It’s a rose jungle out there! Rain-rain and more rain is the reason. ‘Miracle On The Hudson’ is 6-7 feet tall. Invasive Morning Glories that can also plague farmers in the fields were taking over. When it stopped raining I carefully ripped out vine after vine of Morning Glories that had twisted around the canes of ‘Miracle On The Hudson’. It’s a miracle they hadn’t strangled the rose bushes! It might have been pretty to see the purple blooms among the roses but it was not good to see how they had started twisting & twining around every cane in a strangle hold blocking nutrients to the plant.
“Today a rose jungle, spring an English garden, always changing, never static from buds to fully open roses the garden creates a different landscape everyday.”
‘Miracle On The Hudson’ 6-7′ Tall
‘Miracle On The Hudson’ bred by Robert Neil Rippitoe, grown by CertifiedRoses won ‘Most Outstanding Rose’ at the 2014 Biltmore Rose Trials
Rain Fall Increases 3X’s Normal Rates
Normal rain fall in Central Illinois is 3.19″ during August, this August 8.43-10.5″. Excessive rain can wash away rose fertilizer & soil amendments that you’ve added to build up your soil. You can still reapply fertilizer that’s been washed away that you’ve added in preparation for your fall bloom.
Watch For Blackspot
Although hesitant to bring up the ‘B’ word, it’s: BLACKSPOT. Blackspot is especially prevalent during damp cool nights. Start spraying your preferred method of fungicide now to protect your fall bloom.
‘Sunsprite’ part of my ‘Top Ten’ Classic Roses is flourishing in the Rose Jungle.
Foliage Is Abundant
The rain has produced massive amounts of foliage. Less sun has allowed for limited buds and, blooms but due to more rain fall should bring about more heat to produce the rose blooms we want. I’m adding extra Espoma Rosetone and spraying a high phosphorous foliar feed to produce more blooms.
‘Cape Diamond’ is filled with foliage and just beginning to add buds now that the rain has let up. It’s over 10′ tall.
Lush Companions
‘Easy Spirit’ on my list of ‘Top Ten New Roses’ is flourishing rain or shine
Rose Entryway
The Wisteria planted at the beginning of this season to the left of the gate and ‘Cape Diamond on the right makes a dramatic entryway to the rose garden especially when the Wisteria is in bloom.
Kordes Roses Blooming Sunbelt Series
