I never feed my roses when planting only thing they get is myco fungi sprayed on the roots I wait until I see them leading out to apply food . That’s me

Nick - I just toss two handfuls of pellets around each rose. Although they seem tough and dense, they breakdown easily even without rain. I get mine from a local Northern California feed store too.

Ann

Great minds think alIke lol...only $12 for 50lbs at my local TS.

I will dump it into a 95gal bin, let it set for a week, put some kelp extract and liquid fertilizer for the roses first feeding. When they get their 1st drink, they will jump out of the ground :-)

Ben we think alike . I guess that’s why your roses attract my eyes so much lol your my rose twin ... I notice we even use the same spraying stuff lol tragic

Ben do you add water to the bin ?

Ben provide me with a how much of how much is needed . Thank you friend

Hi Kenneth,

Lol, we’re both beyond Dr Phil’s help.

I put all 50 lbs into my 95 gal recycling bin and fill it almost to the brim, and wait about a week. I don’t think you have to be too accurate with the concentation, each rose will get 1/2 to 1 gal , depending on the size of the plant.

I think either tea or direct ground works for alfalfa, but the tea gets to the plant faster, so I like it to give an initial spring jolt to the plant.

How much kelp you add ???

Im ocd with body bags ... I clean that wax offf asap !!! Look how pretty you would think edmunds sent me this lol

I use Palatine‘s powdered kelp which is very concentrated, just a 1/2 cup to the 95 gal . Again, I don’t think we need to be precise.

The body bag looks great, I see some big #1 grade in body bags. Tractor Supply strikes again , every time you post seems like you have a new plant. What variety?

Gold medal I lost the one from lowes so praying sir is because this is a beautiful bare root uff

Ah, yes, pellets look like they are a better buy at TS. I buy 50 lb. bales of alfalfa hay, which were only $12 one sale at Chewy, and deliverEd, which is a big help for me.

Lol, I’m at the Jax TS all the time...with all my critters, it’s now my go-to store. :-)

Good to know about the alfalfa hay. I mainly use alfalfa pellets for my bunnies & rose tea and only timothy hay for the bunnies, so I dont use much alfalfa hay right now but its good to know just in case I have a use for it.

I made Rabbit Manure Tea and put it in a 5gal bucket..its really like 1/2 rabbit droppings & 1/2 water..I put a lid on it to keep out the rain and set it behind the barn and forgot about it for a year!! Now I'm afraid to open it LoL!

Ive been trying to talk dh or one of the kids to do it but no one else want to do it either because you know its ripe by now lol!!

I've only used the hay to make both tea and to put in the planting hole to give the roots a boost. I also use alpaca and turkey manure. The Alpaca manure can be used right away, but the turkey people are so nice.... they give stuff that's been there a long while. I'd get cow manure, but I'd have to shovel it myself and it's enough work as is emptying the truck into 5 gallon buckets. I may try the pellets this year for those I've already planted.

I had no idea Chewy had alfalfa! I order pet supplies from them, just never thought to check them for alfalfa. I’ve never actually used alfalfa tea, just a little alfalfa meal for a few young bands that needed a good start. I’m afraid to feed alfalfa to most of my roses. I might be swallowed up by all the giants!

JJ, I’m haphazard about feeding too. If your roses are doing great, they must be getting plenty of nutrients from your soil. I don’t dare feed my Mel’s Heritage, and I couldn’t hope for more blooms than I already get. A few of my roses do like food, like Evelyn and Abe Darby, but they only get it occasionally. I have dense clay soil that is very rich. It holds water and nutrients very well. I DO use compost as much as possible. They all like that. BTW, don’t worry about leaving bare roots soak. As long as the temps are cool, they will be fine. I’m not willing to say how long I’ve had to let bare roots soak in the past, but I’ll just say they can soak a LONG time without a problem. Lol

I’m way behind on this thread. It’s moving so fast that its gotten away from me.

Jim, I’m so sorry. Been there myself. Even when you suspect something, it’s still a punch in the gut when you get confirmation. I’m truly sorry, and know the gamut of emotions you’re likely to feel. I know how difficult it is, no matter what the circumstances are. Please know life will get better. I couldn’t see that myself when I was in your situation with two toddlers, but happier times will return. You just keep doing what’s right, and you will be fine in the end. ♥️

Diane and Flowers, I hope you’re both feeling better. It’s good to see you back, Diane. Now that I’ve seen you post- Do these look like Dara seedlings to you?

There’s plenty of Lauren’s Dark Grape Poppies mixed in. I know I need to thin these out. (Just add it to my endless list.) I’m almost sure these are Dara seedlings. Wouldn’t you know it? Of all the seeds I planted, these are all around the single plant I bought from Annie’s last year. This is how I justify paying $5.95 plus tax and shipping for a single 4”annual. I’m willing to pay for an annual when it will reseed for me. The seeds nature plants often do so much better than what I plant. I’m going to have to go that route with larkspur. I can’t get them to sprout here. Too warm, I guess.

Kristine, Azalea just gets cuter and cuter! I love “watching” her grow.

Anyone see anything from Trish, lately? I think this might be a very difficult time for her and her daughter and friend. I’m thinking of you all Trish.

Not much going on around here. We’re in desperate need of rain, which might come tomorrow or Monday. I’m getting tired of this watering all of January and now into February. My roses really need some rainwater. Nothing brings out the new growth here like rain does. I so want the rain for Ingrid’s roses, too. She needs it to make greenery for the critters to eat, instead of her roses. Lisa

Lisa, Trish has 'liked' some posts on other threads, so she is reading, at least.

First of all, sultry, if you will fly me out to your place, I will be happy to open that bucket. At my age, nothing grosses me out, even that random mirror reflection of my sorry self. I'm thinking that if the bucket mixture is through rotting down, the smell will be gone, and you should have some rich, concentrated fertilizer on your "hands" (figuratively speaking of course). I refuse to do all this tea making and witches brew making for my roses. They should be pampering me, the ingrates.

Lisa, a short while back, I had an email from Trish, which I answered, and she answered again, saying things were OK, though her daughter's situation is up in the air. I'll let her tell all of us if she's reading this. I read that Australia is having rain, and it's really wiping out the fires. Yippee! You look like you have Dara and the poppies there. I guess Dara is closely related to Queen Ann's Lace, which is invasive. I have a ton of Dara seedlings that are growing bigger by the week. Cold weather doesn't faze them, and the plants I left in the ground are acting like perennials with green coming up from the bases. Argggh it's an invasion, and I have gathered seed in the garage--all for about $3.00. Aren't I lucky--hahaha. Lots of drizzly rain and melted snow is here, and everything is a muddy mess. We're running over double our average precipitation for this year, and for the past 12 months. Since our annual precip of snow, rain, etc, is 10 inches, that's not saying much.

I agree with Ken about old Karma, Jim--she has struck your wife, unfortunately, but you will carry on and grow stronger, I know. I just want all this to get over with so you can garden in peace.

Kristine, yes, Azalea is darling--she can make a helmet look darn good. She could start a big fashion trend, and we'd all be wearing helmets.

Great looking body bag rose, Ken. We're a long ways up here from doing any planting, but the roses are green with many having leaf buds and some new leaves. Diane

Hey BenT! My Sweet Mademoiselle is finally gone! I feel like singing “Ding dong, the witch is dead, the witch is dead!” Lisa

Diane, I’m so glad to have you confirm that my seedlings look like Dara. I grow so many things from seed that have fine, frilly, foliage that I’ve been fooled into thinking I’ve successfully germinated Dara and Larkspur before. Later they show themselves to be something else. It’s taken me two years to finally get Dara seedlings! I’m so glad I bought that single plant. Thank you. Lisa

Since I had a chance today, and it’s sunny outside, I looked at my roses this afternoon, they’re all looking good, but pruning is going to be overwhelming in a few weeks! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many canes on so many different roses! I’m hoping that means lots of beautiful spring blooms!

Diane, haha I'm sure you are as lovely as your daughter and grandddaughters! I'm not so afraid to open it from smell as I am it might squirt out everywhere..who knows what's going on in there? lol..I will wait another month after these new Austins get settled in and top them off with the Poo Brew.

Lisa, Now you have that song going through my head Ding dong the witch is dead..and I kinda hate that song for some reason lol.

What new lovely rose did you replace Sweet Mademoiselle with?

I tried to plant Dara last year but I think it was too warm here already. I have a seed pack still, I think its supposed to be chocolate colored.

Thanks Lisa!

I'm doing well in spite of everything that's going on Lisa...Keeping my head up! :-)

Great, Jim. Karma will reward you for your positive attitude. I hope your nice weather keeps up.

Ack, sultry, what an awful thought. Maybe you could drape the bucket with a cloth, and ease the lid off while it is covered. I know we all want to see pics of the stuff--seriously. I do think Dara likes some cold. It's sort of a lavender-chocolate mix in my garden.

Granddaughter Clare will be having an art show of her work in April as part of her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree requirements. I am so excited. I will take pics! Diane

Oh sultry I was laughing about your bucket !! Oh my gosh a year ?! Just as gross , I once put my carpet Shampoo cleaner away without emptying the dirty water . I put it in our guest bathroom closet that we never used, you can’t begin to imagine the awful smell when I went to use it again !

Diane so happy to see you back !! Why can’t we use emojis so I can send you a heart .

Sara Ann , it is so much work pruning! And I feel like I’m personally going to mess it up . While I do it remember different rules and realize I may not have been doing them .. ugh .

Glad to hear you are doing well all in all jim ! Someone in my neighborhood still has the loveliest orange marigolds going on their porch . Just like your pics. Their yard always makes me smile .

Sultry I have all my correct roses coming from DA . I am wondering where my Edmunds roses are ?! I see nick got his . Hmph . Well that’s fine bc my buckets are full as it is .

Today I expanded my front rose bed. My husband wanted me to connect to the tree bed also . What do you think ? I need to step back and look tomorrow. I planted 3 up front , 3 in the back behind the bench then in my back yard I started my fence row of climbers . It’s going to be glorious but messy ! Lol it was wonderful having my husband home to hold the baby so I could plant uninterrupted. I need a grandma here so bad ! Any takers ?! Lol

Oops I didn’t take a good pic of the new bed yet . Tomorrow.

It felt amazing to garden full steam ahead today . I’ve been so frustrated with my husband working out of town and me not having a break . ( not Frustrated with him , just the week of not having him .) it sure was glorious to get to work and not have to stop. And he heated up the pool so after we were swimming while the baby napped . It felt wonderful!!

Well I need to do some online shopping now . I so enjoy these threads and wish I could chat to every single person ! :)

Where oh, where did all of those weeds come from??

2 hours, a small start but you have to start somewhere right

While I weeding I noticed that my new Violets pride has a bunch of new basals and beautiful new leaves. Everything is coming to life, especially those dang weeds

Every day for a couple hours and it should be looking better

That’s exciting, Kristine, seeing the new basals on Violet’s Pride!

Sultry, I did the same thing about a year ago...I made weed soup in a trash can, and parked it in a shady corner, where it got covered with Virginia creeper & potato vine, and became invisible. When I remembered it about a year later, we started cleaning that area out, and I was so afraid of opening it up! But it had mellowed and wasn’t very stinky at all. :-)

Lilyfinch, I called Edmunds' on Friday to inquire about what order was coming as I received an email from FedEx. I take it their system isn't user-friendly as the person tried to tell me multiple times nothing had shipped, and I only had one order, not three separate ones. Luckily I had my ducks in a row before calling with my order numbers etc ready, long story short, they are still waiting to receive roses to ship out orders, my guess is that's what is holding your order up as well.

Edmunds is so ghetto . I am really not feeling them lately you call them and it’s like they stuck in 1990s they never know anything , you have to school them as to what’s going on makes no sense .

Just a quick pop in to say the foam “logs” and “stone” are working out great! Here’s some pics and then back to the grind. Much love to you all!

I admire your positivity Jim. I do believe that life is full of challenges but there is no point of looking back. Everything happens for a reason, and you just deal with it and move on, no matter how painful it is at the present.

Katherine, I can't get over how great that looks!

Today it was beautiful in the 60s down south . Anybody play in dirt ?

Up here in West Virginia we saw a peak of sun around noon and the temps were in the mid 40s. It managed to melt that 5" of snow pretty quickly. I had a goat getting ready to kid and by the time she finally finished around 11:00pm it was pouring rain down. It continued all night and still this morning. I have water standing everywhere!! I'm beginning to worry about things rotting if they don't actually just freeze their new leaves Thursday and Friday nights when it's going to be in the teens!

Katherine, you are doing a beautiful job! So much attention to detail—I love it!

So did you plant, Kenneth? Can’t wait to see what you do with your new border.

It was gorgeous all weekend here in FL, so I played in the dirt a bit—mostly moving things around to make more room—-and still working on my bunny hutch. But feeling planting pressure with warmer weather on its way.

It‘s supposed to go up to 85 degrees F this week, so I guess we’re done with winter here. Usually there will be a week of winter again mid-March, and then back to summer. :-)

I just planted : dancing in the dark , over the moon & braveheart they were sitting in she shed this it stopped raining , check out this wall art I did with some of my pansies . I swear i love arts and crafts . Hope everyone is well

Kenneth. here is how much I love arts and crafts

My family went to fabulous resort in Mexico

I pretty much spent the entire time painting pottery while everyone was swimming and snorkeling

I had the best time . It was like going to camp

Uggh Kristine you really are my grandma ... I would of joined you every new state I visit I have a bad habit of ending up in a nursery or a rose garden . At this point I breathe flowers

Every place I go you can find me in the flora and fauna .

I went nuts in Hawaii

Lol Kristine !! Omg im itching for blooms already .

Surreal!!! That is my " just one more " rose. Lol Dang it is pretty!

I pruned 3 roses and pulled a patch of weeds

I think the time for pruning has finally come .

What is the middle rose ? It is beautiful as well

What beautiful roses you have Kenneth. Please let us know what the names are.

Pink - PAOK , cream yellow - Vanessa Bell

This is one is state of grace

Thanks Kenneth. State of Grace is my kind of rose. Love the different colours on the same rose.

And the bottom rose is Surreal . I love that rose so much and if not for Kenneth's pictures I wouldn't have looked twice at it in the catalogue. It is a Jackson and Perkins rose

Aaahh... my roses are still under snow...these photos are so wonderful to see! I guess I have enough other work to do that I should be glad I can't prune yet but I can just hardly wait to see blooms this year.

I am at a spending freeze as I want Marie Curie & Tequila Supreme from northland but have to wait till I home all my bare roots (35+) to see what room I have left as I’m not breaking ground in the front till fall . Oh the drama of being an ambitious rosarian .

NEW THREAD EVERYONE:

Click below:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5866888/winter-is-here-seasonal-thread-part-7

Thank you everyone for making these seasonal thread such a success!

Kenneth, I hate to be an enabler, but Tequila Supreme is a fantastic rose which I've always made a special trek to see at a regional garden ! Few of the pictures capture its effect en masse. The fragrance is mild, but discernible.