Winter Roses
Not everyone realizes that the late winter months are the best time to plant rose bushes.
But P. Allen Smith, on The Early Show, says it is. He shows us how to do it, and also how to build a twig trellis for climbing roses.
Smith, a garden designer and author of "P. Allen Smith's Garden Home," says winter is a great time to plant rose bushes because they are in their dormant phase during the season. That makes it easier to get them in the ground so they can get acclimated and start blooming once the weather turns warm.
Smith says roses are not hard to plant. Just buy good healthy bushes and follow a few simple guidelines.
Buying Roses
Smith says you can buy roses three different ways. You'll find them grown in containers; wrapped in a loose material or a poly bag; or as a bare root plant shipped through the mail.
When it comes to buying roses, Smith says, you get what you pay for. Hybrid teas (bushes that produce long-stem roses) are graded by three different numbers: 1, 1 1/2 and 2, with 1 being the best. But there are other things to look for when buying a bush.
Smith suggests buying bushes with at least three strong canes (branches) and avoid any plants that have brown, shriveled or damaged canes. Always look for buds, brightly colored ones, on the sides of the stems. This means the plant is alive and well and ready to start growing at the first sign of a warm day.
Planting Roses
Roses have a reputation for being difficult to grow. But Smith says this doesn't have to be true, as long as you follow a few basic planting principles.
When you plant your roses, place them properly in the garden. Select a site that gets four to six hours of direct sunlight a day. Make sure there is plenty of air circulation. This will cut down on fungal problems later in the season. Also, roses love a rich soil that's well drained.
To give his roses a boost, Smith says he likes to amend existing garden soil, which is heavy clay. Take two parts existing soil to one part compost and one part well-rotted manure, then mix it all together in a wheelbarrow. For the size of the hole, you want to make sure that it's large enough to spread all of the roots out and about 14 to 18 inches deep. If you're planting several roses together, they should be about 3 feet apart.
Gently spread the roots and alternate layers of the soil mix with a solution of fish emulsion and water. By following these guidelines, in a few months, you'll have beautiful blooming roses.
Building a Twig Teepee
Smith says that an essential part of developing the style of your garden is adding "hardscape" structures. Hardscape structures include everything from gazebos and teahouses to trellises and plant supports. The architectural style you choose will influence the overall feel of the garden.
Smith says adding a garden structure doesn't have to be complicated. One of Smith's favorite things in English gardens is the use of twigs and branches to build simple garden features. These rustic structures create an old world look that adds character to the youngest of gardens. You can add a touch of England to your garden with a simple twig trellis. Climbing roses and annual vines will love to grow up the support of a twig trellis. It is so easy to do and Allen says you can put one together in an afternoon.
Start with any straight, sturdy branches you can find. For temporary trellises, use bamboo or even yard limbs. For a more permanent version, go for Eastern Red Cedar, red wood or other long lasting and durable woods.
Cut three main supporting poles 6 to 7 feet in length, or the length that best suits your situation. Bind the tops together using medium gauge copper wire. For a temporary, single season trellis, you rarely need to anchor the trellis, with the exception of pushing the legs 6 to 8 inches into the ground. For a more permanent trellis, set the legs in place with concrete around the feet. Position the legs far enough apart to make them sturdy, but equal distance from one another.
Connect the supporting poles with 3 lengths of wood about 18 inches from the ground by wrapping copper wire in a crisscross pattern. Cut and attach more wood pieces to form two "X" patterns on each side, positioning them so the upper "X" is about one foot below the top of the trellis.
Add one more round of horizontal pieces just above the top "X" as a finishing touch.