Re: Speaking of roses
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Re: Speaking of roses
- From: M* H*
- Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 08:41:16 -0700
Hi all
I live in Ukiah Ca., a similar climate to Michael's. I grow many old roses
and do not water them much after the first two years. I do water repeat
bloomers more often(like once a month, deeply), but not the once bloomers.
I find that they succeed very well once established and planted with a good
mulch to smother weeds and preserve what moisture they get. Living in
town, i no longer cope with deer, though occasionally they do come down the
street and have a nosh. I actually believe that diseases like powdery
mildew and blackspot are reduced by getting the plants on a more natural
watering cycle. I grow damasks, albas, noisettes, rugosas, hybrid chinas,
and bourbons.
Regards--Madelin
At 05:33 PM 05/13/2000 PDT, you wrote:
>My question to the list concerns any experience any of you might have
>in establishing and growing roses in similar circumstances. In this
>case the elevation is 2500 feet, temperature maximums in the 100*F range in
>July and August, a low of about 12*F winter before last, but
>more usually with winter lows in the 20's F. Rainfall is about 30-40"
>per annum, usually falling between November and May. The soil is a fairly
>heavy clay, but in the mixed wooded area surrounding the house that has not
>been scraped and leveled by bulldozer, there's a good
>accumulation of forest litter from the oak, pine, cedar,and madrone,
>that form the overstory. I'm guessing it's been about a hundred years since
>the site was last disturbed by logging/ mining.
>
>There are a number of small open areas from old roads, powerline cuts, and
>who-knows-what other reasons that appear to me to be potentially
>viable for roses. The deer, of course, are voracious feeders and famous for
>valuing the taste of the rosaceae, including apples, which
>I also grow. So I am prepared to provide wire caging for the first couple
>of years, as well as supplemental irrigation until the plants are
>established. I'm guessing my best bet is to plant roses that will
>grow high enough that the deer can't reach them or aggressively enough
>that it won't matter if they browse a little.
>
>
>If you have any experience that might seem relevant(negative experience is
>also quite valuable) in growing roses in a mediterranean
>climate with similar or less rainfall without supplemental irrigation
>once established, I would appreciate hearing from you. Of particular
>interest would be the sort of rose with which you have had success
>or failure (e.g. Tea, damask, species) and its situation, cultivar
>name if available, tricks or techniques you've used in getting it
>established or known history if it predates your arrival, and a brief
>description of its size and habit with you (large lax shrub, monstous
>thorny gorilla, climbs forty feet into nearby pine tree - that sort of
>thing). If you don't have the time right now, save this and respond to me
>privately when you can. Quite often this is the case with me, by the time I
>get caught up with a week's worth of digests it seems the list discussion
>has move on to another topic.
>
>
>Thanks very much,
>Michael Larmer
>Sacramento, California
>
>
>
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>
