Roses

We inherited a number of flowerbeds and lots of yard work when we bought this house.

This was one of the downsides to this place since we really are not yard work or even really outdoorsy type of people.

However, the pros outweighed the cons and we decided to go for it--yard work and all.

I've been working on the flowerbeds one at a time. I'm beginning in the backyard--a) because I'm back there a lot with the children and see the flowerbeds all the time and b) I can work a little bit while the children are playing. 

My first stop was at the bed of roses in the backyard and I must admit that it felt really worthwhile to clean this bed up and see it look a little better. Maybe I'll grow to like working in the yard after all! (Ok, so it's not perfect looking but a huge improvement from where it was!)

My mom was excited to hear that I had a couple of rose beds and gave me some tips to promote healthy growth.

• Don't let dead leaves and debris lie on the ground around your roses.
• Remove faded roses--if they're in a cluster, clip out the bad ones. One to a stem--go down to the first 5-sectioned leaf. Clip right above it.
• Prune roses back sometime from December to February. Cut out all dead canes. She recommends cutting back to about 6 inches.
• Use a good fertilizer for roses if needed.

She also gave me a recipe for a homemade spray for roses:

"Mix 2 tablespoons baking soda with 1 gallon warm water, then add 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Spray under the leaves and on top of the leaves after watering or a rain at least once a  week."

I haven't tried the spray yet but plan to make it as soon as I get a sprayer for it.

My mom is very good at gardening so I'm excited to follow her instructions and see how the roses do!

Do you have any gardening tips for roses to share with me?