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I planted 10 rose hybrid teas in May, 2002. They all grow very well and have yielded about 5 generations of flowers for last 4 months, with the exception of one which was probably dead to begin with. The seond rose began to grow after the seventh weeks from the root and will bloom in one or two weeks from small fragile stems. In general, it may not be a good to grow roses from roots, unless you plan to grow many roses, which may have an economic advantage, or in the area where you could not find garden centers nearby. There are over more than 10 medium and large gardens within 15 miles of New Haven. Four important steps to make roses happy are (1) to keep bugs free, (2) to feed often, (3) to water daily, and (4) to prune aggressively. In the first month, there were aphids and beetles eating my rose buds and leaves, which may come with one of roses from garden centers. I had to use the my least favorable approach: chemicals to keep bugs free. In last few months, so far the roses are truly bugs free. I feed my roses about every other week, alternatively with Miraco-Grower and fermented salmon. Feed them during flower budding and shortly after pruning. I prune slightly above a union of fivef-lake leaf, where new branch will grow, as low as possible along the stem, in which a large branch will grow. When pruning, I have to consider airation in which sometimes I have to take off one of good stems. My most pride rose is the "Dream Red", which have four large branch stems with the center stem missing. This rose has a very good airation structure and grows very fast. Each time, it results in over a dozen of flowers. My "Rosa Electron" results only in one or two flowers each time with the very large flowers with the size of peonies. It is not known why it results in so few flowers. It may be due to in a location receiving less sun lights than others or because of its genetics for large flowers. My "Rosa Tropicanna" has unusually long and large stems. It grows slower than others because I have to prune them very low and let it to regrow from non-joints or non-unions. My "Tournament of Roses" is one of most productive roses - each time it results in more than three dozens of white flowers even though they are smaller than others; this rose has a very poor airation structure, which need to be redesigned when pruning before winter. Ocassionally, one or two branches grow very long. However, amount of flowers on these branches make them too heavy, and practically lay on the floor. Each time, I have to prune them completely - this leads to a very condense core structure. "Rosa Hybrid Tea Ambassador" has also very large flowers and is a survivor, because I mistakenly washed a trash can with grease remover nearby in May. The grease remover killed a small pine tree next to it. The "Mix & Match Chewilly" is one that was grown from the root - I have to wait for few more weeks to see its flowers. The "Crimson Boutique/Korbetelich/Grotto Flora Rose" (excuse me of not knowning exactly which is its real name and which is gardener name) is an unusual one: it appears to be very sickling in its leafs from beginning and it still does. It appears to missing some nutrients, but I could not figure it out what. The "Everbloom Floribunda/Bill Warriner" was a failure - if I keep my figures cross, it may grow next season - but I much doubt about it. The joy of gardening is actually doing it. Every morning I look outside my windows, and I see it, knowing I have done it.
Four important steps to make roses happy are (1) to keep bugs free, (2) to feed often, (3) to water daily, and (4) to prune aggressively. In the first month, there were aphids and beetles eating my rose buds and leaves, which may come with one of roses from garden centers. I had to use the my least favorable approach: chemicals to keep bugs free. In last few months, so far the roses are truly bugs free. I feed my roses about every other week, alternatively with Miraco-Grower and fermented salmon. Feed them during flower budding and shortly after pruning. I prune slightly above a union of fivef-lake leaf, where new branch will grow, as low as possible along the stem, in which a large branch will grow. When pruning, I have to consider airation in which sometimes I have to take off one of good stems.
My most pride rose is the "Dream Red", which have four large branch stems with the center stem missing. This rose has a very good airation structure and grows very fast. Each time, it results in over a dozen of flowers. My "Rosa Electron" results only in one or two flowers each time with the very large flowers with the size of peonies. It is not known why it results in so few flowers. It may be due to in a location receiving less sun lights than others or because of its genetics for large flowers. My "Rosa Tropicanna" has unusually long and large stems. It grows slower than others because I have to prune them very low and let it to regrow from non-joints or non-unions. My "Tournament of Roses" is one of most productive roses - each time it results in more than three dozens of white flowers even though they are smaller than others; this rose has a very poor airation structure, which need to be redesigned when pruning before winter. Ocassionally, one or two branches grow very long. However, amount of flowers on these branches make them too heavy, and practically lay on the floor. Each time, I have to prune them completely - this leads to a very condense core structure. "Rosa Hybrid Tea Ambassador" has also very large flowers and is a survivor, because I mistakenly washed a trash can with grease remover nearby in May. The grease remover killed a small pine tree next to it. The "Mix & Match Chewilly" is one that was grown from the root - I have to wait for few more weeks to see its flowers. The "Crimson Boutique/Korbetelich/Grotto Flora Rose" (excuse me of not knowning exactly which is its real name and which is gardener name) is an unusual one: it appears to be very sickling in its leafs from beginning and it still does. It appears to missing some nutrients, but I could not figure it out what. The "Everbloom Floribunda/Bill Warriner" was a failure - if I keep my figures cross, it may grow next season - but I much doubt about it.
The joy of gardening is actually doing it. Every morning I look outside my windows, and I see it, knowing I have done it.
This property has a large orchads garden, including many varieties of grapes, peaches, apples, and pears. However, many orchads trees are dying due to overgrown grapevines and many other types of vines. These vines have to be cut and removed later this fall, which I may be able to revive some of these orchads trees.
There are at least two types of grapes: white and red with nearly seedless that I have found. They are very sweet. There is one very productive pear tree: pears are very tasty though they are small in size. Much of this garden is yet to be discovered.
I may have succeeded to propagate Jasmine trees from cut branches. At least, they seem not to die in last 7 days after feeding them plant root growth stimulants indole 3-butyric acid and 1-naphaleneacetamide in their nutrients.
I have a large collection of house plants in indoor gardens. I made notes to most house plants - which I will dig up their names from my note book soon. Some are gifts from colleagues and I do not have notes, which I hope will find out their property names from garden centers. I will describe their properties and my experience with them, as I have done with my roses.
Maple trees are acid-loving trees (Mir-acid), while Dogwood and Willows are not. Make sure to feed them with proper nutrients when they are newly planted.
Last update Sept. 1, 2002