Re: question about KnockOut roses and overwintering

**N* S* <s*@earthlink.net>**

Nancy Lindley , owner of a nursery here in Michigan that grows only  
hardy own root roses,
counsels that roses are big time party girls - they like to eat and  
drink. Lindley say they need to be fed and
and watered on a regular basis unlike many perennials and shrubs that  
can fend for themselves once established.
An annual shovelful of compost won't do it . I give my roses a  
handful of organic fertilizer three to four times a year and I
water them well every couple of weeks. Not a lot of work for a summer  
full of blooms.
Nancy Szerlag
Michigan Zone 5
On Jun 15, 2008, at 11:39 AM, Hamptongar@aol.com wrote:

> Having not planted any roses in my own garden for more than 20  
> years I was
> tempted to try a new variety at our zone 5 garden (2000 feet high  
> and 140 avg.
> inches of snow) where the Japanese Beetles and deer seem to be  
> manageable.
> I queried the list a few years ago and the consensus was to try a  
> Knockout
> rose...no scent but virtually disease and insect free.  I planted  
> Radrazz  in
> the spring of 2006 and while I only got a couple of flowers I did  
> get some
> vegetative growth and thought I was well on my way.  Last year it  
> showed  now
> signs of breaking dormancy until late June and finally flowered in  
> early  August
> but I'd by no means call it a robust plant.  It seems to have over   
> wintered
> much better this year (no protection other than what we got from  
> the  snow) and
> it's about two feet tall now with more than a dozen buds.  Unlike   
> last year
> I've decided to feed it a bit as our soil is mostly clay and rock  
> with  meager
> amounts of organic matter...and yes, I did dig deep and wide  
> adding  plenty of
> compost and humus at planting.
>
> Still don't know how long it will survive  but it's pretty obvious   
> that it's
> virtually disease free and insect resistant.  Now if they could   
> only insert
> a scent gene...but fear that would doom its insect resistance.   I  
> refuse to
> mound it or give it any winter protection other than holding back  
> on  the
> fertilizer come August to harden it off.  It's not that I don't  
> believe  in those
> practices, it's just that I don't want to have to do that kind of  
> work  to
> insure that my garden and plants survive.
>
>
> Andrew Messinger
> The Hampton Gardener
>
> The Hampton Gardener is a Registered Trade  Mark
> (Published every Thursday in the Southampton Press, The Press and the
> Easthampton Press)
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Nancy Szerlag
Columnist for Detroit News
szerlag@earthlink.net
Check blog at www.gardeneryardener.blogspot.com

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