How And When To Water Your Roses

How And When To Water Your Roses To Achieve The Best results.
Roses require regular watering to survive and flourish.
Over watering can be more damaging to your precious roses
than under watering, and finding the correct balance is important.
How much water your roses need depends on your soil and how much organic matter you have added to it. The ideal soil is rich and well drained with sufficient friability to retain moisture.
A thick layer of mulch will keep the soil from drying out quickly, and make a noticeable difference in how frequently you need to water.
If you have a 'heavy' soil extra care needs to be taken not to over water as the root systems of the plant will be deprived of oxygen and die.
Only water your roses when they require it. During periods of hot weather you will need to water more often to prevent any stress to your plants.

Automated systems programmed to water roses everyday, or sprinkler systems left on for hours are simply a waste of water. Instead just water enough to thoroughly soak the root area and then allow the soil to dry out before watering again.
Allowing the soil to dry out between watering will encourage the roots of your roses to travel downwards and outwards in search of water. This helps to prevent the fast growth of soft stems which are prone to insect attack.
The end result will be hardier plants with sturdy growth.

By encouraging your roses to exist on a low watering regime you will gain the advantage of having additional flower bud production.

When To Water
Water in the early morning or late evening.
During hot weather plants that are drooping or generally showing any signs of stress should be watered immediately.

How To Water
Always try to water your roses at ground level with drippers or gentle sprays that don't disturb the soil.
Sprinklers, sprays or hoses that water the foliage and flowers can cause problems such as 'black spot', flower wilt or water damaged petals.
When a family member or friend is watering for you, explain why it is important to avoid wetting foliage or flowers, especially during the hot weather.
Soaker hoses are ideal for 'rose gardens' or beds, where the water requirements are the same for each plant.
Irrigation systems with 'dripper heads' to each plant are also an excellent idea.
I use the drippers with adjustable heads that allow you to control the flow of water to each plant, and although the heads need to be checked from time to time as they can become blocked with soil or ants, they do perform extremely well.
Hand watering occasionally, with a hose and soft spray attachment allows you the opportunity to check the health of your plants. By checking the leaves and stems as you water you can identify any problems with pests or diseases in the early stages, before your plants suffer any damage.

Watering Roses In Pots
Roses grown in pots will need to be checked regularly to determine there watering needs, which will vary with the type of pot, the potting soil used and the size of the pot.
Terracotta and concrete pots tend to dry out more quickly than ceramic or plastic especially during hot weather. and there are many different grades of potting soil. It's best to use a good quality soil that has been prepared to suit the needs of potted roses..
Always leave enough space under your pots to allow the air to circulate and for the soil to drain properly. Try to avoid leaving your potted roses standing in saucers of water, as this will prevent the aeration of the roots, which is the cause of many plant fatalities.
Smaller pots can dry out very quickly and in hot weather may need to be watered two or three times a day.
The soil in pots will also lose nutrients quite rapidly, and a regular feeding routine needs to be implemented to keep your roses healthy.

Until Next Time
All the best and happy Rose gardening

Margarete
www.antspantsgardening.com

Container Gardening For 'Curb Appeal'

As a landscaper I often receive requests to landscape or clean up gardens for property owners who have made a decision to sell.

A well presented garden can add $$$s to the sale value of a property. However,in many instances the all important 'curb appeal' can be achieved without a major make-over.

For easy almost instant appeal you can use a selection of different sized planter boxes or elegant pots filled with your choice of flowering plants.You can find plants in flower most of the year, so your choice will be determined by the different seasons.

Large pots can also be used to add greenery to a dull area. Camelia's, Gardenias, Conifers, Palms are just a few of the huge range of plants that will grow happily in pots, although some will need to be placed in the ground at a later date.

Planter boxes are very attractive placed on balcony's, in a porch, under windows, or on a patio. Pots or planter's can be used to frame a doorway, steps, or accent the entry of a pathway. For a formal look, large bowl shaped pots filled with flowers and set on a pedestal make a beautiful 'statement'.

Dark purple and pale violet pansies planted with white and purple alyssum makes a beautiful display, but with the vast amount of flowering plants to choose from the selection of an exciting color combination is easy and fun.

Plant your planters or pots and enjoy the resulting lush and beautiful 'instant' flower bed. Keep moist (not wet) and feed every three weeks with a liquid fertilizer.Your plants will grow quickly and completely fill your planters and pots.

Adding color to your garden this way means that once your property has been sold you can take your instant gardens with you to your new home.

All the best and happy gardening

Margarete
www.antspantsgardening.com

Office Greenery

THE INSIDE STORY

Have your plants settled into the office environment? Are they happy, well-adjusted members of your office team? Or are they out on a limb - wilting under pressure and unable to adjust to life on the inside?

We've all heard the horror stories. "Killed by neglect" "Starved to death" "The poor thing just died"

Everyday, shut away in an office somewhere, beautiful indoor plants are suffering. Lack of light, too much or too little watering, no food, air conditioning - all take their toll.

But it doesn't have to happen. Working with plants can be a beneficial experience. With careful choice and correct positioning, an indoor plant can add a touch of class to a foyer, brighten a dull corner, or soften the austerity of a large office. Some research studies have even suggested that working with plants may increase worker productivity!

No matter what your office environment, plants provide a breath of fresh air. Large companies and hotels often rent the indoor plants that decorate their foyers and liven up the workplace.

To keep the indoor plants in your office alive and well, make sure to get some basic directions from the nursery or store where you purchase them. As a general guide - never leave your office plants sitting in water. Try to keep their leaves clean. Feed them regularly and make sure they have enough light. If providing enough natural light is a problem there are growing lights available that work extremely well.

There is a large range of indoor plants available for you to choose from, see indoor plants, and finding plants to suit your particular office shouldn't be difficult.


Until Next Time

All the best and happy gardening

Margarete

www.antspantsgardening.com

Growing Beautiful Clematis

Clematis are climbing plants with beautiful large flowers available in a range of different varieties and colors.
Clematis prefers cool climates, and you will need to choose a planting position where the roots are in the shade and the plant's growth will receive morning sun.
In hot climates, avoid planting Clematis on or near walls or fences that can become hot during the day as this will cause your plant to dry out and possibly die. Clematis don’t like having to compete for root space, so if you decide to plant them in cool areas under trees or in a shrubbery, make sure they are not to close to the tree or shrub trunks and that there is not to much competition for root space. Your Clematis will also need to be protected from hot dry winds.


Clematis need to have good drainage and the roots must be kept cool and moist during the hot weather. Poor drainage will cause Clematis to die very quickly. This plant is one of the very few that when transferring from pot to soil needs to be planted deeper than the soil level in the pot. In should be planted to the depth of the next set of nodes on the stem above the pot soil level.
During the summer weather keep the plants fed and the roots cool by first applying some well rotted cow manure and organic mulch, covered by chip or bark mulch. While your plants are establishing ensure they don’t dry out during hot weather.
Clematis can be grown in deep pots, but be sure to check that the pot has excellent drainage
During hot dry conditions, Clematis must never be allowed to dry out. During very hot conditions you may need to water twice a day. In normal summer conditions give a deep soaking 2 or 3 times a week.

Feed your Clematis late winter and again in early spring - well rotted cow manure is great, garden compost (keep away from stem), or blood and bone mixed with some potash. Clematis in pots will benefit from using a liquid fertilizer once a fortnight. Follow directions carefully.
Cease using liquid fertilizer as soon as the first tiny flower buds appear, as it can cause shortening the flowering period. Start fertilizing again after flowering.
Take care of your Clematis and you will be rewarded with a spectacular flowering display over a long duration.

All the best and happy gardening

Margarete
www.antspantsgardening.com

GROWING VEGETABLES IN CONTAINERS

If you live in an apartment, townhouse or unit you will probably have very little open ground space to create a vegetable garden. Fortunately some types of vegetables can be grown in pots or planter boxes, and will happily grow in a sunny position on a verandah or small patio. Tomatoes grow well in tubs or planter boxes. If you plan to grow the taller varieties of tomatoes you will need to make sure that the growing stakes are placed in the pot when the plants are first planted.
Try growing lettuce and Mignonettes, silver beet, spinach, spring onions, radishes, capsicum and carrots. I've also successfully grown snow peas, cucumber, zuchinni and egg plant in large pots.

Self-watering pots make the ideal containers to help keep vegetable plants moist during the hot weather. Light colored plastic pots and planters are the best choice for growing your vegetables as they won't dry out as quickly as the porous terracotta pots. dark colors absorb the heat.

Always use good quality potting mix and ensure that your pots have good drainage.

A layer of mulch over the top of the pot will help keep the roots cool and retain moisture longer.

Keep your plants well watered and feed regularly.

Vegetables need plenty of food, so feed them with a rich organic fertiliser.


All the best and happy vegetable gardening,

Margarete
http://www.antspantsgardening.com