I’m yet to own a violet rose, sounds like rhapsody in blue is one to check out.
It hasn’t quite opened fully yet, but I can’t help taking more pictures of it.
By the way when are we supposed to start winterising our roses? Especially for those in containers? Some websites say we need to stop fertilising in July, some say September and some say it should be a month before first frost (which is December where I live). Most of the DA roses claim they should flower up to first frost, does that mean they’re supposed to be left to flower up till December?
Also, the rationale behind not fertilising too much/avoid deadheading closer to winter is, as far as I understand, to avoid tender shoots being killed by frost, but then my thinking is that if they’re too tender to survive winter then they could just be allowed to die off and I can prune them come spring. If they happen to be strong enough to survive then I get few inches extra growth ahead of next year. What is there to lose really? It’s not like having young shoots that die from frost will affect the main body/canes of the plant is it? If the main canes are gonna die from frost they will do so anyway regardless of whether there are any young shoots right? On the contrary by allowing the plant to grow continuously would allow us to enjoy the blooms for a longer time leading up to winter..
Exactly that... don't worry about tender shoots in autumn... roses we grow today, and for most parts of the country away from freezing frost pockets, northern hills and mountain areas, - they've already had frost in Braemar - it's not going to be an issue... ...however freezing wind can be a problem, this may affect you where you are high up there... ...the time to worry about your roses is in Spring, not autumn.. especially from early April to mid May... what you don't want then are night temps worse than -5C.. freezing winds or storms... in exposed areas some roses got decapitated here in Spring... they're all in bud at this time, and you can lose the whole first flush... it's a dicey period.. in pots you can usually offer some protection... ...I've only ever lost 2 roses in Spring... grade B bare roots, 2 thin canes, the new shoots got frozen by the wind, the canes died back to the graft...
@Nollie .. sorry for delay in getting back.. yes that first picture of the white bloom with pink spots on what should be an orange rose.. that shows signs of the disease to me, which in your climate I imagine is something you will see more of.. but your rose has recovered seeing the later pictures, so nothing to worry about...
Oh no problem, thanks @ Marlorena. It always pales and goes spotty or streaky in the heat - car crash in an ice cream shop is how I describe it. In cooler weather the bloom colour is normal. I just snip off the ugly ones.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Thanks @Marlorena I intend to move all of my roses to one sheltered corner on my balcony so they could all be protected from strong wind over winter by huddling together. In terms of ‘protecting’ the plants, what would you recommend for this? I have come across various fabrics and plant covers..
..well, I do have several fleece covers of various sizes but I don't use them too much these days... I have been known to put an umbrella over something and throw an old coat over that, but you can do more damage to emerging buds if one isn't careful... ..in other words, anything you think is suitable for the purpose...
Haha it’s comforting to know it’s perfectly normal for plant lovers to go to extreme measures to protect their plants. Whatever I use though I gotta make sure they don’t get blown away. My first winter with the roses shall be interesting..
I'm glad to hear Blue for You is a nice smelly rose @purplerallim, I have one that I planted last winter. It didn't do well this year as I had it in a stupid place. I've moved it now and it has some new growth fortunately.
That's interesting about the frosts affecting young growth in spring @Marlorena. It happened to me this year with a Bordure Camaieu, the first lot of growth, maybe as early as February got hit by a series of frosts and all three stems died back. I've never protected a rose before and although it seems naive, I just assumed frost would damage growth but not kill off the whole plant.
Hope you have given it plenty of room in a sunny spot @Victoria Sponge , as if it likes it it will romp away. It's always given me lots of strong growth, easily reaches four foot tall, but never gets too bushy, and flowers profusely. Cut back early flowers and it will always give a second set , it's one of my first and last flowering roses in the garden.😁
Oh that's good information @purplerallim, I thought it would be a sort of 3x2 for some reason... I haven't put it in a place that gets the most sun and I've given it about a 2' spread. Is it bare leggedy or a top to bottom flowerer for you? I could possibly move it elsewhere before it gets settled in🤔
This is mine already in flower at the bottom in June. Since then the top flowered, was cut back and is now in full flower again. This bush was cut back to 18" in March from the four foot tall ( minus cutting dead heads off for winter) It always flowers bottom to top with just a little care if really hot weather comes, and has had the odd tomato food during the flowering time. A really robust plant @Victoria Sponge 😁
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By the way when are we supposed to start winterising our roses? Especially for those in containers? Some websites say we need to stop fertilising in July, some say September and some say it should be a month before first frost (which is December where I live). Most of the DA roses claim they should flower up to first frost, does that mean they’re supposed to be left to flower up till December?
Also, the rationale behind not fertilising too much/avoid deadheading closer to winter is, as far as I understand, to avoid tender shoots being killed by frost, but then my thinking is that if they’re too tender to survive winter then they could just be allowed to die off and I can prune them come spring. If they happen to be strong enough to survive then I get few inches extra growth ahead of next year. What is there to lose really? It’s not like having young shoots that die from frost will affect the main body/canes of the plant is it? If the main canes are gonna die from frost they will do so anyway regardless of whether there are any young shoots right? On the contrary by allowing the plant to grow continuously would allow us to enjoy the blooms for a longer time leading up to winter..
Am I missing something fundamental here?
...however freezing wind can be a problem, this may affect you where you are high up there...
...the time to worry about your roses is in Spring, not autumn.. especially from early April to mid May... what you don't want then are night temps worse than -5C.. freezing winds or storms... in exposed areas some roses got decapitated here in Spring... they're all in bud at this time, and you can lose the whole first flush... it's a dicey period.. in pots you can usually offer some protection...
...I've only ever lost 2 roses in Spring... grade B bare roots, 2 thin canes, the new shoots got frozen by the wind, the canes died back to the graft...
@Nollie .. sorry for delay in getting back.. yes that first picture of the white bloom with pink spots on what should be an orange rose.. that shows signs of the disease to me, which in your climate I imagine is something you will see more of.. but your rose has recovered seeing the later pictures, so nothing to worry about...
..in other words, anything you think is suitable for the purpose...
That's interesting about the frosts affecting young growth in spring @Marlorena. It happened to me this year with a Bordure Camaieu, the first lot of growth, maybe as early as February got hit by a series of frosts and all three stems died back. I've never protected a rose before and although it seems naive, I just assumed frost would damage growth but not kill off the whole plant.
I haven't put it in a place that gets the most sun and I've given it about a 2' spread. Is it bare leggedy or a top to bottom flowerer for you? I could possibly move it elsewhere before it gets settled in🤔
Since then the top flowered, was cut back and is now in full flower again.
This bush was cut back to 18" in March from the four foot tall ( minus cutting dead heads off for winter)
It always flowers bottom to top with just a little care if really hot weather comes, and has had the odd tomato food during the flowering time.
A really robust plant @Victoria Sponge 😁