Could someone please advise me which is the best method for planting a patio rose in a container eg, which compost is best? what sort of drainage ie crock? no crock? thank you.
Yes i am also not sure if i like chalice blooms or not. For me Vanessa bell has been worse than CD for damaged blooms. The outer bit gets brownish. I didn't get wollerton old hall and Clair Austin as i was worried that might happen. Desdemona is usually ok and doesn't get damaged. I did get Royal jubilee after seeing all photos in this thread so will see how it does. I have Jude with similar blooms but he is anyway obscure most of the time
@Meomye Seeing as nobody else here can grow a rose properly I'll answer. You want a loam based compost, normal Multi purpose compost is not suitable. This year I have made up compost from what I could get but it does need loam/soil. Stretching it with MPC, home compost, coir and vermiculite was done with no ill effects for one year. I put crocks over the drainage hole to keep the compost from falling through and to keep the hole open.
Edit , please forgive the tease, I do want to come back!
Having read and watched all the latest info on roses, I think one thing is clear, and that is they are much more suited to southern climes were the summer's are better, hotter, and more reliable than they are in more northern parts.
@Tack, thank you for your reply. This is where I get confused, (sorry). What is loam based compost? Do you mean like a John Innes no3? I am afraid I do not have any home made compost.
Yes @peteS . I was a bit dismayed to realise over the course of this year that the quintessential english flower was not at its very best here, at least not in its bred form. The picture of Iceberg in Australia from that Quest-Ritson talk above was deflating . I need to move to the Med I feel, for so many reasons.
@Meomye John Innis no3 is a suitable compost for roses yes. The John Innis numbers just indicate a recipe which the compost is made up of. The no3 is for mature/longlasting plants (like roses). I think not all brands now adhere to the exact JI original recipe and other suitable loam based composts exist too, some are peat-free (my preference for environmental reasons) and many have added fertiliser.
If you go to a garden centre you can ask advice on their specific products. Or if online, tailor your search with 'loam based' 'rose compost' 'peat free' etc. Check whether what you choose has claims about added fertiliser like slow release granules and adapt your rose fertilizer feedinig regimen accordingly. All purpose and Multipurpose composts are not terms you want to see on compost for potting roses.
Edit: Loam is just a soil made up of clay, sand and silt.
@Tack I think your roses are spectacular and you have a better rose-growing climate than me, so it’s all relative. I may live in a Mediterranean country but my inland, humid mountain climate with it’s lush forests and river valleys is not in the least Mediterranean!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I have gardened in a hot and dry climate. Graham Thomas grew to well over 6 foot and bloomed like a monster. The problem? My water bill 😓 Here, in England, I can grow what I want, rather than having to choose between drought resistant species, and a ridiculous water bill. Maybe if you had an unmetered well?
Thank you @Nollie. Having done long road trips eons ago in the more western northern bit of Spain I know not to count you as Mediterranean! Some of my best holidays though.
@Omori, yes the downside. An unmetered well would be great but then there is the worry about the aquifers from an environmental perspective. No such thing as perfect
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