November Care Of Your Roses

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29353, 4 November 1960, Page 11

November Care Of Your Roses

The first flush of roses occurs in November, so it is a month to which we all look forward with anticipation. Flowers for use as house decoration—if your husbands penpit it, or your wives demand it—should be cut with care, tor picking the flowers is a form of pruning. Cut just above a good strong eye, usually found in the axil of a leaf stalk carrying five leaflets. These buds will grow away and produce a succession of flowers. The life of the cut blooms will be longer if the stems are plunged in water immediately after cutting, and then recut while still under water to avoid an air lock occurring in the stem

Watering will be necessary in the near future, for roses require reasonably high quantities of water. The optimum is regarded as being about 50 inches a year. Since Canterbury receives only about half this amount in rainfall, it can be seen that watering is a vital necessity in most seasons, especially when the nor’westers begin Pest and disease control has to be a routine operation if we are to have the finest quality, plants. Aphids are increasing rapidly, and leaf roller caterpillars are causing damage. On the miniature roses a leaf roller or two can cause devastation in a few days. Once they have made their eating house between two leaves they are very difficult to contact with sprays, and the best method of control is the finger and thumb

on the unfolded leaves. The chicken-hearted may take solace in the fact that what the eye doesn't see the heart doesn’t grieve about! Mildew can be expected during the month, and karathane or phaltan are both effective controls. Phaltan is also valuable as the most effective control available for black spot. Some of the chemical manufacturers are marketing "combined" dusts which contain insecticides to kill the pests, and fungicides to control the diseases. They are a time-saver to the home gardener, although too expensive for largescale or commercial use. However, sprays are more effective although a little more tedious to mix and dpply Fertilisers can be applied during the month, a handful of balanced fertiliser being dusted around each bush and then well watered into the soil. Foliar plant foods usually contain mainly nitrogen, and their use is not normally required if the soil has been well looked after. They are better restricted to the leaf crops in the vegetable garden. Thin out any poor basal growths, and the Centre of the bushes to allow freer circulation of air. Finally, keep the hoe moving to control any weeds. Five minutes spent hoeing before you can see any weeds will save half an hour later on.

The Canterbury Rose Society issues a monthly newsletter to its members—this information is based on the current issue—and if you are keen on roses they would be glad to welcome you as a member. Mr J. F. Gover, 74 Southampton street, is the secretary.