Archive for the Category »flower gardens «
If you’ve tried growing roses in our cold northern climate, only to have them die, you may have given up. But don’t, as there are many varieties that are hardy and will survive with little care.
The most common problem in choosing roses is trying to grow all the latest hybrids you see advertised in the glossy magazines and catalogs. Most of these are modern hybrids, and are only marginally hardy in the warmest parts or warm microclimates on your property.
These small areas of warmer temperatures might be in front of a south facing wall or side of a building, or on a south facing slope.
Of the so-called “modern roses” (those developed since what many consider the first hybrid tea rose ‘La France’ in 1867), the ones most commonly seen in garden centers and through mail order include hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniatures, and climbers.
Another five classes of roses are in the “modern” group, of which the shrub and rugosa hybrids are often hardy. Even though these latter ones were first developed in the late 1800s, many selections have been developed since then which are available now.
Of these selections, several series are seen in our area. The Explorers were developed in Ottawa at the Experiment Station and are named after famous Canadian explorers. The Parkland series was developed in western Canada at the Morden Experiment Station and carries names such as Morden Centennial.
The Meidiland series is from France, and usually has “Meidiland” in the name, such as Meidiland Pink. Then there are the David Austin English garden roses, beautiful and fragrant and fairly resistant to diseases, but most in this series are not hardy in most of Vermont.
The 15 or so classes of “old garden roses” mainly were developed prior to 1867. These classes and groupings of old and modern roses may differ slightly with each rosarian (or rose fancier) and reference. Of these, the ones that are most hardy for our area include the albas, gallicas, damasks, and centifolias.
People have grown roses for many centuries and for many reasons. Today we grow roses mainly for the beauty they bring to our yards and homes. But in centuries past, the rose was revered for its value as food and medicine, as well as its beauty.
It is questionable whether the quaint prescriptions found in early manuscripts and printed herbals for concoctions such as “melroset” and “syrop of roses” would actually “strengthen the heart and taketh away the shaking and trembling thereof.” But it has been proven that rose hips are a superb source of vitamin C, having a much higher content than citrus fruit.
During World War II when imports of citrus products were limited, rose hips became especially popular in Great Britain. Volunteers spent many hours gathering hips from hedge rows for making rose hip syrup for the Ministry of Health to distribute.
Besides being healthful, rose hips offer the adventurous cook a strange and different ingredient.
However, U must never use the hips of any rose bush treated with pesticide that is not clearly ;abeled as safe for food crops.
This somewhat spherical fruit of the rose, usually red in color, is seldom allowed to develop on our modern roses. However, the old-fashioned shrub types, such as the rugosas, bear them abundantly.
Rose hips have a tangy, yet sweet, flavor and can be used fresh, dried, or preserved. The simplest use is to steep them for tea. Rose hip syrup, puree, jam, jelly, and sauce can be used as is or as a flavoring in other recipes. The hips are usually left on the bush until after the first frost, which makes them turn bright red and slightly soft.
To prepare, trim off the blossom and stem ends with scissors, cut in half lengthwise, remove the tiny hairs and seeds in the center, and rinse. Never use aluminum utensils or pans as they tend to destroy the vitamin C.
To dry hips, simply spread the prepared halves in a single layer on screening or trays and place in a dehydrator, an oven set on the lowest setting, or in a dark, dry, well-ventilated place. Store in glass jars in a dark, cool place.
By June the big push is over. You probably have most of your garden planted, except perhaps for tender transplants and sequential plantings of crops like lettuce, and now it’s time to start maintaining what you’ve put in.
This means staying on top of the weeding and watering. A good rule of thumb for watering both vegetable and flower gardens is to provide one inch of water a week, if the rain doesn’t do it. It’s better to soak the soil around plants heavily every few days rather than watering lightly to encourage deep rooting.
Try not to water in the evenings or late in the afternoon as this promotes foliar diseases because leaves stay wet all night. As plants grow older and get larger, they will require more water, especially as the weather gets hotter. If you garden on sandy soils, you may need to water nearly every day if there is a long period of time with no rain
If you planted thickly, thin rows of carrots, beets, and other vegetables and flowers when plants are still small to avoid damage to the roots. Allowing adequate space between plants provides better air circulation and helps prevent disease infestations.
You also need to be vigilant about checking for insect pests. Cutworms, for example, are a threat to newly transplanted seedlings of melon, tomato, cole crops, and cucumber.
Placing a cardboard collar around the base of the plant (one inch in the soil and two inches above) will discourage these pests. Other pests to watch for include cabbage worms, cabbage root maggots, and flea beetles.
If you have had problems with these pests in past years, consider placing floating row covers over your young crops before these pests appear.
In mid-June, when the soil has warmed up, apply a thick layer of straw, leaves, or black plastic mulch to control weeds and retain moisture. Weed the area well before laying down mulch.
You can lay newspapers (at least 10-sheet thickness) under mulch or between rows to help with weed control. The paper will lay down easier if wetted first. Avoid colored or glossy paper. Regular newsprint contains soy-based inks, which should cause no problems in gardens.
If you don’t have a compost pile, this is a good time to start one for next year’s garden. Locate your pile in a convenient spot near your garden. The proximity to the planting area makes it easy to add compost to the soil in a year or two, when the pile has completely decomposed.
You can add any organic materials to the pile–leaves, straw, hay, or vegetable matter–but avoid diseased vegetable plants, grass clippings that were treated with herbicides, bones, and greasy kitchen scraps.
You may want to enclose the pile with wire fencing to stop materials from blowing away and to keep the pile looking neat.
