I don't
like to spray is that
I have dogs and cats that are allowed run of the yard, so
I'm a little hesitant
to use something like grubex.

I get few Japanese beetles and can just pick them
off (with tongs) and drop them into soapy water.
For heavier infestations there may be other solutions.
That's something else you might want to ask local
experts about.

Are own root roses better than the grafted types?

Depends. Grafted roses can "revert" to the
root stock, which isn't good (unless you adore
Dr. Huey or whatever the root stock is). But
not all modern roses do well as own roots.
I have several modern roses as own roots;
some are monsters that are eating my house
(the outstanding performer Moody Dream), some
are still small compared to grafted versions after
two years in the ground (Sheila's Perfume).

I also have a number of old garden roses, all
of which are own root, and as with the modern
roses, some are thriving, a few others die off after
a year or two.

Is there any stand out website for ordering roses?

I've seen good recommendations for Edmunds:
http://www.edmundsroses.com/
but their rose ordering season is over now. I
have ordered from them in the past but not
recently. No problems, I just found really good
local sources for roses.

Another possibility is Michael's:
http://www.michaelsrose.com/
I've ordered a number of roses from them,
including the aforementioned Moody Dream.
Some have not done well (died in the first
year), but some of my Edmund's roses had
a similar experience. Sometimes a Michael's
rose will be back ordered. You'll get it
eventually. They ship year around, which is
nice if you need to replace a rose mid-season.
I think all their roses are own root, and usually
come quite young/small. Typically I put them in
a pot until they've grown a bit before planting them
in a bed.

There are a lot of other good places but let
some other posters suggest their favorites.

I would recommend buying one of the Ortho
or Sunset books on roses found in home
improvement centers (Home Depot, Lowes)
and bookstores. They're relatively cheap
(under $20) and have a lot of useful information
to start.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8

Gail,
Thanks for the input and the websites.

Beth

On 29 May 2004 01:24:14 GMT, ojunk (Bethgsd) wrote:

Hi, I've decided to take the plunge and plant roses. I found this newsgroup
about a week ago and am enjoying all the good information. Forgive me if this
is old hat, but I didn't find a FAQ for this group.
I live in zone 7a. Central Virginia. We have already had days in the 90's and
some nasty humidity and thunderstorms. I'm guessing it is too late to plant
roses until the fall if I go the container route, or next spring for bare root.

I try to garden in as organic a manner as possible. I really don't want to
spray if I don't have to. Two roses I've picked out are the Old Blush and
Duchesse de Brabant.

My climbing Old Blush gets blackspot here in Nashville. That will be a
problem if you don't like to spray.

Try Baby Love. It's a great bushy little yellow single bloom rose (it
is a small five petal flat bloom that grows quicky and reblooms). You
might try The Fairy. I've got a climing Fairy right next to my
climbing Old Blush and it doesn't get very much blackspot in
comparison. It *does* get a little blackspot, but it took two years to
see *any* at all.

http://www.pbase.com/image/19899228

This shot is from a year ago. It's almost doubled in size since then.

If you don't mind a once bloomer, try Sweet Briar Rose. In its third
full season, it's already about 18 feet wide and 10 feet tall. It's
also a single bloom five petal rose but it's a beatuiful pink:

http://www.pbase.com/image/29497948

Here's the plant in it's first full season - May 2002:

http://www.pbase.com/image/29498080

And here are two bloom shots:

http://www.pbase.com/image/29498182
http://www.pbase.com/image/29498235

It's finished for the year though. Now it starts its growth cycle. I'm
afraid to guess how much bigger it's going to get.

Would these be good choices for my situation?
What is the best thing to do about Japanese beetles?

I just have to pick them out of the blooms and knock them into a soapy
water glass. I've heard that if you spray Neem oil on the top of your
plants, it repells them. I'm going to try this this year. Neem oil is
totally organic, so you don't have to worry about it. Keep in mind
that it's an oil. Make sure that you spray lightly and don't do it in
the hot sun, or you'll sunburn your canes and leaves.

I'm thinking milky spore
or is there something better?

I've heard that it works well with grubs. Your problem is that your
neighbors' grubs won't be affected. If you have a juicy rose, they'll
comet o you. But it can't hurt. You might also try some of those grub
killing granular things you see in the garden centers about now.

One of the reasons I don't like to spray is that
I have dogs and cats that are allowed run of the yard, so I'm a little hesitant
to use something like grubex.

Ooops. Well, there ya go. Never mind the last part of the previous
paragraph

Are own root roses better than the grafted types?

They will start much smaller, but often times grow quicker. I think
it's really what you're most comfortable with. You've read recently
about rootstock sending its own shoots out (the Dr. Huey threads).
I've got a climbing Cecile Brunner own root and I would have the same
situation that the other poster just talked about.

Is there any stand out website for ordering roses?

My favorites (in no particular order)

Grafted hybrid teas, floribundas and the like: Edmunds Roses
Old roses and the like: Antique Rose Emporium
Unusual Roses: The Uncommon Rose

Since you're in Virginia, you might try Wayside Gardens. I've heard
good things about them, but I've never ordered from them. They're
close (in SC).

Thanks in advance!

Good luck!

Beth
Richmond Va zone 7a

In article ,
says...
My favorites (in no particular order)

Grafted hybrid teas, floribundas and the like: Edmunds Roses
Old roses and the like: Antique Rose Emporium

Be sure and plant some rugosa hybrids. We had a bad winter last
year and my Austins and a couple of modern roses are still
struggling back. My rugosas are blooming like crazy.

Unusual Roses: The Uncommon Rose

Is this a good place for Austins ("English" roses)?

Since you're in Virginia, you might try Wayside Gardens. I've heard
good things about them, but I've never ordered from them. They're
close (in SC).

Wayward Gardens? You've got to be kidding. I ordered plants
(not roses) from them once and most were DOA. I've seen posts
here that say they're not much better with roses.

--
Where ARE those Iraqi WMDs?

dave weil wrote:
On 29 May 2004 01:24:14 GMT, ojunk (Bethgsd) wrote:



Since you're in Virginia, you might try Wayside Gardens. I've heard
good things about them, but I've never ordered from them. They're
close (in SC).


I haven't ordered roses from Wayside Gardens but have ordered perennials
and they are packaged so nice that I didn't have any problems with bad
plants. I was very impressed with their speed and product. I will order
from them again.
Sharon in MN

Beth, I'm not sure how up-to-date this site is, but I have it bookmarked as
the FAQ for rec.gardens.roses:
http://www.mc.edu/campus/users/nettl...rofaq-faq.html

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC


"Bethgsd" wrote in message
...
Hi, I've decided to take the plunge and plant roses. I found this
newsgroup
about a week ago and am enjoying all the good information. Forgive me if
this
is old hat, but I didn't find a FAQ for this group.
I live in zone 7a. Central Virginia. We have already had days in the
90's and
some nasty humidity and thunderstorms. I'm guessing it is too late to
plant
roses until the fall if I go the container route, or next spring for bare
root.

I try to garden in as organic a manner as possible. I really don't want
to
spray if I don't have to. Two roses I've picked out are the Old Blush and
Duchesse de Brabant. Would these be good choices for my situation?
What is the best thing to do about Japanese beetles? I'm thinking milky
spore
or is there something better? One of the reasons I don't like to spray is
that
I have dogs and cats that are allowed run of the yard, so I'm a little
hesitant
to use something like grubex.
Are own root roses better than the grafted types?
Is there any stand out website for ordering roses?

Thanks in advance!

Beth
Richmond Va zone 7a