roses

 

Planning

Before buying roses you should survey the area where you will be planting them. Most roses require 6-8 hours of direct sun and can withstand full sun in our planting region. Next, pick roses that are disease resistant. Buy roses from a reputable nursery, check the labels on the roses you are planning to purchase or go to http://www.helpmefind.com/rose. Help Me Find lists thousands of roses with information about each.

See if you can find an in-ground example of the rose(s) that you have selected. We are blessed with two very good rose gardens in this area. The San Jose Municipal Rose Garden has mainly modern roses. The San Jose Heritage Rose Garden has old and rare roses that are, generally, harder to find.

Don't forget about size. Roses range from small to very large. You don't want to put a six foot tall and wide rose in a four foot space. Most modern roses are repeat bloomers but some only bloom in the spring. Many older roses are also once bloomers. Make sure your rose is the type you want.

Planting

If you purchase your rose(s) in January or February, they will generally come as bare root plants. After February, most nurseries pot up the plants. Bare root roses are generally less expensive than potted roses.

Much of the soil in our area is heavy clay but there are many areas of loamy soils. Check to see what kind of soil you have. This will have a direct effect on the amount of water you give your plant.

Join us for a practical and informative talk on growing and caring for roses in your own home garden.  Master Gardener Sharon McCray will teach the novice and experienced gardener about rose culture, how to plant, prune, prevent diseases, feed and care for them for many years of gorgeous blooms.

To sign up for the workshop, phone the Erikson office during regular business hours at 408-723-6450 or email Ritab@metroed.net.

February is a great time to prune rose bushes. Master Gardener David Giroux will describe how to prune roses to mprove their health, vigor, structure and appearance. David has years of great experience at the Heritage Rose Garden in San Jose, http://www.heritageroses.us, which has more than 4,000 plants and more than 3,000 different varieties of heritage, modern and miniature roses. He will also discuss rose care so come with all your rose questions! Marianne and David will bring potted roses for a hands-on pruning demonstration.

Master Gardener Judith Cody will demonstrate how to grow organic roses with sustainable gardening methods. Roses needn't be only ornamental; learn how roses can also be a positive addition to the environment's well-being.  Other topics include: which bugs are helpful or harmful to roses; controlling and recognizing common rose diseases; ways to conserve water; and eliminating tedious spraying with toxic chemicals that endanger our families and the environment.   The information will include information on selecting hardy roses and cultivation methods that control rose problems before they start.

The following links are to websites outside of the UC domain. No endorsement is intended of products, services or information nor is criticism implied of similar sites that are not mentioned.

Gardening Information

• California Landscape Contractors Association - tips for hiring a landscape professional
• Certified Arborist Lookup - find a certified arborist in your area and learn about basic tree care. 
• Farmers' Markets - find Santa Clara County farmers' markets on the County of Santa Clara website or the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association website.
• Find a Green Gardener - Santa Clara Valley "Green Gardeners" are trained by master gardeners to maintain your garden using sustainable landscape maintenance practices.
• Master Composters of Santa Clara County - Recycling and composting info and classes
• Soil Testing Laboratories (PDF) Note: there's only one lab in Santa Clara County: Soil & Plant Laboratory in Santa Clara

Gardens and Parks

• Emma Prusch Farm Park - Gardens and farm animals