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Re: Great rose site

Happy Valentines Day all!

Have you thought about all the rosebushes that shuddered as the clippers
were used to rob them of their buds for this holiday?  Seriously, I
think that Valentine's day probably did more to make people aware of the
beauty and longivety of roses than it did for any other flower.  That,
in turn probably brought many people to the realization they could grow
their own roses and enjoy them even longer.

As I look back I remember the first roses I recieved from someone and
with them came the instructions for starting my own plants.  It was a
lady from Kentucky who was blessed not only with a green thumb but all
her digits had to be green for the success she had in plant propagation.

She had the flowers in a fruit jar and had cut fairly long stems and
stripped the lower leaves from the stem.  She told me to use my own vase
for the flowers.  I was to cut the top half of the stem, with the flower
intact and put it in the vase.  I was to make a new cut at the bottom of
the remaining piece of stem and then use the knife handle to bruise the
cut end.  I was to place the bruised end in the ground deep enough to
cover the second leaf node about 2 inches.  The site was to be light but
not sunny.  Then I was to place the fruit jar upside down over the
portion of the stem which rose above the ground, push on the bottom of
the jar to seat it well in the soil and water well around the jar. 
This  was to be inspected daily and the jar lifted for a short while
each day when it was quite warm.  I did all that and got into trouble
because I had a fruit jar in the yard.  Got out of trouble when I told
of it's source and my plans for lots of rose bushes.  I had planted
about a half dozen branches under the jar.  The lady came and checked
them some time later and pointed out which ones were plump and happy and
which were shriveled and should be discarded.  Eventually I had 3 rooted
roses.  The jar was removed in late summer and in late fall leaves were
heaped around the new plants and they were put to bed for the winter. 
The next spring only 2 plants were there and they were still in the
spots we transplanted them to,  when I left Wisconsin to come to
Washington.  I never knew what happened to the other bush as there was
no trace it had ever existed.

My soil was more acid than the soil is here and the summers not as hot
and dry as there are here so I am sure that is why I had more success
than I expect here.  I also believe the older the plant the hardier it
is likely to be and the more tenacious.

I like the miniature roses and have ordered some more of them this year.
They require alot of deadheading if you do not prune them way back.  I
am not usually able to bring myself to prune them as severely as I
should but always think I will the next year.

Patti <prw@televar.com>
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