Subject: rec.gardens.roses FAQ (1/5) Frequently Asked Questions
From: [email-masked] (Bill Chandler)
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 11:22:22 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.roses,rec.answers,news.answers

Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: gardens/roses-faq/part1

Version: 0.41
Last-modified: 11 November 1994
Posting-Frequency: monthly

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rec.gardens.roses
FAQ

     part 1 Frequently Asked Questions
     part 2 Rose Glossary
     part 3 Old Roses
     part 4 Intro to English Roses
     part 5 Mail-order rose suppliers

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Frequently Asked Questions
rec.gardens.roses FAQ, part 1/5

QUESTIONS

     1. Information about this document
          [1.1] Welcome
          [1.2] What's New with the FAQ
          [1.3] How to get the FAQ
     2. Rose Care
          [2.1] Why won't my rose bloom?
          [2.2] How much sun do roses need?
          [2.3] Which roses can be grown in shade?
          [2.4] How much water do roses need?
          [2.5] How do I deadhead roses?
          [2.6] How do I prune roses?
          [2.7] How do I protect my rose bushes during the winter?
          [2.8] How do I prepare the soil for a new rose bed?
     3. Diseases/Insects
          [3.1] My rose has blackspot, what do I do?
          [3.2] How do I avoid powdery mildew?
          [3.3] How do I get rid of aphids?
          [3.4] What is eating holes in the leaves of my rose?
          [3.5] Why are the leaves of my rose turning yellow?
     4. Rose Characteristics
          [4.1] What is the most fragrant rose?
          [4.2] What kind of rose do I have?
          [4.3] Are there any Blue roses?
          [4.4] Are there any Black roses?
          [4.5] What are David Austin roses or English roses?
     5. Miscellaneous
          [5.1] How do I propagate roses?
          [5.2] What is an ARS rating?
     6. FAQ contributors
     7. Disclaimer

ANSWERS

1. Information about this document

[1.1] Welcome

Welcome to the FAQ for rec.gardens.roses. This article discusses Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) in the newsgroup rec.gardens.roses.

Please post to rec.gardens.roses (or email to [email-masked]) any
recommendations for improving this faq (parts 1-5), such as either "new or
better" questions or "new or better" answers, or recommendations that certain
questions and answers be changed or dropped. I would like to know which
sections are considered useful by readers and which are a waste of space.

[1.2] What's New with the FAQ

We are excited this month to add a FAQ article on "Old Roses" by Brent
Dickerson, author of "The Old Rose Advisor". He tells the history of the Rose
and describes the different classes of roses from Old Roses like the Gallicas
up through the Hybrid Teas. It is part 3/5 of the FAQ.

Last month we added a section of on "Mail-Order Rose Suppliers" compiled by
Karen Baldwin. It contains addresses, phone numbers and other helpful
information about rose suppliers. Currently it contains suppliers in the US,
Canada and Europe. It is part 5/5 of the FAQ.

For those who have seen the FAQ before, it may look different this month. That
is because it has being converted to a format called html that will allow it to
be put on the World Wide Web(WWW). Eventually, it will make the FAQ easier to
access and use. However, it may cause the text version of the FAQ that gets
posted to the newsgroup to be a little less readable, (starting this month).
More on that later.

We are always interested in improving the FAQ. Now that we have an Old Roses
section of the FAQ, I would like to see a section on Hybrid Tea Roses or Modern
Roses. Maybe someone would like to write a whole section on rose exhibition,
hybridizing, or rose propagation. If anyone is interested in writing something,
contact Bill Chandler at ([email-masked]).

[1.3] How to get the FAQ.

This document is posted monthly to the Usenet newgroups rec.gardens.roses,
rec.answers and news.answers. Other ways to obtain the faq are

     ANONYMOUS FTP to rtfm.mit.edu (18.181.0.24) and get the files
          /pub/usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part1
          /pub/usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part2
          /pub/usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part3
          /pub/usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part4
          /pub/usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part5
     EMAIL(for those without ftp access) send email to [email-masked]
     with no subject and
          send usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part1
     in the body of the mail message. Parts 2-5 can be obtained the same way as
     part 1.
     WWW (world wide web) by using the url
     http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/gardens/roses-faq/part1/faq.html
     . Using the same method, part2 , part3 , part4 , and part5 are available.

2. Rose Care

[2.1] Why won't my rose bloom?

Here are some of the reasons that roses don't bloom.

  1. Rose plant is not getting enough sun. Roses need at least 6 hours of
     direct sun a day.
  2. Rose has been given too much fertilizer. Too much fertilizer can either
     damage the plant or cause it to grow extra leaves and stems at the expense
     of blooms.
  3. The rose is a new plant. Don't expect too much from a plant during its
     first year.
  4. Rose is a once blooming rose. This means it will bloom only once a year in
     the late spring or early summer.
  5. Add: Soil pH is too low or too high. If the pH is not in the range of 6.0
     to 7.0 (ideally 6.5) then nutrient uptake will be reduced, so the plant
     won't be getting the food it needs to produce flowers.
  6. Add: Not enough foliage. If the bush doesn't have adequate foliage, it
     can't produce the food it needs to make new flowers. Inadequate foliage
     may result from disease or too little fertilizer.

[2.2] How much sun do roses need?

Roses prefer a full day of sun. Give roses at least 6 hours of direct sun a
day. Morning sun is especially important because it dries the leaves which
helps prevent disease.

Most roses do poorly in shade. Plants are leggy and more prone to get fungus.
Blooms are sparse.

[2.3] Which roses can be grown in shade?

Many Hybrid Musks and some Albas can tolerate partial shade. A few other
varieties including the floribunda "Gruss An Aachen" can be planted in partial
shade.

Other roses that may grow in partial shade are the Rugosas, Lyda Rose(shrub),
Souvineer du Dr. Jamain(OGR), Old Blush(China), Class Act(Floribunda),
Bonica(Floribunda?), Shropshire Lass(ER), and Lafter(HT) .

[2.4] How much water do roses need?

Roses appreciate lots of water. Water generously, at least 1 inch/week,
preferably 2 inches/week during growing season. Water every 4-7 days during the
summer when needed. Each bush needs about 4-5 gallons/week in the hot summer.

Roses get all their food either through their leaves (foliar feeding) or
through their roots. The only medium for transporting food is water.

Infrequent deep watering is preferred to frequent light watering to help
promote a deep root system. Deep root systems help the rose to survive both
droughts, and winter freezes. Frequent, light watering causes roots to form
very near the soil surface, making the plant more susceptible to summer
'baking' and winter freezes.

Try to avoid getting the leaves wet (which promotes disease) when watering late
in the day. On hot days, wetting the foliage can reduce transpiration, and
relieves heat stress. There is some debate about whether wetting foliage
promotes disease, however, if fungicides are used regularly, there seems to be
no problem with wetting the foliage.

[2.5] How do I deadhead roses?

Deadheading is cutting off flowers as they wither or don't look as good. Old
blooms left on the plant may have been pollinated and may begin to form seed
pods(hips). The formation of hips requires a lot of energy from the plant and
slows flower production. By preventing the formation of hips, deadheading
encourages the rose bush to grow new flowers.

The choice of which spot to deadhead at is influenced by what shape you want
the bush to take, and which direction you want a particular cane to grow. In
general, however, you will want to cut the stem at an angle just above an
outward-facing leaf.

To deadhead, remove the flower by making a diagonal cut just above the next
5-leaf branch down on the stem. If this would cause too much of the cane to be
removed, a 3-leaf branch can be chosen instead. The first year cut back to the
first 3 or 5-leaf branch. In following years cut far enough down to get to a
5-leaf branch with a leaf bud that is facing outward. This will open up the
plant.

Once blooming roses do not need to be deadheaded. They bloom once and then they
are finished blooming for the year. However, once-blooming roses may be (in
fact, should be) pruned after they are finished blooming. They should NOT be
pruned in the fall or before they bloom because they bloom on the previous
year's growth.

Stop deadheading as of September 1 in zones 4 and 5. It is a good practice to
let the last roses on HT's produce hips because it makes them more frost hardy.
It causes the plant to undergo chemical changes that slow down growth, inhibit
blooming and generally prepare for dormancy by focusing its energy on
'hardening' the canes. The formation of hips tells the plant that it's "done
its job" and can now rest from its labors.

[2.6] How do I prune roses?

?? under construction

[2.7] How do I protect my rose bushes during the winter?

Local advice is preferred for this question, but here are some general
guidelines for winter care of rose bushes for those living in colder climates.
The major dangers to the plant in winter are the drying of the wind, the effect
of alternate thawing and freezing cycles on the plant when winter temperatures
fluctuate, the inability of the plant to take in water if the soil is frozen,
and damage from the cold itself on the canes and bud union.

  1. If you live in an area with harsh winters, plant cold-hardy roses. Your
     choices are more restricted that way, but you will save yourself a lot of
     work and heartbreak. Many once blooming old roses are very cold-hardy; of
     the repeat blooomers, rugosas are rock-hardy, and many Austins and other
     shrub roses will do okay. Many yellow and lavender roses are especially
     tender. Unfortunately cold-hardiness is not an exact science; conditions
     such as wind affect roses severely in cold weather (by drying them out),
     and so zone ratings are only a first approximation. Beware of boots that
     rate roses 'cold hardy' or 'not cold hardy'---they are referring to
     conditions in the UK, which has mild winters. Beware also of catalogs that
     overrate cold-hardiness because they want to move more product.
  2. When in doubt, plant own-root roses. If they die back to the ground in a
     particularly severe winter, they will grow back from the roots fairly
     quickly. This advice is not applicable to once-bloomers, because these
     usually flower only on the last year's canes. Own-root Old Roses and
     English roses are available. Hybrid Teas are almost always sold as grafted
     plants, and it is difficult to find own-root plants.
  3. In the fall, reduce the amount of fertilizer used. This, combined with
     lower temperatures, will slow the production of new tender growth, and
     will allow the existing growth to harden off.
  4. Stop deadheading about September 1 for zones 4 and 5. This will allow the
     plant to form hips. The formation of hips encourages the plant to slow
     down growth, slow blooming, and harden the canes, all preparing the plant
     for dormancy.
  5. Understanding rose dormancy will help to determine the proper time to
     prune during the period from late Fall to early Spring. During dormancy,
     the sap has left the canes and they are simply empty tubes of cellulose.
     Pruning too early (before the sap runs back) cuts some of the nutrients
     out, so you must be sure the plant is dormant before fall (winter)
     pruning. Winter dieback generally occurs from the end of the branches
     (canes). Pruning removes the available length that can die back before
     reaching the ground. Also, pruning a semidormant plant stimulates growth
     and sap flow in the pruned region. For a plant going dormant, this is bad
     because it inhibits dormancy. For a plant waking up (springtime) it's good
     because it stimulates growth. Ideally pruning should occur before sap is
     fully flowing.
  6. To prevent disease/fungus from overwintering, clean the rose bed by
     removing leaves and other debris. Spray the bush with dormant oil to kill
     bacteria on the bush and on the ground.
  7. Protect the crown of the rose. This is critical since the crown is where
     you want the new canes to come from. There are several methods of
     protection to choose from.
          Cover the bed at least a foot deep with tree leaves. Do not use rose
          leaves as they may harbor disease. Oak leaves are best as they seem
          to drain better.
          Cover the bed with straw.
          Use rose cones.
          Make a mound with soil or mulch to cover the crown.
          Wrap the whole plant in burlap if necessary, in addition to one of
          above methods of protecting the crown.
     Timing is important. Covering the rose too early is unwise as it may
     prevent the rose from hardening properly and will slow the onset of
     dormancy. Covering the rose too late may risk damage from the cold.
  8. Climbers or long canes may benefit from being tied to avoid thrashing from
     the wind. Canes may be protected from drying winter winds by wrapping them
     in burlap with a layer of straw for insulation. In severe climates long
     canes may need to be tied and buried.
  9. Keep the soil well-drained, especially as the spring rains come.

[2.8] How do I prepare the soil for a new rose bed?

?? under construction

3. Diseases/Insects

[3.1] My rose has blackspot, what do I do?

This fungus causes black spots about 1/16 to 1/2 inches in diameter to form on
the leaves and sometimes stems. The infected leaves turn yellow around the
spots and fall from the plant. In bad cases, blackspot can severely defoliate a
rose bush. The conditions that promote blackspot are wet leaves, splashing
water and warm temperatures.

Ways to combat blackspot. These methods also apply to preventing and treating
powdery mildew.

  1. Pick a variety of rose resistant to blackspot. Many Old Garden Roses and
     David Austin Roses are quite resistant to blackspot. Some yellow Hybrid
     Teas are especially prone to blackspot. However, yellow floribundas seem
     to be especially resistant to blackspot.
  2. Use watering methods that don't get the leaves wet: drip watering, using a
     soaker hose, or just soaking the ground with a light stream from a garden
     hose. If overhead watering is used, do so in the morning so the leaves can
     dry off before evening. If modern fungicides are used, keeping the leaves
     dry is unecessary. Wet conditions actually inhibit the development of
     powdery mildew. Warm dry days, cool dry nights are ideal for powdery
     mildew.
  3. Remove diseased leaves immediately to prevent further spreading of the
     disease. Infected leaves never get better, they just spread the disease.
     Prune infected canes severely in late winter.
  4. Prune plant so there is good air flow and the sun can reach more of the
     plant.
  5. Blackspot is transmitted by water splash. Remove leaves close to the
     ground that are more susceptible to getting water splashed on them. Mulch
     well to minimize water splashing onto leaves.
  6. Keep the plant well watered. A weak or stressed plant is more susceptible
     to disease.

Treatments for blackspot

  1. The least toxic spray for blackspot is baking soda. Mix 1 tablespoon
     baking soda and a few drops of Ivory liquid with 1 gallon of water. Spray
     both sides of the leaves once a week. The Ivory liquid helps the baking
     soda stick to the leaves. Reapply after a rain.
  2. Another treatments is sulfur dust. Dust roses with sulfur dust every 7-10
     days.
  3. Finally, there are the more toxic chemical sprays such as funginex. They
     are often used once every week or two and are very effective. Follow the
     directions carefully.
  4. Since a single fungicide may not completely wipe out all the fungi, using
     that fungicide over and over may actually produce a build-up of disease.
     Alternating between two fungicides, such as Triforine (Funginex) and
     Daconil is recommended to keep resistant fungi from building up.

[3.2] How do I avoid powdery mildew?

This fungus forms a powdery white or grayish coating on the upper surface of
young leaves and sometimes on the buds. Infected leaves crumple and become
distorted. It thrives during high humidity but forms on dry leaves. It can not
reproduce in water.

One of the best ways to avoid powdery mildew is to keep things as airy as
possible ... if your rose bushes are against a wall, that could diminish the
airflow and encourage mildew/fungus growth. Keep excess growth to a minimum
within the rose bush. (Clear out more canes in any "problem bush" much more
than you normally would, so it's got more space between the canes, in the hope
that will improve the air circulation.)

Also, spraying the foliage with a mixture of 1 T. baking soda per 1 gallon of
water is often effective.

[3.3] How do I get rid of aphids?

Aphids are tiny insects about a 1/16 to 1/8 inches long, usually light green,
red or black. They come in the spring and damage tender new growth.

Aphids are usually not difficult to control. A hard spray of water from the
hose will help remove small aphid infestations. Ladybugs are a natural predator
of aphids and are sometimes used to remove aphids. Aphids have a mutually
beneficial relationship with ants, so ants need to be controlled if aphids are
to be controlled.

[3.4] What is eating holes in the leaves of my rose?

Leaf cutter bees cut semi-circle shaped holes in the leaves of roses. They pose
no real threat to rose health, but they drive exhibitors crazy.

[3.5] Why are the leaves of my rose turning yellow?

?? under construction

4. Rose Characteristics

[4.1] What is the most fragrant rose?

The following are some of the most fragrant roses as recommended by posts to
rec.gardens.roses. HT Double Delight (mentioned most often), HT Fragrant Cloud,
HT Mr. Lincoln, HT Perfume Delight, HT Dolly Parton, HT Tiffany ER Evelyn,
Gertrude Jekyll OGR R.damascena Kazanlik As a group, David Austin roses are
quite fragrant. So are some of the Old Roses, especially the Damasks.

[4.2] What kind of rose do I have?

When posting this question to the newsgroup, include as much information about
the rose as possible, such as the following:

     what kind of rose is it? (climber, Hybrid Tea, Old Rose, Species, etc.)
     approximate plant size (4ft tall by 4ft wide)
     flower color, bud color, flower size (4 inch diameter),
     approximate number of petals per flower
     foliage color (light, medium, or dark green)
     foliage description (dull, shiny, leathery, large, small, etc.)
     how many leaflets per leaf on average (3,5,7, etc.)
     once blooming (blooms once a year) or repeat blooming
     thorns (many, few, large, hooked, straight)
     fragrance (none, light, heavy, spicy, fruity, tea, etc.)

[4.3] Are there any Blue roses?

Though highly sought after, no blue roses exist yet. Some roses are advertised
as blue but are actually lavender or something. Most lavender roses are
difficult to grow and are quite susceptible to disease. Some of the bluer roses
are "Blue Girl", HT Blue Jay, ??. A couple of true purple roses are Cardinal de
Richelieu and Veilchenblau. The genetics are just not there for producing a
true blue color in roses. It will probably be necessary to use gene splicing to
produce the first blue rose.

[4.4] Are there any Black roses?

No true black roses exist. Some roses sold as black roses are actually dark red
or maroon. The petals of many of these dark red roses tend to sunburn easily.
To see that a rose is not truly black, hold it up next to a piece of black
construction paper. To make a dark red rose appear blacker, put its stem in
water that has black ink in it.

Below is an incomplete list of some roses that have been mentioned when black
roses are discussed. Next to some of the roses a very subjective description of
the color is given.

     After Midnight: dark red miniature
     Black Beauty: new, very deep purple, almost black
     Black Jade: dark red miniature
     Eugene de Beauharnais: China rose
     Francis Dubreuil: Tea rose
     Guinee: very, very dark red
     Harry Hastings:
     Mirandy: deep dark red
     Mr. Lincoln(HT):
     Oklahoma:
     Prince: English rose. very, very dark red
     Sympathie: deep red climber
     Taboo: Popular dark rose that has deep red flowers with darker edges. It
     reportedly has nearly black buds.
     Tuscany Superb: Gallica. deep maroon velvet

[4.5] What are David Austin roses or English roses?

In 1969, English Roses, often called David Austin Roses, were introduced by the
English rose hybridizer David Austin.

David Austin tried to create roses that combine the best elements of Old Roses
(roses varieties from before 1867) and Modern Roses (such as Hybrid Teas,
Floribundas and Grandifloras). From the Old Roses he wished to take some of the
classic flower forms, cupped and rosette-shaped old-fashioned flowers, usually
with many petals. He wanted English Roses to be repeat flower well, like the
Hybrid Teas and other Modern Roses. He wished to bring forth English Roses in a
wide variety of colors, such as yellows not very common in Old Roses. He also
sought the strong fragrances of some of the Old Roses.

There is a FAQ article called 'Introduction to English Roses' which is part 4/5
of the FAQ.

5. Miscellaneous

[5.1] How do I propagate roses?

There are two primary ways to propagate roses. Asexual reproduction is usually
used to produce a duplicate of the parent plant. Sexual reproduction, i.e.
growing roses from seed, is primarily used to create new varieties of roses.

Common methods of asexual propagation of roses are softwood rooting, hardwood
rooting, and bud grafting. Limited space permits only a brief description of
softwood rooting.

Old Roses, English Roses and Miniatures are generally good candidates for
rooting cuttings because they usually grow vigorously on their own roots.
Modern Roses such as Hybrid Teas and Floribundas are usually sold budded onto
different rootstock. Some Modern Roses do grow vigorously on their own roots,
but others do not.

Fill a 1-gallon zip lock baggie 1/4 to 1/3 full with moist, (not wet), sterile,
loose, potting mix, not garden soil. Cut a disease-free stem that has a flower
on it and preferably at least one five leaflet set. Ideally, the flower is
already spent. A bud with no color is too young. The cut stem should have at
least four leafsets under the bloom. Snip off the stem just above the top-most
leafset. Strip off the bottom two leafsets. Use a knife or fingernails to score
the bottom inch of the stem. Roots will form along this score. Use a pencil to
form a hole for the cutting, and dip the scored end of the cutting into a
rooting compound, a couple inches deep, and knock off the excess rooting
compound. To prevent fungus and mildew, mist the cutting and interior of the
baggie with a spray bottle filled with 1 quart water, 1 tsp. miracle gro, 1
tsp. baking soda (no more!), and a couple drops dishwashing liquid (to make it
cling.)

Zip the baggie almost shut. Breathe into the baggie to expand it like a balloon
and zip it up completely. Put the baggie indoors in bright, INDIRECT light.
Direct sun will likely scorch and kill the cuttings. Look for roots along the
bottom of the baggie in two or three weeks (a few real stubborn ones may take
up to six weeks). When new top growth reaches the top of the baggie, unzip the
baggie a little, opening it a little more each day for about a week. then
transplant to a pot. Keep the pot in the same sunlight for a few days and then
place the pot in a bright window. The proper time for moving the plant outside
depends on the local climate.

[5.2] What is an ARS rating?

An ARS (American Rose Society) rating is a yearly rating from 1(worst) to
10(best) given to a variety of rose. This is a U.S. national rating, combining
several district ratings. The district ratings are an average of individual
ratings given by rose growers, beginners to experienced.

The ARS ratings are print yearly in the "Handbook for Selecting Roses". It can
be obtained from the address below:

    American Rose Society
        P.O. Box 30,000
        Shreveport, LA 71130-0030
        phone: (318) 938-5402

6. FAQ contributors

The FAQ is compiled and posted by
Bill Chandler - [email-masked]
This FAQ has been created by the generous efforts of several readers of
rec.gardens.roses. The following individuals have made suggestions and
contributions to the FAQ (parts 1,2,3,4 and/or 5).

     Karen Baldwin
     Kristine Carroll
     Brent Dickerson
     Pulak Dutta
     John McCully
     Kathleen Much
     Cheryl Netter
     William Nettles

I have used posts from rec.gardens.roses, suggestions from other readers in the
newsgroup, and other sources in formulating this faq. If anything in the faq
looks similar to something you have posted and you would like the credit, send
email to
[email-masked] .

7. Disclaimer

This disclaimer applies to all parts of the faq. This faq is intended as
amateur advice. Use faq information at your own risk.

end of Frequently Asked Questions
rec.gardens.roses FAQ, part 1/5

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