My roses were glorious this past month. I hope yours were the same. I again seem to see fewer of the dreaded Hoplia beetles on them. Instead, this year, they decided to go after the pink flowers on my cacti! They certainly love the color pink. We should only have to put up with them for another month until they are gone until next year. Whew!
Since we are having warmer days and cool nights, it is perfect weather for spider mites. They can quickly destroy a plant in a couple of days, so check the undersides of leaves for them and give them a good hard spray of water to get rid of them. Invite lady beetles into your garden by planting native California plants. Spider mites and aphids are some of lady beetles' favorite foods!
If you can, try to fertilize your roses before the end of the month. Use organic fertilizers if possible. Organic fertilizers feed your soil as well as your plants. Roses like a constant supply of nutrients including micro-nutrients such as copper, manganese, magnesium, in addition to nitrogen (the N on the fertilizer label), phosphate (the P on the fertilizer label), potassium (the K on the fertilizer label), which develop strong blooms and roots. Remember, more is not better. Follow instructions on the bag. If you haven’t put down a layer of compost, that can be done as well.
Make sure you have a good three inches of mulch around the dripline of your roses. It will help to keep weeds at bay, retain water and keep the roots cooler in the upcoming summer weather. Enjoy your roses and blooms this month.
This year my Munstead Wood rose has been glorious! Munstead Wood is the home where Gertrude Jekyll lived in England. Gertrude was an amazing woman. She lived from 184 to1932. Her father was a welder, and he taught her the trade when she was a young girl.
She then went to art school and was a talented painter, photographer and designer. Later in life, she lost her eyesight and went on to become one of the most famous landscape architects of her time. She was very much influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, and it shows in her works. She wrote many books and articles on gardening which are still in print.
The rose named after her was bred by David Austin. It is a very dark velvety deep purple red. It has 76 petals and is gorgeous! Scented too! If you choose to grow it here, I would give it morning sun and some afternoon shade. It is a beautiful rose.
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Written by Fresno Master Gardener Debbie D.