Top own root in clay

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

My own root plants seem to better here in the hard clay than Dr. Huey so far. My one multiflora from palatine seem very good also but I added 8 new ones this year so I’ll know for certain soon.

Own root top performers (growth and blackspot resistance).

Raspberry cream twirl, Mel’s heritage and Peggy Martin (all around 3 years old). I have many other but are too young to tell or have been recently moved. I moved 2 Quick Silvers to a sunny spot after Moses great reviews. They do not perform well at all in less than optimal sun here. Will update on how they do later in the year.

this plant is 3 years old, but I cut it down to the ground last spring after setting up the trellis. Great growth after a single season. Single stem on left is a separate plant that came up after the plant layered itself from being growing without support.

Mel's Heritage planted in gravel without amending. (I duged until I could see the clay and planted it)

RTC planted in gravel also with clay bellow. Removing the gravel was not an option as this is an area where we park cars all the time and was too nig of a project for me to do.

Featured Answer

charles kidder

3 years ago

Wow. I think clay gets a bad rap. It's really good at holding nutrients and water. But, it can get really hard and difficult to dig into when dry. Once roots get into it, plants seem to love it.

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Comments (12)

librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
3 years ago
So lovely, Dianela.
dianela7analabama thanked librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
dianela7analabama
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you very much Librarian! They are excellent varieties.
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Karen Service
3 years ago
Dianela, if someone ever wrote a book on iconic climbing roses of the southeast, these roses should be on pages 1, 2 and 3 and they should use your photos for the illustrations. Wow!
dianela7analabama thanked Karen Service
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
3 years ago
These are beautiful, Dianela!
dianela7analabama thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
3 years ago
Those roses look terrific Dianela! Here in California I see lots of folks putting a thick layer of gravel atop their roses, and even after many years those plants look fine. Makes me wonder if all my work of topping with compost, mulch, various nutrients is really necessary (but I still do it).
dianela7analabama thanked BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
3 years ago
Your roses are all beautiful. Your RCT is divine. I need to move mine already because its at the end of a carport and keeps getting bumped and broken branch tips due to rambunctious kids and hubby lol.

Good to know about the own root and clay! We have a sandy loam here but about 18-20 inches down, its orange clay. Some parts of the property has more clay than others. The clay gets redder the further north towards the (FL/AL or FL/GA Line) one travels from here. We can pound in T posts and not have to use cement as long as we go a few ft deep.
dianela7analabama thanked sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
3 years ago
Ben, the thick gravel always seemed silly to me. If anything, you garden will be easier to weed with soft, happy soil.
dianela7analabama thanked librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
dianela7analabama
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you very much everyone for such nice comments. The clay at my other property which is only a few miles away is more loose sandy clay. The clay at this lake place is very deep in color and so hard even with my tractor I have a very hard time digging. Many of the grafted Austin’s have not done well here.

I think nice soft soil with mulch would be ideal for rose beds but the gravel does seem to stop some of the weeds from growing.
Moses, Pitt PA, cold W & warm/humid S z6
3 years ago
Impressive beyond words! Inspiring!

Moses
susan9santabarbara
3 years ago
Holy cow, Dianela!
summercloud -- NC zone 7b
3 years ago
Wow! Those roses look amazing. The way you've covered your shed with beauty is inspiring--I need to do the same. I'm in piedmont NC and it's all red clay here. I had some roses doing poorly in the front so I moved them to the side, where it's all wet red clay--and they are thriving!