Rose Gardening the Organic way

Organic rose gardening is actually among the most simple and inexpensive types of rose gardening. This is despite their reputation for being fussy plants, most are very hardy and there is a huge number of rose varieties to choose from.

Wild or Species roses

Wild roses are native to many parts of the northern hemisphere, including North America and Europe. Rose fossils 40 million years old have been found in Colorado.

Strangely, they never seem to have crossed the equator and there is no evidence of wild roses having appeared in the southern hemisphere until introduced by mankind.

Hybrid roses

The cultivation of roses began early with hybrids being created by cross-breeding. Many traits such as color varieties and larger, longer-lasting blooms have been bred into the roses that we see in gardens all over the world these days. Hybrid roses can be classified as either Old or Modern according to whether they were developed before or after 1867 when the first tea rose was bred.

Encouraging growth

The principles of organic gardening stress the importance of creating the right conditions for growth, with the aim of preventing rather than controlling pest attacks and disease. One important factor is companion plants - plants that will benefit your roses if grown nearby.

The best known companion plants for roses are garlic and onions. Growing garlic between your bushes can have an amazing effect on your roses. However, some people are deterred by the smell, which is not what one might expect from a beautiful scented rose garden! If this is an issue for you, alternative companion plants are marigolds, mignonettes and any flowers from the allium (onion) family. Nasturtiums can be very helpful for aphid control, and rosemary and thyme will attract friendly insects.

Bush roses do not like to be crowded and should be planted about 2 feet apart, depending on full-grown size. Organic garden design favors planting in staggered spots rather than in formal rows. You will also fit more into your bed in this way. Climbing roses should be planted around 10 feet apart.

They will grow best in well-drained soil which is very slightly acidic - a pH of 6.5 is ideal. Well-composted humus can be used to adjust the pH value of the soil if necessary. Making your own compost is best, since most bought compost is not sufficiently broken down for direct use on your organic garden. You can also buy organic rose fertilizer to apply during the growing season.

Roses require many beneficial soil organisms to grow well. One example is mycorrhiza. This fungus attaches to the roots of rose bushes and other plants and grows to interconnect through the soil, providing something like a back-up root system for the plant. Many gardeners do not dig near to rose bushes to avoid disturbing the mycorrhiza networks.

Roses like a lot of water in the growing and flowering season but heavy, deep watering of the roots once or twice a week is much better for them than a little every day. Aim to supply at least 4 gallons per bush per watering.

Disease

Diseases or pathogens are considered by organic gardeners to be a sign of suboptimal soil, climate or garden planning. In the case of roses, some hybrid or grafted varieties are naturally weak and susceptible to disease. Choose a hardy variety and avoid grafted roses for best disease resistance in an organic garden.

Pruning, especially if done to excess, also opens the door to pathogenic attack. When pruning, always cut at an angle to avoid creating a flat surface where rain water can collect, holding spores and other organisms that will soak into the stem. Pruning is best done just before growth restarts in the spring (late February or March, depending on your climate).

The fungal disease black spot is hard to avoid but your roses can survive for many years in spite of it. Helpful preventive measures include providing plenty of air around the plant. Organic fungicides can be used in organic rose gardening immediately after pruning when the rose is most susceptible to attack, or if the problem becomes severe.

Editor
Peter Charalambos

Author: Peter Charalambos

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