|
|
|
Roses for organic gardeners
|
Organic gardening has never been more popular. Our technical manager, Michael Marriott, explains that many people are afraid that organic gardening might involve a different or more complicated method of gardening. Quite the opposite is true. Organic gardening means getting the basics of rose care right: good soil preparation, feeding, watering and mulching.
Many of the more recent varieties of English Roses can be used in planting schemes by organic gardeners, especially when combined with annuals and perennials in the mixed border. The single most important factor is to plant only the most healthy varieties of roses in organic gardens and to be quite ruthless in removing any older plants which might harbour disease.
The roses illustrated below are exceptionally healthy, which means they make excellent choices for organic gardeners. Click on the pictures for more information about the variety.
Gardeners who are not yet ready to make the full commitment to gardening organically and who choose to use conventional sprays on their roses might like to know that The Mayflower often takes great exception to being sprayed, as do most roses with rugosa in their breeding.
|
Michael Marriott's tips for organic gardeners:
If you would like to create a thriving ecosystem of insects and birds in the garden, you really need to be prepared to welcome them all. If you aim to eradicate every last aphid, all the birds and insects will have no food and will move into your neighbour's garden!
Hover flies are some of the most useful insects in the garden. To attract these and other beneficial insects, you might like to incorporate some members of the daisy family into your garden, along with umbellifers (which have large flower heads consisting of many tiny florets), lavenders or salvias, which are especially attractive to bees.
Phacelia tanacetifoliais, a hairy annual with blue-lavender coloured flowers, is one of my favourites. This is often used by organic gardeners as a green manure.
Position a bird table or hanging feeder to encourage birds.
When watering roses, avoid wetting the leaves in the evening by directing the water at the roots of the roses. Blackspot thrives in damp conditions.
Feed your roses using an organic-based rose food. Well-cared for roses will remain healthy and reward you with many extra flowers. Organically-approved foliar sprays can also be used. Look for one that contains seaweed.
Please find below some suggestions of roses which can be grown organically in particular regions of the country.
|
|
Central North United States
|
|
|
