Hothouse.

Well, here is the finished product.  I've worked hard to finish it in time for the winter.  It's not a masterpiece, but I think it will serve the purpose I'll be using it for.  To make cuttings of the rootstock I use to graft roses on.  And of course to protect the plants that isn't frost hardy.  I luckily have a few days left before we can expect frost during the night.  The roses are beautiful at this time of the year.  Because the days are relatively hot and the nights are getting colder.  At this stage one can still spray your roses for black spot to allow them to bloom until late in the winter.  I sometimes have roses until late June, that is because if I spray regularly.  Enjoy rose gardening.

My hothouse

This is the frame work of the hothouse I'm in the process of building.  There is still a lot of work to be done, but I will keep you updated on my progress.

Dave Harrison

My brother bought me this rose about two years ago.  I've planted it between my stock roses and practically forgot about it.  About two month ago I grafted a few of them on rootstock.  And this is the result.  A beautiful apricot colored rose, that holds in a vas forever.  From now on this rose will be planted in abundance in my rose garden. 

Rose gardening in the winter
The winter is drawing closer.  And this time of the year the roses are at their best.  Because the nights are colder and the days are not so hot anymore the colours of the roses are at their brightest.  Sometimes, if I spray regularly, the roses bloom deep into June.  I sometimes even have to cut back roses that are still blooming to prune my roses.
 If you keep on spraying every 14 days your roses will stay beautiful until late in June.  The winter months are the best time to plant new roses.  I usually take all the roses that did not sell during the summer months in my nursery to plant in my display beds.  When spring comes the roots have settled and they are ready for a big display.
 I know that most people may disagree with me, but I've had big success with roses planted in the winter. 


Happy rose gardening.

I haven't got a name for this rose yet.

This , I think, only happen once in a rose breeders life.  A sport.  I've grafted this rose called Burgundy Iceberg.  The colour of this rose is only Burgundy.  But this one is a mixture of Burgundy and Iceberg. It's beautiful and I hope that the other roses on this bush will also be this colour.  
At this time of year we get lots of hot spells and the roses open quickly and loose their beauty in a matter of two or more days.  You can water them more regularly to cool off the bushes a bit and force the roses to keep their beauty a little bit longer...
Remember to spray for black spot and red spider mite in this hot time of the year.

Durban July

This little rose is called : Durban July.  It never stops to astonish me with their bright colours of yellow, red and orange.  It's called after a famous horse Derby held in South Africa every year on the 1st of July.  It's vigorous growth and bright colours is the ideal rose to have in every garden.  At this time of  year the roses are in a dormant stage, therefore it is a good time to transplant them from one spot in your garden to another.
It is also a good time do some summer pruning.  Take all the blind shoots and the branches that grew to the middle of the shrub during the winter.  It will assure a good flush of  roses in March and April.  Enjoy your roses.

Modern Art. One of the roses in my nursery that gives me a lot of pleasure.  It doesn't give lots of roses, but when they do it is beautiful to look at.  At this time of year one can do summerpruning. Cut back all the unwanted branches in the middle of the bush, to make it ready for the next flush in March.

I graft my own roses, and this is "success" to me.  When I've grafted, budded, rose and it grows.  You can see the rootstock on which I've grafted the rose.  This one is Beauty from within.  It's fun to graft your own roses.
If you want to know how to do it, send me an email and I will explain it step by step.(Or watch this space)

What is wrong with my roses?

A question I often get from people who cannot identify an illness on their roses.


There is basically two kinds of pests that can put your roses out of production for at least four of more weeks.


Number ONE - Blackspot.  You can see the leaves getting black and gradually spreading to the rest of the bush as time passes.  Blackspot cannot be cured on the leaves that have them already.  But it can be stopped on the leaves that haven't got it yet.  (That is the reason why prevention is better than cure)  But if you  "spot" this disease on your roses, it is time to get out your pesticide and start spraying.
The cure for black spot is a product called Chronos 450 SC.  It works like a charm. ( 11 ml on 10 liters of water)
The beauty of this product is that it doesn't wash off in the rain.  Spray every second week


Number TWO - Red spider mite.  These little devils can reproduce in a record time.  If you turn the leave you will be able to see their activity.  They can destroy a rose bush in a very short period of time.  The best way to get rid of them is with a pesticide called  Redspidercide (20 ml on 10 liters of water) Don't mix it with other pesticides.  Mix it with a teaspoon of dish washing liquid (to make it stick to the leaves).

BURGUNDY ICEBERG

Sometimes you see a rose and it just speaks to you in a way that others doesn't.  Burgundy Iceberg is one of them.  Here is a photgraph I took this afternoon after we had very heavy rains.  Usually roses doesn't  seem to be very "attractive" after heavy rains, but Burgundy Iceberg does.  It has the same growth as the ordinary Iceberg, except for its beautiful burgundy colour.  Really something to have in your roses garden.