Annemarié’s advice for roses
After more than 40 years of growing roses, Annemarié has plenty of practical tips for planning a rosebed:
THE RIGHT CHOICE
Initially, I bought roses because I liked their fragrance and colour but later I did a bit more research before making my choices. Roses are an expensive hobby and I’ve learned that you can’t just select one because it appeals to you. For me, one of the biggest considerations is where I want to plant the rose and what colours it should go with. Then I decide if it should form a mass display like my ‘Icebergs’ or if I just want a cut flower rose for my home. With that in mind, I then check the Ludwig’s Roses catalogue to see which of the ones I really like are marked with the Eco-chic and Stamina icons. Eco-chic roses, indicated with a ladybird, are highly disease-resistant and therefore require little spraying. Stamina roses, with a weightlifter as an icon, are robust growers.
SOIL PREPARATION
Proper soil preparation goes hand in hand with choosing the right rose. You need time and patience to prepare the soil well. We first measure out the bed and then pack layers of cardboard (I use old boxes) on the soil. This is covered with black plastic bags and left like that for four weeks; this helps to smother weeds and any grass in the bed. After four weeks we remove the plastic and the cardboard. The cardboard will have started disintegrating by then, so it is added to the compost heap. The soil is then covered with three layers (that are not dug over): first a decent layer of organic compost, followed by a sprinkling of lime, bone meal and volcanic rock dust, and finally a top layer of aged chicken or kraal manure. The bed is left for two more weeks so that the earthworms and micro-organisms can move the compost mixture from the top to the bottom. Just before planting, we loosen the soil very lightly with a garden fork.
THE PLANTING HOLE
If your soil is prepared as above, dig a 50 x 50 x 50cm planting hole and sprinkle Atlantic Fertiliser Bio Rock Root Builder in it. If the soil has not been prepared as above, dig a 50 x 50 x 50cm hole and pour a mixture of the above three layers into it. Leave the hole for a month to six weeks, then add a little Bio Rock Root Builder before planting. If you’re short on time and want to plant
immediately, don’t add manure as it will burn the rose’s hairroots; just plant the rose in a mixture of the other ingredients.
After we’ve planted the rose, we spread a thick layer of lucerne husks (available from Agrimark or any feed supplier) around the shrub as mulch. Lucerne husks are a horse feed and contain protein, minerals, growth hormones and amino acids that give roses a boost. But any mulch such as straw, bark or wood shavings will also do.
PRUNING
Pruning should only be done in mid-july. It’s important not to prune earlier because if there is frost, the new growth will get damaged. I’ve learnt that you don’t have to stress too much about where the ‘eyes’ are when you prune. No matter how you prune, the rose decides for itself which bud will produce shoots. Rather concentrate on removing all the old, dead branches and create a funnel-shaped shrub with three or four legs. After we’ve pruned our roses, we spray them with Ludwig’s Insect Spray to get rid of all larvae and eggs on and under the plant. In September, each rose tree receives a single application of Koinor at root level to protect it from sucking insects such as aphids.
CARE
As soon as I notice new buds, I start to feed the roses every three weeks with an aerobic tea (see recipe above) – and of course I also talk to them every day! The tea maintains the plants’ proteins at a high level and reduces the sugar content. Sugar attracts aphids, which in turn means you’ll need to spray. We spray the foliage with Trelmix at the same time (1ml Trelmix in 1L water). Trelmix contains trace elements and is an excellent plant food. During the growing season, the roses are also fed monthly with a product such as Ludwig’s Vigorosa.
PICKING ROSES
Immediately after you’ve picked your roses, immerse them in water. Cut off the bottom 2mm of the stems every other day and give them fresh water. This ensures that your cut roses will last longer in the vase.