Roses In The Garden

It’s Valentines Day on Wednesday and, as usual, gifts of flowers, especially roses, will be shared by lovers and sweethearts on this special day. 

The roses are usually imported from places such as Holland, but it is possible to grow these beautiful temperate climate blooms in Trinidad and Tobago.  Just start with healthy plants and control the pests and diseases that target them.

Not many nurseries carry rose plants, but La Vega in Gran Couva and Aranguez Nurseries produce them year round, while Undercover Ltd. In Santa Cruz imports them from the United States in March.

PLANTING

Dig a hole about two foot cube in a sunny location, and fill it with a mixture of one third pen manure or compost, one third sharp sand and one third soil.  Make a planting hole in this soil mix just large enough to accommodate the root ball of the plant.

WATERING/FERTILIZING

Roses are deep rooting plants and must be well watered in the dry season.

The newly planted rose bush should be fed every seven to ten days with a liquid rose fertilizer until it is well established.  Thereafter, feed it once every fourteen days.

PRUNING/DISBUDDING/DEADHEADING

To remove dead wood and weak branches, make clean, smooth cuts at a 45 degree angle ¼” above a bud, facing outwards.

To allow new plants to develop a strong root system, flower buds should be removed for the first two months after planting.  The side buds of mature hybrid tea bushes should also be removed.

Deadheading is the removal of old flowers. If they are not removed, the plant may go into a state of semi-dormancy and die-back may occur. On young plants, remove flowers with very little stem attached. In established plants, cut the stem 1” above the second or third five-leaf down

PESTS AND DISEASES

To get rid of mites, spray the undersides of the leaves with a fine jet of water from your hose.  Otherwise use a contact spray.

Aphids are found on young shoots and flower buds. Spray with a soap solution, and if that does not work, use a systemic insecticide or alternatively a contact spray.

A very common pest is the bachac, which can strip a plant bare in less than a day.  Effective bachac bait is available at most garden shops.

 Black Spot is the most common disease afflicting rose plants, and the most difficult to control.
It is prevalent during the rainy season.  Destroy the diseased leaves as soon as you notice them, and spray with a systemic fungicide.

Once you control the pests and diseases, you will have beautiful Rose blooms in your garden.

ERRATUM

In my last column, headlined “Orchids in the Sun”, A photo of a Cattleya was inadvertently used in lieu of a Dendrobium.  I apologize for the error. Cattleyas are not to be grown in the sun.

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If you have any gardening news or tips you would like to share, or if you are having a problem in your garden, e-mail me at thehappygardner@tstt.net.tt

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