Michael Womack
| News | Sports | Business | Opinions | Columns | Entertainment |
| Science/Technology | Weather | Archives | E-mail Us |

Saturday, December 18, 1999

Plant roses now to see spring glory

Plan ahead and beat tough soil problems

 

As the cold fronts start blowing in and final Christmas preparations are being made, we tend to think about football bowl games, snuggling by the fireplace and spending time with family and friends; however, now is a great time to start planning for planting roses in the spring.
   Roses have always been a favorite in the garden, but many Nueces County gardeners have given up trying to grow these American beauties. Despite the rumors, it is possible to grow roses in the Coastal Bend, and planning and preparation now will go a long way to having successful roses.
   Sites and soil
   If you are a novice rosarian, the first step is to choose your site.
   Keep in mind that roses need a minimum of six hours of full sun; eight or more hours is preferable. Check your yard for sun patterns throughout the day. If your selected bed only gets three to four hours of morning sun and is shaded by the eaves of your house or by established trees for the rest of the day, find another site.
   People living close to the water also have to consider the problems associated with salt spray. Those living in western Nueces County don't have to fight the salt spray from the bay, but may have high winds blowing off area fields. In either case you will need to provide a windblock, either with border plantings of trees and large shrubs or by placing beds where buildings protect plants from the wind. Be careful that the protection is located where it reduces wind speed, but not so close that it causes shading.
   Now that you have selected the site, you still have two major obstacles to overcome. Poor soil and humidity in the Coastal Bend often lead to failure and frustration to first-time rose growers.
   Roses like slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Unfortunately, most Coastal Bend residents are cursed with alkaline soils (pH >7.0). To further compound the problem, we have to fight poor drainage associated with our heavy clay soil. Thankfully, raised beds will solve the drainage problem.
   The soil level within raised beds should be about eight to 12 inches above your current soil level. Raised rose beds can be built from landscape timbers, railroad ties or pressure-treated lumber. Your local home-improvement center, garden center or county extension office can provide information on proper raised bed construction.
   When selecting the base soil to fill your bed, try to find a good sandy-loam soil. Sandy loam soil feels quite sandy or rough, but contains some silt and a small amount of clay that is sufficient to hold the soil together when moist. If it is not available, clay can be used if you mix in generous amounts of gypsum to improve soil structure as well as coarse sand (10-20%) and organic matter (40-50%) to improve drainage within the bed. Organic matter may include composted peat, compost and manure. Just remember that it will continue to decompose and more will have to be added later.
   Don't crowd
   Now that the site is selected and preparations are underway, you can start thinking about rose selection.
   You need to remember that humidity is going to be your second problem. For that reason, you need to maintain good air circulation around each plant to reduce black spot and powdery mildew problems. Do not crowd roses! Roses need a minimum spacing of three to four feet for good light penetration and air circulation.
   If you're ordering bareroot roses, that means do not over-buy. Although the catalogs have many beautiful varieties, selecting fewer will allow for higher quality plants and blooms.
   Order early for best selection and timely delivery. Bareroot roses should be planted in late January or early February in the Corpus Christi area.
   Roses are quality graded based on cane size and number. Always select No. 1 grade to ensure success. They cost a little more, but you will see the difference when the plants start to produce leaves and begin blooming. If you get a late start ordering or prefer selecting the individual plants, you can also obtain many varieties from your local garden center.
   The Corpus Christi Rose Society has a publication entitled "Best Rose Varieties for the Coastal Bend," which lists hybrid tea roses, grandifloras, floribundas, miniatures and climbers, also providing fragrance and color information. The Rose Society also produced "Growing Roses in Corpus Christi." These publications are available through the Society or the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
  

1999 Caller-Times Publishing Company, a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.