Roses

By Mary Jo Baur

Roses are loved by everyone because of their beauty, colors, and fragrance.  But they can be prima donnas, being more high maintenance than most other perennials.  To successfully grow roses, you need to fertilize often; water deeply, preferably at the base of the plant because wet leaves can lead to disease; and  mulch around them.  Sometimes it's best to grow roses in their own area since they do not like root competition from other plants.  I have also found that Japanese beetles are a real problem; and because I don't like to use chemicals in my yard, I do sometimes lose a blossom or two to those pests.

There are many kinds of roses.  Probably most familiar are hybrid teas, the types that have pointed buds and grow on long stems, like a florist's rose.  Unfortunately, these are the hardest to grow.  There are floribundas which produce clusters of flowers and provide color over a long season.  Usually they are easier to care for than hybrid teas.  Climbing roses offer color up a trellis, wall, or fence.  Lately, producers have been developing new kinds of roses such as carpet roses or "knock out" roses which will bloom for the entire season and are supposed to be easier to grow.  It's worth giving them a try because roses are a truly lovely flower.