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Roses are many gardeners’ favorite flowers. It has taken a bit for me to grow a good rose but with time and killing a few bushes I have a nice rose garden.
photo credit: *clairity*

One rose I have always wanted is a rose that grew at the farm where I grew up. It’s been there so long no one know what variety it is but it is an old fashioned heirloom rose. It’s so delicate and the fragrance is unbelievable!

So I have taken a few cutting from the bush and plan to start a few of my own bushes.

There is a small trick to growing roses from cuttings that will give you a successful cutting and plant every time.

The trick is in when to take the rose cutting.

With your thumb, gently push sideways against the green thorns on the shoot you are considering cutting.

·  If the thorn bends over and doesn’t easily come away from the shoot,
the cutting is too green. It will not root easily.
·  If the cutting resists and doesn’t release easily, it is too woody. At this stage the thorn may even stick you.  Again this cutting will not root well.
·  However, if the thorn will not bend and will suddenly release from the shoot with a little pop with a medium amount of pressure, the cutting is at the perfect stage for a successful cutting to be made.

This time is roughly when the flower buds start to open up on the first flush of blossoms.

Rose Tips:

Spraying rose cuttings with an anti-desiccant works very well to assist in the rooting process. Why? Because it stops the cutting from losing moisture.

Growing roses from cuttings taken in the morning are more successful than those clipped later in the day. There is less plant stress or water stress early in the morning.

I use a liquid rooting hormone and a sandy soil mixture that will allow the roots to grow easily. A clay soil or rocky soil will not work well. Many people mix peat into a potting soil mix.

Bottom heat is almost a necessity for fast healthy rose clipping roots. I used a heat mat with a temperature of 72F to keep the shoots warm. I also use warm water when watering and misting any plant. Cold water gives a plant shock and that is bad for any plant. Room temperature water is always the best.

Roots should appear after four weeks. Do not jiggle the rose cutting – it disturbs the roots that are forming and will slow the process and perhaps even kill the root. Treat your rose cuttings like any other shrub or woody cutting

You’ll know you’ve been successful when the rose cutting starts growing new leaves.
photo credit: ripplestone garden

My grandmother could root roses in a glass of water, but I have never had luck doing this.

The difference between roses grown from cutting and roses that have been grafted is that grafted roses are hardier and will flower more. The tenderer a rose is the harder it is for them to be over-wintered.

But if you have an old heirloom rose that you cannot identify a cutting may be you only choice.

And if you decide to graft a rose this information should help you, grafting roses.

Technorati Tags: flowers, growing roses, Roses, starting a rose cutting

Late summer or early fall is a wonderful time for buying annual and perennial flowers.

photo credit: SearchNetMedia

I spent $10 today and came home with an entire car full of plants. I picked up 17 different varieties of annuals and several annuals can be over-wintered. I also have 6 varieties of perennials and 8 varieties of herbs.

Annual flowers are almost out of season so garden centers offer discount prices. The flowers may be stunted from being in a pot that have prohibited root growth but if the plant looks healthy you can pick up flowers to make new container gardens or add more color to your backyard or gardens areas.

I will take off any bad leaves or broken stems and re-pot the plants into containers. This way I can set the flowers up in an area that is protected form the colder weather I will soon have in my Zone 5 area. I can also move the containers indoors or onto the patio  in case of frost in late fall. This will extend my flowers.

One of my favorite annual plants to pick up at a reasonable price at this time of year is the Geranium. I will cut the plant down and start new plants from the cutting from the original plant. Geraniums can also be over-wintered using a brown bad technique or they can be grown indoors.
photo credit: byrdiegyrl

To grow a geranium indoors you need to make sure the plant has “dry feet”, plenty of sun and warmth and soil that is fungal free. I once had a geranium I kept for about 5 years. I would move it outdoors in the summer and back indoors for the winter.

Other plants I try to pick up late in the summer or fall are Dusty Millers, Calendula, Zinnias, Mums and any herb. I also look for perennials to plant for the following year.

Perennials that are bought late in the season may be small if they have been grown  in pots the entire season so I put them in a special raised bed garden for plants that need a little tender loving care. This bed is close to the house, has rich soil and a cover for shade or protection from wind or cold nights.

I find that fall container gardens are perfect for plants that are bought late in the season.  This about.com link will direct you to ideas for container gardening and plants that will grow well in cooler weather. Fall container gardening ideas and tips.

photo credit: kinez

By buying plants late in the season I have added to my perennial collection and have a beautiful colorful garden well into late fall.

Technorati Tags: annual flowers, frugal gardening, perennial flowers, save money on plants

Gladiolus flowers, which are grown from a corm bulb, have an elegance that will add to any backyard flower garden. They also make beautiful floral displays.
photo credit: ThreadedThoughts

The original gladioli hybrids were developed from Mediterranean species. But today the African native gladioli are the popular varieties grown.

In the United States, the Gladiolus was an instant sensation on its first appearance that the American Gladiolus Society was formed in Boston. This was in 1910 and the popularity of the gladioli only continues to grow.

This flower is also called the Sword lily, corn lily or Glad. The Gladiolus symbolizes strength of character and is the flower for August.

The gladioli grow from corms, which is a bulb like root. Depending on your climate they may or may not be left in the ground over the winter. In my zone 5 climate they must be dug up and stored.

Check your climate to know if the corms need to be removed from the ground. But a rule of thumb is, if your winters offer heavy or hard frosts dig the corms up in the fall and replant them in the spring for late spring and summer blooms.

Glads look better if planted in groups of six or more. They also look more stylish if you plant the groupings in the same color.

Some of the taller glad varieties may require some staking as the flower heads are affected by winds and the weight of the flower blossoms when in full bloom. For safely sake I always stake taller glad varieties. I usually plant these flowers near fences or shrubs for a natural wind block protection.

Gladiolus will grow well in ordinary garden soil. They need average water and sunshine. The only requirement they have is good drainage.

I have found that a pinch of bone meal when planting time will give them a boost. And later in the spring I will give them a boost with fertilizer. I prefer compost tea.

The foliage will turn brown after flowering and die back until it pulls away from the corm easily. This is a necessary step to ensure the energy will drain down to create next year’s corm.

This is not a pretty stage of the flowers growing stage. One way for this to be less noticeable is to mix the plants among other plants.

Glads range in size from the 12” tall dwarfs to the glad giants, which will reach 60”. These flowers bloom in almost every color so will fit into almost any landscaping color scheme.
photo credit: Mason2008

Glads also do well in containers so you may wish to start a few corms in the late fall and bring them in to add color to your home. I usually always have a few containers of glad growing on the patio or in the sun room.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Flower Garden, flowers