As always great info straw. 1 will be buying Alfalfa pellets first before buying the crumbles.

it rained all night but the humidity still made sleeping very uncomfortable. The roses will probably be suffering too.

That scenic photo is awesome Sam and Earth song is beautifully pink, Jim. That is the kind of dog l would be successful with straw.

EARTHSONG opened its petals... Blooms look good to me no matter...

I tried to get a pic of a bumblebee on Earthsong but missed the shot. You can see bumblebee butt in pic but its blurry as he flew away...lol

I tried to get this bee pic on zinnia but also failed...lol... Darn leaves! lol

Bloom and blurry bumble bee butt. Brilliant. I tried saying that 5 times fast but bumbled it.

Along with success comes lots of failures....LOL

A bee and fly on zinnia bloom

You got him! And a fly

That could be in a magazine.

86 degrees here Jim .

I'm getting my car fixed then I'm going to the Saratoga rose garden. I will take some pictures.

Thanks Sam!

Still in the 70's here with a nice breeze... No air conditioning needed today.

Can't wait to see your rose pics Sam! Sounds awesome! Nearest rose park around here would probably be in Pittsburgh Pa. 2-4 hour drive from here...Longer if the pink partywagon is used... lol

Looking down

Those are some fantastic pics Sam! I see they do not use mulch either...That read rose is very red...

The rock garden

Wow that rock garden is awesome Sam!

Thanks for sharing those pics Sam! Wow what sights! AWESOME! First thing I noticed was they do not use mulch...lol

Some days I do not follow my own advice.... And today was one of them.

I transplanted Thomas Affleck to his finale location today. My wife went to visit her son I got bored and the next thing you know Thomas was moved... :-/

Anyhow when I dug Thomas up I was expecting a single root that went straight down like Straw mentioned BUT Thomas had 2 octopus roots that reached out into the soil about 15 inches long and 3 other roots just a bit shorter...Thomas should get plenty of nutrients and water from the soil as he has octopus roots...lol... He is in a location that gets all day sun now...

But darn next Spring would of been a better time to move him... Sometimes I get so ahead of myself...

I would shade TA from afternoon Sun for the first few. Maybe a tarp or blanket on the fence or an umbrella. For 9$ they have a Mister at home depot, or your hose nozzle might have a Mister. Here is a picture of the Mister.

I have large umbrellas etc. to shade TA... Thanks!

Cool nozzle Sam! We have a plain nozzle on our hose but it sprays well...

I noticed again that Earthsongs bloom opens wide then closes again later in the day... How cool is that! lol

I never seen petals on a rose close back up after they already opened flat...

Sam, I agree with Jim, beautiful pics! Would have loved to visit there too.

That is a really really really pretty pink Jim. :) I am assuming that maybe it will last a little longer since it keeps playing open/close with you.

Wow! That Saratoga park is majestic, I like that walkway with white column, and the rock garden. And the red rose, and the cluster-pink rose. Thank you for posting, Sam, it's so enjoyable to see something new. I also enjoy Msgirl's variety of orchids ... orchids are way-more expensive than roses. My Dad's friend was into orchids, the old man would pay over one hundred dollars just for a big-orchid plant.

I like roses better since they have the fragrance. I got Excellenz von Schubert rose (thornless) from Burlington for $11, and it perfumes the front door .. everytime I get the mail, I could smell it, way-better than Gardenia.

Jim: Lucky you have plenty of phosphorus for BIG root on Thomas Affleck. Just talked to my neighbor who has HUGE bushes of hydrangeas ... she said they bloomed well last this. But really stingy this year. I told her we have a wet year, which leaches out calcium & potassium from the soil. Early in the spring I put tons of chikity doo-doo NPK 5-3--2 with 9% calcium. I meant to kill the stringy weeds around my hydrangea bush .. and was surprise to see my hydrangea doubled in width, plus tons of blooms. I put about 4 cups around my hydrangea bush, since that stuff is cheap at $8 for 25 lbs. bag. That stuff stinks really bad, so I can't use it when there's no rain.

Below is Excellenz von Schubert rose. VERY DISEASE-RESISTANT, I never see a black spots for the past 3 years. It's a big & thornless bush, 3 feet x 3 feet if not trimmed. I never water that one, and fertilized it only once in spring. It has only 4 hours of sun.

One of the reason why I promote roses is: so much better than invasive perennials. I shudder when I think how much pain it was to get rid of English Ivy (one week of work, 5 hours a day). Or pink yarrow (one month of work, 2 hours a day). Or Zebra (striped grass), 4 hours of work, plus getting 2 neighbors to dig up the monster-root.

I still have this invasive Rose of Sharon (white) which self-sow zillions of baby-plants, see below: It will be a real-pain digging the Mommy up, plus the zillions babies. The last time we dug up a Rose of Sharon bush: I broke my shovel getting it out, so hubby took over with his pick-ax. He spent over one-hour hacking the root out. Then I came back, to spend another 1/2 hour getting all the tiny roots out. I have to remind myself NOT to get roses grafted on Dr. Huey, it would be a nightmare compare to tiny own-root. Hubby doesn't want to kill the below (he dreads the work) .. So I have to figure how to shave the outer bark, so winter can kill it gradually.

Hubby chopped down the sand-cherry tree, but there's a stump left. I pour 1 gallon of vinegar on the root, but I don't think I kill it yet. I pour vinegar on dandelions, and see them sprouting up again. So I will have to boil gallons of hot water, to pour over the sand cherry. Total amount of work to clean up the branches yearly: 3 hours, the storms here constantly shed branches from trees. I killed a much smaller evergreen tree by boiling water and poured over the roots. It took 3 times of doing that, before I killed it. My neighbor had a hard time killing Dr. Huey-root stock, so she poured gasoline on it, and put a garbage lid over. That worked, but destroyed her soil.

Gasoline definitely not good for soil or soil life... yeeeeeeeeee!

I killed a massive woody weed once with hot water!

I never had luck with hydrangea bush. It was suppose to bloom on old & new wood but 3 years of nothing! Hey hydrangea meet Mr Shovel...lol

I hope the sun isn't too tough on TA newly moved rose. A cool mist for 15 minutes might help. Whenever the soil is disturbed plants don't like it.

Jim

Did TA get any pruning during the move? Paul Zimmerman has a video for when you have to move a rose during the season. ?

http://paulzimmermanroses.com/care/everything-else/moving-a-rose-during-the-growing-season/

He says prune and expect some leave droops. For a few weeks. TA is drinking water through a smaller roots.

Elaine Ingham says when you prune the plant puts out exudates to the soil organisms at the roots.

Every thing I am growing is doing good. I don't have as many big blooms like Straw but I have some. I am happy. Neighbor and Wilbur Le and I are going to get the load of fall compost with manuer and clay today 8/25/2015 . I am excited, because the soil I am getting, it looks just like the ground at the Saratoga rose garden.

I don't understand why my lupines are so finicky and small. I don't know if I should cover the them with some leaves like I do with the roses. Probably not though.

Actually I have been experimenting with transplants over the past year + and now can move rose bushes without leaf drop or having to trim them much even in warmer weather...

Most articles say to move rose bush and water, water, water! Well that causes all the leaves to drop here so now I only moisten the soil just alittle bit and they do much better! After it gets more re-established in 3 weeks or so then I'll give it more water...

EARTHSONG THIS MORNING:

BUD ON PRAIRIE HARVEST:

THOMAS AFFLECK EARLY THIS MORNING:

Nice I was worried. But I see you will be OK. You pick up the root ball and keep the dirt mostly intact?

Hi Sam: Regarding what you wrote: "I don't understand why my lupines are so finicky and small. I don't know if I should cover the them with some leaves like I do with the roses .." I checked on lupines and one site got it wrong: "cannot grow in clay". Bull, my Mom had slightly acidic clay and she grew the most gorgeous bed of lupines, more blooms than leaves. Her land used to be a chicken-farm, so her soil is high phosphorus & potassium. Her tomatoes are really short, but tons of fruits. Lupines are in the legume family, they fix nitrogen. The key to lupines is ZERO NITROGEN, but give it phosphorus and potassium. I think lupines can benefit from leaves, since lupines like it cool and moist. Also when the soil pH is very acidic, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium are less available, so liming to a neutral pH would help to release those 3 nutrients for blooming.

Here's an excerpt from below link:

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/lupine/growing-lupines.htm

To encourage blooms, fertilize lupines with a plant food that is high in phosphorus. Nitrogen rich fertilizer may encourage growth of the foliage and do little to promote flowering.

The lupine plant fixes nitrogen in the soil and is a great addition to your vegetable garden or any area where nitrogen loving plants will be grown. A member of the pea family, the lupines are beneficial in many ways.

Thanks for the info on lupines.

I think mine are just building roots. The lupines are only a foot tall and 18" wide.

First off I water the rose bush 1-2 days before digging it up so its very hydrated... I dig a hole at the new location and fill with water and let it soak in... The soil I took out of the planting hole I do not water because usually its already nice and moist. I dig up entire rootball and get as much of the roots as I can intact... Replant and fill planting hole back in with soil... Then in about 3 weeks or until I see it looking stable I'll give it a good watering...

Straw, I think Sam has more Loamy soil and not clay.... I think?

Yes my bed where the lupines are is rich. It is acidic.

I'll have to research lupines more Sam as I no little about them. If I find anything interesting I'll let you know...

While being in the transplanting mode I decided to move some of my sisters small mini rose bushes more closer together rather than them being all over the place...lol

So one rose bush is still in it's original location... Three are now planted closer to each other in one location... Planted 15 inches apart on centers...I think this will be ok...

There is a need for bacteria in the soil to go in the nodules on the roots of the lupines. I probably don't have them to much in my soil . There maybe more fungal mycoryzaie. And I have to get some bio inoculation for the soil to help. They are going along slowly for now. I will get somemore different lupines next year. And then get the inoculant too.

First bloom of The Pilgrim

Mystery mini

Step away from the shovel Jim ... you've been using it a lot lately :p

Hopefully your lupine get better Sam!

Straw, none of my roses have a lasting strong scent ... Distant Drums and Grande Dame are strong on the bush but don't retain strong scent in the vase.

Ha-ha easy cowboy. Don't be a Rambo. Ha-ha. Step away from the shovel . so funny. Msdorkgirl I like your pictures but I like the joke better.

I was worried there for a minute when Jim started getting in shovel mode.

Best wishes with those lupines Sam!

Step-away-from-the-shovel.... LOL.....Good one msdorkgirl!

Nice pics msdorkgirl! Thanks for sharing I always enjoy looking at your pics!

HONEYBEE ON BLOOM:

Ha the rose forum is divided between the pest side post and the birdbath post

Thanks, Sam, for the update on the "other rose forum".

Jim: I love your honeybee pictures. Honeybee never bite me in my 50+ years of gardening, that includes my Mom's 5-acres in Michigan. But wasp is nasty. My husband got bitten recently, thanks to my planting too many marigolds. Wasp really like marigolds, more so than bees. Bees really like fragrant roses, and my garlic chives' flowers.

We can't take Mr. Shovel away from Jim, that's Jim's best friend. I suggest that Jim moves the babies AGAIN closer to the Mommy (his sister's bush). The babies may miss their Mommy and cry all night. Ha! Ha!

Msgirl: thanks for the info. about scents, it's very important to me. The Old Garden Roses scent lasts forever in the vase. So does Firefighter, smells good until the petals fall apart. So do certain Austin roses: Radio Times, Mary M., Evelyn, Christopher Marlowe, Golden Celebration, Sharifa Asma. Hybrid tea scents are stronger in hot weather: double-delight scent goes away when the weather is cool. One exception: Oklahoma smells strong for a long time in the vase. I had Oklahoma bloom in a vase for 5 days, and I can smell it one foot away.

At 5 o'clock the pile of soil will be delivered I'll show you pictures haha

3 yards 60 bucks

Ok Sam on your pile of soil getting delivered later... Pics!

Straw I don't mind wasps as they eat our huge rose slugs... But yes I've been stung roughly 5 times my entire life and all were by wasps...

yeah shovels my best bud...lol

Our bees actually will visit roses/flowers daily here whether there fragrant or not...Give them clear excess to the stamen of the flower and there happy...lol

Well I got all the roses where I want them now! Next year I'll plant Carefree Celebration, Plum Perfect, and maybe one other rose then I'm probably done...

I broke out the edger which is my second best garden friend ...lol

I needed to widen this space to put roses in next year....

Looks nice. More roses you get, less you have to mow.

Is T A drooping? Hope not. The soil man said anything he transplant died on him trees , plants, shrubs.

Jim what was the thing I was supposed to ask him? I forgot about what we were talking about the other day.

Here is a pic of Wilbur Le Neighbor to show the 3 yards of soil. It is good and greasy. Some spilled on next door lawn . That's okay I raked it in it will help the lawn.

As careful as I was TA is still drooping...You win some you lose some...I guess my technique is not perfected yet...lol... Luckily it will be cooler until Friday...Today only hit 70 degrees & mostly cloudy. Tomorrow the same...

I moved a D. Ko last August and all the leaves fell off but its fine...lol

I moved a D. Ko in May and it bloomed shortly after and never drooped at all...lol

Wow is that soil Sam? Or compost? Looks great! Lots of it!

Ask him? hummmm thinking....lol... I forget too!

Right now I am going to take a bucket of this new compost and spread it on the lupin s , water it in, maybe they will get the bacteria they are looking for. I need some Rhizobian bacteria.

That compost looks good, 3 yards for $60 is great bargain. Here the cypress mulch is $40 per yard, that's years ago. Thanks, Sam, for the pics of flowers in your garden. I don't have Heritage nor MayFlower so I enjoy seeing them. I love the deep colors of your cosmos. I used to have cosmos but the colors were faded pink in my alkaline clay, and I'm allergic to them (cosmos is related to ragweed). Wilbur is a delight to see, I wish I have a miniature stuffed-animal that looks like Wilbur to enjoy. My kid is into cats so I will have buy her a stuffed cat. We gave away her BIG stuffed-cat, but I'll get her a tiny one for her upcoming birthday. Your Mayflower is so big & lots of petals on that one.

"Greasy" is good stuff. Salmon bits is greasy (high in Omega-3 fatty acids), but that gave 120+ blooms per flush on Bailey's Young Lycidas. To get shiny & glossy foliage, the fatty acids in cracked corn really helped with the shine on the leaves. To make such BIG blooms with zillion petals, more energy is required. What gives energy? Chemicals alone? No, I can't imagine sending someone to work with a drink laced with chemicals. I would send something substantial: fats & protein & fiber keep a person full, and it helps to give energy for roses too. Alfalfa is high in protein, fiber, plus some fat. Fish meal is high in protein, high in fat. Cracked corn is very good in producing zillion petals: that's high in protein, fat, fiber, and minerals. Red-lava-rock is solid, if there's acidic rain to break down, same with pea-gravel: solid minerals, if there's rain to break down.

Fish meal is fast to break down, that works great for alkaline-tap for Bailey in LA. Fish-emulsion is even faster, since it has acid added. Acidic Cracked corn and alfalfa pellets broke down too fast in acidic rain, and gave my roses black spots, due to the release of acids. For acidic rain, I use ALKALINE & slower-released like red-lava-rock for potassium, and pea-gravel for a vast array of minerals. Below is Excellenz Von Schubert that Seaweed in CA grew In full-sun, fertilized with fish emulsion. Seaweed uses Gardner & Bloom organic potting soil for EVS rose, it blooms lots for her, despite her low annual rainfall of 11" per year:

Here's the ingredients in Gardner & Bloom potting soil for the above pot that Seaweed used: "INGREDIENTS: Recycled forest products, bark fines, peat moss, perlite, sand, composted chicken manure, alfalfa meal, bone meal, oyster shell & dolomite limes (as pH adjusters), worm castings, bat guano, kelp meal."

http://www.kellogggarden.com/products/gborganics/soils/?s=rose-flower-planting-mix

When you spreading your compost Sam? Hopefully the compost perks up your lupines...

Yes thanks for sharing those pics Sam!

Here's a pic of Thomas Affleck this morn... still droopy a bit...cool cloudy day right now with a temp of 64 degrees...

Jim: That's a big bush. You did a good job replanting it. Your soil looks good & nice and fluffy.

Next year I am going to try to get the bradyrhizobium inoculant for my lupines.

TA roots are settling. I hope he makes it through the earthquake he just experienced.

95th comment Jim

I really like your Heritage, Sam, I like the rounded petals, like Straw, I would be curious about the smell.

Guys and lawns ... but I do like how neat your edger makes things Jim. Your TA looks good to me!

I'm anxious to support the Austins, they are my prized roses right now for their beautiful multipetal form.

Wow nice ones.

I adore your blooms, Msgirl ... that's the type of blooms I enjoy. Happy Child is awesome. Hey Sam: how do you like your Heritage's scent? I'm enjoying Comte de Chambord .. everyone should have one, that perfumes the entire room. I gave that blood meal recently, so I can bend the canes down to root and make babies. Jim, time for a new thread .. and new locations for your roses ?? Ha! Ha! just kidding.

I'll start a new thread but no more roses getting moved...lol

Luckily its cooler today again for Thomas Afleck looks like it starts heating back up on Friday 78 degrees and after that into the 80's...