Yes, I wondered that about the crocus getting fed sort of parasitically @Marlorena, the ones I have in the ground don't get fed. If they start to go nuts I can thin them out or remove.
That's quite lovely @pitter-patter I didn't know you had it..
@PeterAberdeen Oh ok, that's extraordinary for a rose of that age. Looking forward to seeing photos of it later. Re obelisks.. I've done it both ways, my preference is to plant outside. If a cane is flexible enough it can be wound around, but otherwise I just lean the rose back, tie the canes around to get blooms all over it, allowing some to go straight up..
In my windswept conditions, an obelisk has to be secure in the ground - nothing worse than a wonky one that's got dislodged. I bury mine about 1 foot so I allow for that height loss.. Also if you tire of the rose and want to replace, it's much easier to remove if outside than inside, as with inside planting, the roots get tangled up with the base spikes and can be difficult to extricate.. Now, I would only use inside if, rather obviously, I was using it for a potted rose.. but choice is yours on that one..
I currently have 7 obelisks.. I love using them this way to get instant height and structure even if the rose is still small..
BTW has anyone had experience of training a rose up an obelisk - for a couple of years I have hankered after a DA Gertrude Jekyll over an arch, but the path would need an arch specially made and that is silly money!
Not necessarily @PeterAberdeen, If you are of a practical disposition you could build a bespoke arch yourself quite economically. I have an idea for a similar application that I am entertaining. I roughly estimated a cost of about £80 - £100 to build an arch 2.4m high x 1.2m wide x 1.0m deep. I may do it this year, I love a project...
Obelisks are lovely, Peter... I have several, but as Marlorena says, they need to be really well anchored. I have one that has gone a bit wonky in the wind. My husband accidentally threw my mallet into next door's jungle while doing manly things to the fence, so I am going to have to straighten it with something else.
It was payday for me on Friday. Seem to be over the rose buying phase and have moved onto geraniums which don't seem to be much cheaper... 🙈
I’m eagerly awaiting the delivery of my Vitax Azalea food, like Marlorena I have alkaline soil and hard water so it’s perfect for here. I also have to add additional sequestered iron powder to the watering can during the season for roses prone to chlorosis, which includes most Austins.
@PeterAberdeen, I don’t think it would easy to train Gertrude Jekyll over an arch or around an obelisk although I would be interested to hear if anyone has done it.
Despite hard pruning mine grows tall without any support. It develops a thicket of stiff, long, thorny canes that are quite difficult to bend even when young and perilous to handle!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I too have hard water and alkaline soil. Last year I gave a feed of seaweed at the start of the season with BFB, then tomato feed mid season. Its the best flowering I've had yet, even after the hot weather. Might have something to do with the roses in the ground now being mature at 4/5 years old.
Hi @Marlorena, thanks for clarifying what fertilizer you use on your roses. I have chalky soil so would this be good for me? also, do I need to put it in my pots which contain MPC and JI no3 (or 2 can't remember!) tia
I have Gertrude partly on anobelisk. I do find her quite bendy... she threw out a couple of very long canes which I was able to peg down very easily (but the crisscrossing neighbourhood cats in my front garden interfered and broke them off, hence the addition of the obelisk).
Fertilizers can be fun.. can't they?.. all part of the game..
Just for comparison, here's the old DA fert. ..and the Vitax Azalea.. minimal differences..
They are both the same to look at and smell.. the base is organic poultry manure, as they both stink of chicken.. Trouble is, the old DA one gave double the quantity for the same price as the Vitax... such a shame they've changed it, as their ''new, improved'' is now £8.50 for just 600 grams, whereby the old DA was £7.99 for 1.75kg !!..
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@PeterAberdeen
Oh ok, that's extraordinary for a rose of that age. Looking forward to seeing photos of it later.
Re obelisks.. I've done it both ways, my preference is to plant outside. If a cane is flexible enough it can be wound around, but otherwise I just lean the rose back, tie the canes around to get blooms all over it, allowing some to go straight up..
In my windswept conditions, an obelisk has to be secure in the ground - nothing worse than a wonky one that's got dislodged. I bury mine about 1 foot so I allow for that height loss.. Also if you tire of the rose and want to replace, it's much easier to remove if outside than inside, as with inside planting, the roots get tangled up with the base spikes and can be difficult to extricate..
Now, I would only use inside if, rather obviously, I was using it for a potted rose.. but choice is yours on that one..
I currently have 7 obelisks.. I love using them this way to get instant height and structure even if the rose is still small..
If you are of a practical disposition you could build a bespoke arch yourself quite economically.
I have an idea for a similar application that I am entertaining. I roughly estimated a cost of about £80 - £100 to build an arch 2.4m high x 1.2m wide x 1.0m deep.
I may do it this year, I love a project...
It was payday for me on Friday. Seem to be over the rose buying phase and have moved onto geraniums which don't seem to be much cheaper... 🙈
Despite hard pruning mine grows tall without any support. It develops a thicket of stiff, long, thorny canes that are quite difficult to bend even when young and perilous to handle!
Yes perfect for you too. I also found it very good for pots, giving quick results.. use with confidence..
Just for comparison, here's the old DA fert.
..and the Vitax Azalea.. minimal differences..
They are both the same to look at and smell.. the base is organic poultry manure, as they both stink of chicken..
Trouble is, the old DA one gave double the quantity for the same price as the Vitax... such a shame they've changed it, as their ''new, improved'' is now £8.50 for just 600 grams, whereby the old DA was £7.99 for 1.75kg !!..