Would you like my opinion on your rose and perennial plant problems including disease and insect problems?  If so, send me your 'problem' photos and I'll post them here with the problem description and potential solutions.  Please ensure the resolution is high enough for proper viewing.  I'll post photos within 24 hours of your submitting them to me at growit@perennialandrosegardening.net.  Thank you!


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Garden Journal Entries 

     Quick Links:   Problem Pics   |   Photo Journal

       Garden Activity by  Month:   

        June 07   July 07   August 07   September 07  April 08  


Current Activity in the Garden:

(April 06, 2008)  Well, my friends, I'm back in the garden and enjoying every minute of it.  Jonathan is now 3 years old and loves participating in the garden chores.  Today, we planted several pots of Indigo Spires Salvia and Whirling Butterflies Gaura.  Cristy, my wife, planted several specimines for our patio in pots.  Also, one section in our garden that doesn't do that well for some weird reason (possibly drainage) now has color.  We took one of our large patio pots and planted a rose bush in it.  We then placed it in the bad section of the garden so we will now have color in that spot.  Unique idea I thought!

(September 15, 2007)  Cooler temperatures have finally arrived and with that I've begun to spray again with my usual regiment--disease and insect control.  I'm fertilizing the roses monthly with Mills Easy Feed and Alaska Fish Emulsion.  They're looking great.  Today with my SpeedyGreen spreader I broadcast a Crabgrass and other weedy preemergent herbicide on my lawn that will last about 4 months.  This  has proven to be an excellent proactive method for me to prevent cool season weeds in the lawn.

(August 26, 2007)  The heat has been near unbearable for any human being.  Nevertheless, today we weeded, weeded and did more weeding.  Did I mention we weeded!  The weeds are neverending.  Nutsedge or Coco and other perennial grass weeds are our garden plagues.  I'd be willing to bet the farm that they're your biggest problem too!  They seem to pop out of thin air.  At any rate, they're taken care of for the time being (this week).  With the heat and low humidity of near 50% I've been pouring the water to everything--the lawn, the garden, the roses--everything.  I typically put about 1" of water on the plants at minimum every other day during this extreme heat and that seems to be working very well.  My typical watering is done 3 times per week, but that just doesn't work with this heat and low humidity.  Spider Mites are still giving me a little issue on the roses, but I'm about to get that under control.  Roses and Perennials are all trimmed and ready for the fall bloom period.  I plan to begin heavy fertilizing (at recommended rates) in a few days---when the weather cools.  YES--the weather is about to cool down just a bit.

(August 16, 2007)  The continued extreme heating we've been having (100s) is reaking havoc in my garden.  The perennials and roses even though I'm watering every other day look worse than they've looked all season.  Today I noticed some spider mites on the undersides of the hybrid tea rose leaves.  I'll take  photos and post in the problem pics section of the site in the next few days.  I'm also seeing some downy mildew signs.  I'm not going to pick back up with my spray routine of fungicides and insecticides until the temps are back in the low 90s otherwise I risk burning the plants with the chemicals.  I plan to finish the pruning of the hybrid teas in the next week or so and hopefully I'll be able to begin my spray routine again.  I'll also pick back up with fertilizing regularly once the temps cool.

(August 11, 2007)  In preparation for fall blooms I pruned, clipped and sheared some of my perennial plants including some shrubby roses.  Thrips and other insects not a big problem.  Fungal diseases are at a minimum likely due to extreme heat.  Watered all plants afterward to help reduce injury caused by trimming.  Heat is extreme so I'm not using any chemical fertilizers or insect sprays until temperatures begin to drop.

(July 22, 2007)  Mixed up over 100 gallons of Alaska Fish Emulsion and put a gallon around each rose bush's drip line.  We also gave several of the perennial flowering plants a taste.  Cooler weather has contributed to larger than typical rose blooms for this time of year.  The Blackeyed Susans are looking great and seem to have appeared out of nowhere.

(July 18, 2007)  I'm just now seeing the results of all the rain that we've had over the past couple of weeks.  The opening rose buds are bigger, brighter and better looking all around from the rain induced cool-down we've seen.  Although Thrips have been a problem with ruining otherwise perfect looking rose blooms, that too, is hopefully now under control.  Not wanting to use the Conserve product too often, which would promote immunity to the critters, I switched to Orthene WP 75%, which at the rate of 2 tsb. per gallon seems to have done the trick.  It also seems to have had a somewhat systemic effect meaning after 2 days of spraying the Orthene I'm still seeing new thrips dead in the blooms.  This is good as the Conserve product although awesome at knocking Thrips dead in their tracks is not that good at having a systemic circulation in the plant, but more so a contact chemical.  Overall the perennial beds and flowers look okay considering the heat we've had.  My beds look their best in late spring and late fall.  Nonetheless, all is looking up with the roses at this time.

(July 15, 2007)  The thrips have returned--go figure!  Sprayed with Orthene (2 tsp. per Gallon).  I also included Avid in the mix, which is a miticide.  I have some evidence of spider mite damage on the undersides of the lower leaves on some of the rose bushes.  Some of those rose leaves or foliage has begun to turn yellow.  The mite damage is evidenced by grayish to white undersides made up of small particles that often look like salt sprinkles, but somewhat smaller in particle size than is that of real table salt.  The mites are so small it takes a strong magnifying glass or even microscope to see them.


(July 13, 2007)  A few of our daylilies have succumbed to the heat and humidity we've had recently by way of rust.  I sprayed them with fungicides all spring and early summer, but slowly tapered off as the heat began reaching the upper 90s consistently.  Thus, today my son and I trimmed all of those problematic daylilies to about 3 or 4 inches above the ground--primarily for aesthetic reasons.  In addition, we trimmed some of the season's overgrowth throughout the beds and pulled up the annual petunias that had had enough heat as well.  This left some bare spots in the garden, but it looks better than rust infested daylily foliage and spindly petunias.

(July 8, 2007) Today was the first day of sun we've had over the past several days. I finally got around to pruning and trimming the overgrowth of the season and even found some Powdery Mildew on one of my Crepe Myrtles,  which I have included in the "Problem Pics" section.  Each season I find that the perennial beds can become slightly overrun with growth and need a bit of shaping by way of pruning.  It didn't take that long--a couple of hours to complete the job.  It's worth the effort as pruning promotes new growth and hopefully more blooms.  It's also a good time to see what problems need resolving (such as the Powdery Mildew).  I also highly recommend walking methodically through the garden this time of year with a pen and paper documenting the changes and "to dos" for next season.  See page 1 and page 2 of my notes.  Look for my article titled "Planning For Next Spring" that I'll be posting soon on the articles page.  That article will do a better job of explaining my note taking methods.  It's pretty much self-explanatory. 

(July 6, 2007) My local weather has been RAINY for the past several days, and I've missed my routine of disease prevention on the Hybrid Tea Roses.  I anticipate that I'll have some blackspot samples to display in the problem pics section soon.  Not much activity lately other than some deadheading yesterday.

(June 30, 2007) Fertilized with Mills Easy Feed and incorporated 2 cups of Mills Magic Mix around the drip line of each bush including some perennial plants.  Deadheading occurring daily as is side pruning.

Garden Photo Journal

Pink and White Verbena
June 23, 2008

Over four growing seasons ago I planted a quart sized pot of a plant I had never grown before.  Quickly it established itself in our landscape and bloomed the entire first season.  It has never stopped since.  White and Rose Verbena was the plant and so it has been a part of our garden since its inception.  Once established it began to spread along the ground until it had the majority of the borders covered.  The nice thing about verbena is that its root system is shallow allowing for plants to be planted in and among the verbena--plants with deeper root systems.  For instance, I have Liatris planted directly on top of several sections of my rose verbena and both are performing well.  This is one tough plant and thrives on neglect. It doesn't need lots of water and requires little in fertilization.  It does, however, as do most any garden plants, need well-drained soil.  It also prefers a significant amount of sunlight, although it does quite well in low light.  Perhaps a few less blooms will result if this is the case.  Among all the plants in my landscape (and there are quite a number) this one certainly ranks on top when it comes to toughness and its ability to withstand heat and drought.  It's a dependable repeat bloomer that will have a place in our garden for years to come.

Large Azalea "A Southern Tradition"
April 06, 2008

Azaleas have graced the Bankston garden for the past three years, and I'm sure have graced many of yours over the years.  They provide striking beauty in the early spring, and some have been been created that rebloom such as the Encore Azalea.  Here in our landscape we have roughly three colors--deep pink, purplish-pink and solid, bright white.  I don't prefer the miniature varieties and thus only have the typical large growing varieties.  When we planted them over 3 growing seasons ago we nearly lost them due to drainage and pH issues.  They absolutely cannot stand soggy feet.  As a matter of fact they need extremely well-drained soil.  In fact, I advise people to not dig a hole for planting, but rather place the pot on the top of the ground and build a mound of soil up and around the root ball.  This way there is no risk of the root ball sitting in water or soggy subsoil.  The other issue we had was the pH of the soil.  Azaleas prefer 4.0 - 5.0 on the pH scale.  Anything above 5 or 6 becomes risky as the Azaleas can't process or retrieve the nutrients it needs while growing in high alkaline soils.  Some mistake yellowing azalea leaves for iron deficiencies and the like.  However, often it's a pH issue and not an iron issue.  Now we enjoy beautiful blooms and new growth as the soil drainage and pH is optimal.  Remember, prune immediately after blooming if you must prune.  Don't make the mistake of waiting until they set blooms and prune in the late fall.  Prune now...right after they complete their spring bloom.

Crown Princess Margarita with Indigo Spires Salvia
September 15, 2007

(Update:  With some gardening friends help I've identified this one.  It is called Crown Princess Margarita)  I hate to admit it, but to save my life I can’t remember the name of this English rose that I purchased this spring at Lowes Home Improvement Center.  I recall bringing the plants home and planting them, but I do not know why I was so clumsy with the labels that came with them.  I remember selecting this one by its intense fragrance.  It reminded me of the old garden rose scent—that sweet, light, “rose” fragrance.  If anyone reading this would care to comment or suggest the variety I’d love to hear it.   If you’ve reviewed this site with any form of thoroughness you’ve likely recognized a favorite plant of mine of any other in our garden.  If you guessed Indio Spires Salvia you’re right!  I’d have to say that a sixth of my garden is landscaped with this plant variety.  That’s what’s in the photo here.  The photo was taken just days ago, and as can be seen the spikes of flowers are a dark “indigo” or purplish color.  When brushed or broken the plant has a strong fragrance—kind of a spicy or mint hint to it (I didn’t mean for that to rhyme).  To keep it in check I prune it back lightly several times throughout the spring, summer and just prior to fall.  With the cooler temperatures that come with fall its color is much more intense than in the hottest part of the growing season—July and August.  This is the case with most any flowering plant with the exception of the tropicals and some other varieties.  From the photo it may appear that I have the English roses planted in with these guys, but that is not the case.  The rose is planted in a large pot and is nestled just off to the side of the Indigo Spires which are growing in a bed surrounding our patio in the backyard.  Although you could likely get the roses to perform well in amongst the salvia, I do not recommend it as I’ve had bad luck with this.  However, one option would be to back off about 4 feet from the nearest Indigo Spires plant (they sprawl about 3 feet in all directions) and plant your roses there.  This way the roses aren’t shaded by the Salvia and the roses (and the Salvia) get plenty of air circulation which of course will help prevent those nasty spore-born diseases.  I hope to recall the name of this rose as I’d like to plant several more in the vicinity of next year’s crop of the Indigos.   

Miscanthus (Zebrinus)
August 21, 2007

I’m not much into grasses as I only have two in my garden—this one, a Miscanthus and a Maiden perennial grass.  If I had more room in my landscape I’d certainly have more of these beauties.  They really add depth and form to a garden I think.  This variety, Miscanthus Zebrinus is often called “zebra” grass as it has horizontal, light-colored stripes down the leaf blades.  It’s easily grown in most any type of soil and is the primary reason I gave it a try.  I had a section of garden in one of my beds along the front of our home that was extremely heavy in clay and was not amended very well when the beds were built.  Rather than adapt the soil to various plants I went on the hunt for a plant that would both add height to the beds and perform well in wet, heavy clay soils.  The list of choices wasn’t that long as you can imagine.  Nevertheless, here it is.  It has performed well for me this first year.  It was transplanted from a neighbor’s lawn earlier in the year and hasn’t stopped producing plumes of seed heads yet.  Its light requirements are sun to part shade and it reaches an adult height of near 8 feet with a spread of about 6 feet.  It typically produces blooms or seed heads in August – February.  In summary, if you’re looking for a low-maintainence, but striking specimen plant, I think you can’t go wrong with Miscanthus or Zebra Grass.

Hardy Begonia (Begoniaceae)
August 12, 2007

Sold as annuals most places, it is not typically known that Begonias are really tender perennials.  When planted in protected areas away from northern, winter winds, they usually over winter in the south.  In the spring after the soil warms they begin to sprout up and by summer are gracing the garden with full foliage and white-pink blooms.  The variety commonly sold at garden stores are of the “hardy” type.  These grow from tubers and their height can reach as tall as 3 feet.  In my garden, they usually stay near the 2 feet mark.  Their stems are a shade of deep red and their blooms are usually a shade of white or pink and the undersides of the foliage is red.  The bloom period is summer, but in the Deep South it will bloom from late spring until frost.  Be sure you locate these plants in filtered light as direct sun will scorch the leaves.  They also prefer consistently moist soil, but be mindful not to saturate as they do not like boggy conditions.  If drainage is a problem correct it prior to planting by amending with some creek sand and organics.  They also prefer a significant amount of heat and humidity, so when conditions are dry, mist the leaves several times in the hottest part of the season.  If you’d care to try your hand at propagation, you can cut off a portion of stem or leaflet, dip in rooting hormone (white powder found in plant stores) and then plant in sterile planting mix or potting soil.  Then, make sure you keep the plant moist and out of direct sunlight.  After a few weeks you should see roots forming.  Once you see roots coming out of the bottom of the pot you can transplant into the garden.  They’re fairly easy to propagate, so give it a try.  What do you have to loose?

Heirloom (Hybrid Tea Rose)
August 4, 2007

You typically think of an Heirloom as something that’s handed down from one generation to the next—something very old.  But when speaking about the hybrid tea rose, Heirloom we’re not talking about a rose bush that’s all that old.  Heirloom was hybridized in 1972 (four years before my birth) by a gentleman named Bill Warriner of Jackson and Perkins.  And he did a great job I might add!  The bush supports deep, lilac purple blooms on fairly short stems.  Side pruning or finger pruning is a constant chore with this guy.  I often let the sprays of blooms take over the bush as the color from a distance is more prominent—more blooms but somewhat smaller.  Heirloom has always been a favorite of mine since moving to our current location.  However, it’s my wife’s least favorite, so we compromised.  I moved one of the two Heirloom bushes to the back yard with the other perennials and replaced it with Veteran’s Honor in the front yard beds.  The bush has lots of foliage of a light to medium green color.  The new growth is a dark red as is the case with lots of other roses.  I would recommend this one for your garden as it is tolerating of heat, but yet does well in the fall too.  The only time I have trouble with Heirloom is typically in the spring when we have cool nights followed by very warm, humid days.  During this time I frequently have what is called rose balling, which can be caused from an assortment of conditions.  The most likely of conditions for balling is too much heat and moisture.  You can help this by reducing the amount of overhead watering you do.  It’s characterized by the rose bud partially opening and then ceasing to completely open.  That is quickly followed by the petals looking “wilted” for lack of a better term.  The bloom will also sometimes begin to rot and have a foul odor, which is caused by a type of fungi.  Nevertheless, our spring season is short-lived, so this is only a temporary problem for me.

Whirling Butterflies (Gaura lindheimeri)
July 28, 2007

I have found that growing native plants has not been so “native” in some cases. What do I mean by this? Well, one of my favorite perennial plants in the garden (and I have quite a few of them) is Gaura—pronounced “Garra”. You can see them in the photo to the left mixed in with the yellow day lilies (small white/pink flowers).  Gaura is native to Louisiana and Texas, but that doesn’t necessarily mean automatic success with growing them if you live in one of those states. I found that by planting in very rich, organic soils in a way hindered their performance. They seemed to become a bit leggy with sparse blooms. Then I happened to pull out my literature and read up on these natives to our area. I know this is not typically the way you’d want to go about gardening. The normal person would want to study and plan first and then plant, but like many I, too, get anxious and at times put the cart before the horse. Nevertheless, as quoted from the Southern Living Garden Book or what I like to refer to as my “Garden Bible”, I read the following: “Needs good drainage. Used widely in most of the South. Performs best in the Southwest, where it is a profusely blooming, long-lived perennial. Taproot makes it very drought tolerant. Clumps never need dividing; for additional plants, allow some of the volunteer seedlings to grow. Plant prefers lean, unfertilized soil; planting in rich soil results in legginess and sparse bloom”. It went on to state, “ . . . Airy plant growing to 2 to 4 feet high and 2 to 3 feet wide. Stalkless leaves to 1 to 3 inches long grow directly on stems. Very long bloom period (often from late spring to fall). Pink buds closely set on branching spikes open just a few at a time; blossoms are about 1 inch long, white aging to rose.”.  Needless to say, once I stopped fertilizing and watering them (basically began to neglect them) they began to perform as evidenced by their continuous blooms and growth. As far as maintenance goes I usually prune them back pretty hard (about 2 feet from the ground) around late July so that another flush of blooms are pushed going into the fall months.  If you like airy, wispy plants and flowers you’ll like this one. Keep in mind they like plenty of sun (full) and moderate water.  A few of mine are in part shade and they absolutely do not perform as well as those that get the sun throughout the day.  I'll probably be moving them before it's over.

Veterans Honor (Hybrid Tea Rose)
July 24, 2007

Would you like to have your garden graced by one of the best performing hybridized roses of all time? If so, look no more because you’ve found it. If you don’t have room for another rose bush pull up and replace one of your old bushes with one or more of these. You will not be disappointed. This rose has been blooming for me since planting in the spring and just doesn’t stop. The photo here was taken by me and is from the 3rd flush of this season’s blooms. It has a very heavy scent and is deep red in color. Its petal count is in the lower 40s (i.e. huge blooms) and the stems that the blooms are produced on are of more than adequate length and vigor. I first learned of this rose from an elderly buddy of mine that lives in the Oak Grove, Louisiana area. His garden of over 200 bushes boasts of color and quality blooms, but as I indicated initially in this message, the Veterans Honor bushes stood head and shoulders above the rest throughout his garden. I also noticed that it seemed to not be bothered by disease and bugs as much as some of the others. You can’t go wrong here – trust me! And if this isn’t enough it was introduced in 1999 to honor the men and women of the Armed Forces. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of this rose go to benefit the Department of Veteran Affairs. Truly a prize winner in any garden! Visit Jackson and Perkins to purchase this magnificent rose.

Touch Of Class (Hybrid Tea Rose)
July 24, 2007

Doesn’t everyone want a “Touch of Class” in their lives? If so, this one can’t be beat. It was back a few years (my high school days) when I discovered this one by no accident. As mentioned in my bio on the home page of this site, an elderly couple, Jack and Dovie Kinkaid who mentored and guided me with rose culture and how to go about starting a rose bed and maintaining it introduced me to this beaut—Touch Of Class. At current I could only locate one of these plants and thus out of the near hundred different bushes I have in the garden today I only have uno—one. And that one hasn’t failed to take me back to the summer of 90 when I was first introduced to it. It’s also no surprise that this one, like the Olympiad, received the “All American Rose” in the year of 1986. If you like well formed, high-centered all with excellent colored rose blooms this one is for you. In the fall I plan to add a few more of these to the garden for cutting. The photo here is from the 2nd flush of blooms since planting it in May. A definite plus is that it also has a mild fragrance, especially in the heat of the day—and we get a lot of heat in the south. Overall it’s one of my all time favorites and is certainly of exhibition quality. It will hopefully be a member of our garden for years to come, and I recommend it for yours.

Olympiad (Hybrid Tea Rose)
July 22, 2007

An “All American Rose” selection winner in 1984 Olympiad certainly lives up to its name.  When out and about in the garden today it was an effort to reach up high enough to pull down to nose level one of the Olympiad blooms, and I’m all of 6 feet 2 inches tall.  This isn’t out of the norm for this rose as this one is consistent with its production of very long stems.  As a matter of fact when I’m describing this rose to someone, typically the first thing out of my mouth is “…very long stems”.  This is one of the primary attributes that is most striking about this rose aside from the bloom.  And what do you think sits atop these long stems?  Well, that’s of course the icing on the proverbial cake.  The bloom is a medium, very bright red rose.  In my case the rose blooms aren’t typically as large as some of the other exhibition rose types, but remarkably makes up for this in color, scent and form.  Yes, I said “scent”.  I know you’ve probably, like me, seen or read literature on this rose that states that although a very pretty rose and a good performer in the garden that it has NO scent.  I beg to differ—this couldn’t be further from the truth.  Surely I’m not the only one that can smell it.  I know I was blessed with a rather large snout, but come on.  It does have a scent!  Just today when stepping up to reach one of the blooms I could smell it--before it reached my nose I could smell the sweet fragrance.  I will admit that the scent is weak during cool weather such as during spring and fall, but any other time this beauty not only produces a fragrance, but it’s a significant fragrance of what I’d describe as a heavy and sweet…sort of an old-fashioned garden rose scent.  At any rate, this one in my humble opinion would make a perfect modern rose plant for any garden.  The only red rose that I can suggest that might beat this one at least in my garden would be the now popular Veteran’s Honor—another Hybrid Tea which I highly recommend.  So, the next time you spot an Olympiad do stop to smell the roses; you may be surprised by what you find or should I say smell!

Salvia uliginosa (Bog Sage)
July 17, 2007

Although the name suggest something of an "ugly" nature that assumption couldn't be further from the truth.  I have one section in my landscape that always seems to be more "soggy" or "boggy" than the other areas, which are well-drained.  Rather than build up that bed area I went on the hunt for a plant with color, height and one that would fill in those boggy gaps in my bed areas without me  having to amend the soil.  I located that plant at a small nursery in West Monroe, Louisiana called Rainbow Nursery.  Tucked away in the corner of the nursery were only 4 or so pots of this sage, a native of South America, which I quickly snapped up after learning that it produced height (about 6 to 7 feet tall), was fast growing and produced spikes of rare, sky-blue flowers throughout the summer months and up until frost.  This is one of the first blooms this growing season.  It complements my roses quite well, and I look forward to next season's growth and blooms.  I would note that it can be seen as somewhat invasive so you'll probably want to divide the clumps in early spring each year.   It should also be noted that although its name suggest it can only grow in wet areas it will grow well or better in well-drained soils as compared to soggy soils.  I plan to divide them next spring and locate in various other spots in the garden that are in need of some color and height.  If this perennial plant interests you you'll probably enjoy this article I located from Mississippi State University.  Overall, the plant was well worth the search and is currently living up to my expectations.

Cleome (Spider Flower)
July 16, 2007

Each year I spend more than I should on plants and basic gardening toys at Sonny Panzico’s Garden Mart located in Monroe, Louisiana.  This purchase was no different than the others…see plant….like plant….buy plant.  Honestly, I had never grown Cleome or “Spider Flower” until this year.  The plant when purchased was badly root bound and was extremely yellow or chlorotic.  Nevertheless, after only a few weeks in the ground early in the season and with a little fertilizer it was producing the famous spider-looking flower spikes and the foliage or leaves had turned a darker green.  The plant is now about 3 feet high and has already spread to about 2 to 3 feet wide with an anticipated height of approximately 6 feet.  Its width is undetermined as the plant reseeds prolifically and often needs to be thinned.  It's best used in the backs of beds for added height and in the centers of island beds as indicated on the website How Stuff Works.  Cleome will do well in average garden soils that are located in sunny spots in your garden.  Be sure to keep it watered well for the best show of blooms and solid growth.  It’s noted as an annual but can sustain perennial performance from its reseeding capabilities.  So far I really like the plant and look forward to next season’s bloom production. In the location which I planted the Cleome I needed height and color.  I think this one fits that bill!

Plumaria (West Indian Jasmine)
July 13, 2007

On a recent trip to Louisiana Tech University's Horticultural Center I was caught off guard by a hint of citrus smell and noticed next to me was this Plumaria with awesome blooms.  I realize this is certainly not a perennial in our climate, but I couldn't resist posting. To date I do not grow Plumarias but plan to give it a shot in the next season.  Plumarias are definitely tropical and can't take freezing temperatures by any means.  They like at least four hours of direct sunlight per day and like most tropicals like the heat and humidity.  I think I can handle that part of its requirements in our zone--8A!  It's a native of Mexico and Tropical America.  It can reach a height of near 40 feet in its native environment, but can be kept tidy by growing in pots and by pruning and trimming.  It must have good drainage for successful and productive blooming.  Another neat fact about Plumaria is that it is used for making Leis in Hawaii and on other tropical islands.  If you'd like to give a shot at growing these tropicals use a fair amount of loam and sand or tiny rocks or pebbles as good drainage between waterings can't be understated.  They also like a good dose of fertilizer during the growing season, but be mindful of its dormancy cycle and reduce and finally eliminate all fertilizer about a month before the cool weather arrives.  During the cool season the plant should not be exposed to freezing temperatures and ideally should be kept at around 50 degrees.  It will drop its leaves as it makes it through the dormant period.  This is normal.  It typically blooms from late spring to fall.

Ballerina (Hybrid Musk or Shrub Rose)
July 4, 2007

This one, too, was purchased online at the Antique Rose Emporium.  As defined by Google, a Musk Rose is "a modern class of roses with an old fashioned look that trace their origin to Rev. Joseph Pemberton (1850-1926) of Essex, England. Hybrid Musks are widely adaptable roses in that their long, arching canes can be trained as shrubs or climbers."  Ballerina makes itself known in our garden each growing season with its light green, compact foliage and green-up from the previous winter where it bore tiny, bright red hips on bare canes.  Soon thereafter, tiny green buds begin to pop out one by one, and then out of nowhere it seems to produce hundreds of these tiny buds over the entire plant that begin to pop open--one or two here and there.  Then, just as the tiny buds came with a surprise comes the production of clusters of light to medium pink blooms with white centers that literally cover the entire rose bush and last for weeks.  These blooms are born onto arching canes that can reach as high as 8 feet by 5 feet if left unpruned. However, if this doesn't suit you, simply prune to your liking forming more of a shrub-like appearance. There is no scent to fret over, but I can't say enough about its beauty. After the initial flush of Spring blooms it takes a rest and then produces puffs of blooms or sprays over the bush throughout the growing season until the first frost.  And the show doesn't stop there.  In late Winter you'll begin to see little red hips light up the bush's bare branches or canes.  Ballerina is definitely one of the opening acts to Spring in our garden!

Bella Roma (Hybrid Tea Rose)
June 26, 2007

This one won the Jackson and Perkins 2003 Rose of the Year and has been an over achiever ever since.  My wife and I have had this one growing in our gardens for that time as well and have been pleased with it's vigorous growth habits, dark green, lush foliage and very fragrant blooms.  If you've ever stopped to sniff your grandmother or great grandmother's old garden roses, you'll recall that they typically have that "antique" rose scent.  This one has just such scent--a very fragrant, sweet smell.  The only issue I've had with this one is with Thrip damage.  As you already probably know these guys are attracted to light colored, pastel blooms and Bella fits into that category on both fronts.  Nevertheless, with a good spray schedule, you should be able to keep them at bay and produce nice blooms in spite of the critter's best efforts.  I highly recommend this one for your garden.  Although Spring and Fall are of course the best times for the best looking blooms, the heat of the summer produces good specimens as well.

St. Patrick (Hybrid Tea Rose)
June 24, 2007

This one absolutely blows away the competition when it comes to long-lasting cut flowers.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that we have to dust the flowers after 2 weeks in the house after they've been cut.  Yes, after 2 weeks they still look fresh!!  This rose is stately, a pale yellow and in good form.  It's--how should I describe it--tough!  It's not one of those spindly or dainty roses with thin petal material.  Rather, it always has very stout petals with thick, strong stems.  It's fairly upright in growth habit, but not too tall, especially if spent flowers are dead headed properly (see article on deadheading or view the video).  St. Patrick, although far exceeds expectations in all of my categories, does fall short in one--scent.  Upon sniffing this one, I doubt you'll find any surprises; only that there is little scent to go with the well-formed flower.  Hey--you win some and you loose some.  This one falls in between.  A good choice for any rose garden!

Wood's Blue (Hardy Aster)
June 24, 2007

Although my personal notes indicate I purchased this hardy perennial in Tyler, Texas, I'm almost positive this is a mistake.  Regardless of it's origin (i.e. purchased) it's an outstanding performer in my book.  Dying back every fall at first frost and like a champ, pushing through during the spring warm-up, this one gets a ten in my book.  This one is not too fussy about soil and likes full to part sun.  It can reach a sprawling 2 feet across and about the same in height, especially when planted in rich, fertile soil.  If it gets much higher than 2 feet, I've found that it becomes leggy and in my case, probably due to lack of sun.  Nevertheless, it performs well to my specifications each season.  It's moisture needs are average, the butterflies love it and the growth rate is fast.  It is also great for cutting, although I don't typically bring this one into the house.  I just don't.  There is no other reason.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
June 24, 2007

I know you're probably thinking that all I have in my garden are purple coneflowers.  Well, you are partially correct.  Echinacea in addition to it's medicinal properties is a favorite of mine and fast becoming a prominent display in our garden beds.  I like the variety--some are scented, some are peach in color, some are tall, up to 4 and 5 feet.  They spread to fill in bed area and form masses of cone shaped flowers that bloom from early summer until frost.  In addition, once the flowers die back the flower heads have seeds that a variety of backyard birds enjoy.  Next spring, I plan to divide some of the purple ones and place in other areas of the garden in need of color and in places in which some other plants seem not to do so well.  Echinacea, for the most part does very well in drought prone areas and in soils that for some plants prove to be less than adequate.  I do, however, strongly recommend amending your soil with organics to ensure you get the best bang for your buck.

Double Delight (Hybrid Tea Rose)
June 24, 2007

If you're looking for a sweet, somewhat "spicy" scented rose, this is the one for you.  Double Delight has been a member of many thousands of rose gardens for years.  It was hybridized in 1977 (the year after I was born) by Swim & Ellis.  Its parentage is of Granada x Garden Party.  I grew Garden Party up until this season before replacing it with Gemini.  Garden Party for me just didn't cut it.  It seemed to always be infested with Thrips and was so light in color that the imperfections easily seen were enough for me to discard.  For other gardeners that I know it has been a success, however.  Back to DD.  Its colors are that of cream, yellow and white with red petal edges.  It's also the winner of many prestigious awards since its beginnings in 1977.  One item worth noting is that this guy is prone to double centers.  In our area, we typically have the double centers in the spring that drift away by June.  If you like double centers, you'll like this one!  The photo here, however, was one of many that had no double center.  I'm a fan of the traditional, stately centers.

Robert Poore (Garden Phlox)
June 23, 2007

I took this photo out in the garden today.  I can sincerely recommend this one without a doubt in my mind.  Give it a good base (i.e. soil), some water from time to time and it'll return year after year.  It reaches a height of about 36 inches or more and spreads to about 3 - 4 feet.  I purchased this from a local nursery four years ago and haven't been disappointed.  It greens up in spring and begins it's first bloom in mid to late June.  Its lavender flowers also offer a light fragrance.  For a tough, all around perennial that can stand extremely hot temperatures with little care, this one's for you!

Autumn Joy (Salvia Greggii)
June 23, 2007

This one also purchased locally I was unsure of, especially after about a month of growth this spring.  I planted it beneath a pair of River Birch trees just off of our patio in the back yard.  Knowing how rapid River Birch roots can overtake a garden, I anticipated stunted growth out of anything I put beneath them.  In addition, because this bed gets a good bit of shade (only receives about 4 hours of direct sun per day) I anticipated leggy growth on the "Autumn Joy" shrubby perennial plants.  However, now that we're in the dog days of summer, they are exceeding my expectations and putting on a show of blooms.  They receive water about 3 times per week and some fertilization (not much).  They are now about 2 feet tall and have doubled in spread to about 2 to 3 feet wide or in spread.  If you like wispy, tiny flowers this one would probably work nicely.

Giant Zinnia
June 23, 2007

I purchased these seeds at a local feed and seed store.  About .99 cents for a packet.  Simply found a few spots in the back yard that I thought could use some additional color and sprinkled a few seeds here and there followed by a final pat with my foot.  Watered in well and done!  Six weeks later I had my first bloom.  I can't recall the specific name of this one, but I do recall it was of the "Giant" mix and white in color.  I've had to stake them several times due to their top heaviness, but that's no big deal.  Typically I let my perennials fall over one another, but I was afraid these would snap off at the ground level rendering the plant unproductive.  Thus, my reasoning for staking.  These guys have performed great all season and once they started blooming in May, haven't stopped.  If anything they've increased in blooms.  Very drought and heat tolerant.  They seem to laugh at thrips, my biggest pest problem in the garden.

Tiffany (Hybrid Tea Rose)
June 21, 2007

For those of you that are thinking, "How did you get a rose this big in this extremely hot, humid and stormy weather we've had recently in the Deep South?".  Well, I didn't!  I actually took this picture back in May when we were having some cool nights.  The rather warm days and cool nights, as most Rosarians and rose growers know typically produce much bigger and brighter blooms with the occasional exception.  When the heat is extreme and water is limited, the rose bushes typically "push" the bloom much faster due to the expedited growth rates due to the heat.  The rose blooms then don't have as much time in the womb if you will and thus come out "premature" for lack of a better term.  Thus, we're presented with smaller blooms.  There is a more scientific explanation for this I'm certain, but I'd rather not bore you with that here.  In my high school days Tiffany was a favorite of my grandmother and so I grew it.  Now that I have a wife, child and garden of my own, I still grow Tiffany and probably always will.  In my humble opinion, it's a great rose, tolerant of heat and produces pretty blooms.  It is of course susceptible to thrip damage, but for the most part it's a good rose.  If you're willing to pamper it a bit as one must do with any hybrid tea rose bush, this one is a good purchase and a good pick for your garden.  It also responds well to cool weather.

Caldwell Pink (Polyantha Rose)
June 19, 2007

When my wife and I purchased our property just about five years ago we lucked up and got one of those pieces of United States Postal Parcels in the mail.  Typically we just chuck them into the trash, but in this instance the small catalog featuring antique roses caught our attention, and I'm glad it did.  It was called the Antique Rose Emporium and featured roses of all kinds including the "Earth Kind" variety.  Earth Kind roses do not  require much of anything other than some decent soil in which to grow.  Another rose variety of the Earth Kind era is Knockout of which I'm sure you've become accustomed.  As we were flipping through the catalog we put an asterisk beside each picture that we felt would be a good rose to try out in our garden.  I have to say for years prior I was a die hard Hybrid Tea kind of person, but that all changed with the purchase of our Caldwell Pink among other specimens.  When the shrub arrived it was in a very small container, but within just one season it grew to about 3 feet by 3 feet and produced at least 3 full flushes of blooms.  It hasn't let up since.  It's still a  star performer in our garden.  Not a whole lot has been written about Caldwell Pink, but I think you will find this article interesting.

Katie Saul (Echinacea)
June 19, 2007

I was to only purchase 2 Hybrid Tea Rose plants from Jackson & Perkins online.  I left their site with 4 rose bushes and 3 Echinacea potted plants one of which was called "Katie Saul"!  I think the heat I felt for that was well worth it.  This is the very first bloom I've had since planting in May.  I can't wait until next season when it spreads and produces more of a mass of bloom.  This one has a peachy, pink color and even has a nice sweet scent - a surprise in the coneflower family.  As most know this plant is known also for its medicinal properties.  I highly recommend this and any of the coneflower varieties, especially if  you're garden is prone to drought.  These are very hardy, with rapid growth rates and abundance of summer to fall color.  The quality of plant from J&P was outstanding.

Natchez (Crepe Myrtle)
June 19, 2007

Living in the south you can't go wrong with a Natchez Crepe Myrtle.  These deciduous trees are awesome for adding height, texture and greenery to your landscape.  Each year that we've had our trees, they have never failed to put on a show of white blooms from about early June all the way until late fall.  These guys were about 4 feet tall when we planted them and in just 2 growing seasons, they are now well over 12 feet tall and still growing.  They attract honey bees, which my little boy seems to enjoy watch buzz from flower to flower.  You should also note that the soil in which they were planted was full of organic matter and the trees were fertilized each of the 2 years in February (about a hand full of Osmocote around each).  If you're looking for quick shade, medium to dark green foliage and awesome white flowers as seen in this photo, you can't go wrong with the Natchez.  If this excerpt intrigued your interest, you will probably find this article equally interesting.

Indigo Spires & Day Lily
                     
I took this photo out in the landscape today under hazy, cloudy skies with light drizzle. As I've learned in photography, cloudy skies are a welcome site for good quality photos. The prominent plant with the purple spikes is called Indigo Spires of the salvia variety. I've grown this for the three plus years I've been living at my current home. The height is anywhere from 4' to 6' tall and often breaks over with high winds. However, I welcome this. When it does break over (and if it doesn't break its trunk) it'll perk back up and become wider and more bushy than before. Don't fret if it breaks a stalk or branch. I simply pick up the branch and toss it. It'll produce more. If all else fails, next spring, divide and replant in the bare spots where too many branches have broken--not likely. They seem to thrive in hot weather and are fairly drought tolerant. Wilting is a sure sign of heat stress, but nothing a healthy watering event won't cure. I've found that bright reds, yellows and pinks go well with this color. Often I'll supplement the feet of the shrubby plant with annuals for summer color. Overall, this plant certainly ranks at the top of my favorites list for its showy attributes and whimsical stature.

Blushing Bride Hibiscus Tree

These two photos were of a gift I purchased for my wife at Jackson & Perkins.  Its given name is Blushing Bride and is a hibiscus tree.  When purchased in 2000, I planted it and left it alone to find it horizontal one morning after a typical summer storm had rolled through the town.  I quickly staked it and due to it being so top heavy  still have it staked and supported.  However, as I think you'll agree, it puts off an awesome show this time of year and sporadically continues to bloom until late fall.  The tree loves the sun and enjoys well drained, fertile organic soil and decent amounts of water in the hottest portions of summer.  I've been very pleased with the flowers and foliage as both are seemingly disease resistant and not negatively impacted by those pesky critters.  If sprayed with chemical control, you'll find that the blooms are less tainted by thrips.  However, I've found that the blooms typically look just fine without any preventative chemical control. 





The photo at left is a close-up of a Blushing Bride bloom.

Watermelon Crepe Myrtle Tree

This is of none other than the good old standby -- The Southern Tradition -- a Watermelon Crepe Myrtle.  Disease resistant, bug tolerant and summer long blooms.  How can you derail  that combination?  I don't think you can.  These guys can be planted directly in the ground and will provide year after  year of bloom.  I have roughly 12 Crepe Myrtles in my landscape and they add needed depth and height to my garden.  I doubt you'll find a southern landscape without at least one of these growing somewhere.  Now, you might imagine that these are native to the Southern United States, but think again.  Crepe Myrtles originated in Asia, but have become vastly popular in the hot climate of the Southern states.  The flowers of the Crepe Myrtle tree are thought to resemble "crepe" paper--you know the stuff of which confetti and party streamers are made.  We have several varieties including the infamous "Natchez", a white flowering, fairly large growing tree or shrub, whichever you'd like to call it.  All of them always put on a large flowering show in early summer through most of fall.  Keeping the spent blooms dead headed will only help produce more blooms and extend the bloom time to near frost.

 

Problems in My Garden and Abroad

(Send your problems too! I'll post them.)

Current problems I'm experiencing in my garden:

(July 19, 2007) One of two types of worms are attacking some of the rose blooms.  I've consulted with several rose experts (Rosarians).  After reviewing my information and photos they as well as I concluded that it is either a small caterpillar or European rose slug.  In either case a good dose or two of Orthene 75 WP should do the trick.

(June 30, 2007) Thrips have subsided due primarily to 2 rounds of Conserve SC and 1 round of Talstar One insecticides.  Weather very hot (highs daily in upper 90s) so bloom size is reduced, but in good form.

(June 23, 2007) Thrips on Hybrid Tea Roses.  Sprayed two rounds three days apart with Conserve SC, and although kill rate is adequate, I seem to get infestations one after the other, especially with windy, afternoon thunderstorms. 

Gardening Problems - Photo Journal

Nitidulidae Conotelus (SAP Feeding Beetle - Rose Bloom)
October 17, 2007

I have always had these little insects in my rose garden, but have never taken the time to positively identify them since they typically do not cause any harm to flowering plants and their blossoms.  However, they can be quite obtrusive and aesthetically displeasing.  It’s not an exciting event to bend down to take in the nice, sweet fragrance of your favorite rose only to be greeted with a handful of these insects.  Even worse, they can get sucked into your nostrils—it’s happened!  I digress.  They are not harmful to your roses or you (unless they get lodged in your nasal canals).  When cutting our roses I simply beat the upside down rose blossom over a trash can or sink and let them fall out.  Ever once in a while (or quite often actually) they will come crawling out when you least expect it.  Rose exhibitors I’m sure have a bit of anxiety as the judges are wondering near their prized rose buds—wondering if and when one of these little ones will show their heads (or antennae).  If you do want to eradicate them from the garden, you can use products I’ve mentioned before such as Orthene, Merit or other insecticides used for beetles.  They can be identified as having elongated, black, slender bodies that taper at the rear to form a small “blunt”.  Also, another identifying feature is their antennae with small bobs or balls on the end of them.  They can also fly and thus have wings, but they are hard to see with the naked eye.  And in my experiences I don’t typically see them flying around.  Around July, August and September are when I typically see the most activity in my rose garden and other cut flowers.

Blackspot Disease (Rose Bush)
September 15, 2007

Here it is folks!  Good old Blackspot.  This nasty fungal disease plagues many gardeners throughout the world.  I would be willing to make the bet that any serious gardener has come across this one from time to time.  Even with rigorous spraying of chemical fungicides here in my landscape I still manage to get it in my rose beds from time to time.  Proactive action is better than reactive with this disease.  Once you “spot” the spots with the yellowing of the leaves it’s often too late to save that leaflet, but you can keep the remaining foliage and bed from being contaminated.  Good practice calls for ridding your beds of the diseased growth by way of pruning out the noticeable branches and canes that contain the blackspot.  You’ll also want to rake out any dropped leaves and burn them.  The burning helps keep the spores from spreading.  Once you’ve successfully cleaned the debris from your beds and plants it’s time to spray.  I recommend mixing BannerMax and Mancozeb or Manzate and spraying the ground and foliage (top and bottom).  Do this every ten days alternating the Manzate or Mancozeb every other time (i.e. BannerMax every 10 days and the other mixed in with it every 20 days), and I guarantee you’ll see this guy disappear.  If you’re vigilant with the spray routine you may not have to contend with it again for a very long time.  Moist, rainy weather and overhead watering are said to contribute to the spread of the spores and thus blackspot.  Something to keep in mind!

Spider Mites & Spot Anthracnose (Hybrid Tea Rose)
August 20, 2007

With our extreme heating of daily highs in the 100s I have stopped all spray schedules and fertilizing routines as to give the roses a rest.  When spraying chemicals on your plants with heat above 90 degrees you risk chemical burn on the foliage and doing more damage from spraying than you’ll likely receive from diseases and insects.  And sure enough, after only 3 weeks of no spraying I have begun to see some problems.  I’m faced with two primary issues in the rose garden at this time—two spotted spider mites and a fungal disease better known as Spot Anthracnose.  I have confirmed with the country’s leading Rosarians and they agree with this diagnosis. 

 

Spider Mites prefer dry, hot conditions and begin to actively explore the rose garden when temperatures warm and when things dry out a bit as is the case for most of us during the fall time of year.  As you can see in the photo above and below, the spider mite symptoms are hard to spot.  The upper leaf surface will have a dull green color and often times has a grey highlight with yellowing of the leaves.  These critters suck the juices from the leaf leaving it dehydrated and unproductive where it eventually falls from the rose stems.  If you inspect the undersides of the leaves you’ll often see with the naked eye some tiny particles that resemble salt and pepper.  Upon closer inspection with a magnifying glass you can see some movement on the underside of the leaf.  This is the little spotted spider mites scurrying about sucking the life from the rose bushes.  Under heavy infestations of spider mites you may find webbing (like spider webs, but smaller) on the leaves.  If this is the case you likely need to take immediate action over the course of several days to resolve and kill these mites and their eggs.  I have used a product from Rosemania called Avid over the past few years with success.  However, you should take note to spray at least twice and 3 to 4 days apart.  Avid will only treat and kill the adult spider mites and will NOT kill the eggs.  And because spider mites multiply so rapidly you have to allow the eggs to hatch after the initial chemical application and then spray a second time to kill those newly hatched adults.  A third application may be necessary if you still see activity 3 or 4 days from the second application.  Another very good product that only requires one application (kills adults and eggs) is Floramite from Rosemania.  Be warned—it’s very expensive.  If you go this route I suggest sharing the cost with a gardening friend. 

Finally, you can see in the photo below an example of Spot Anthracnose.  This disease is not really common but is certainly not rare as noted by Rosarian, Dr. John Dickman.  The spots start out looking just like Blackspot but fairly quickly form a brown center that will eventually blow away forming what some call “shot-holes”, because in heavy infestations of this disease it looks like someone took a shot gun and blasted the rose foliage.  What’s odd about this outbreak in my garden is that the common literature found on this topic indicates this fungal disease is prominent in cool, damp weather.  We are having nothing of that sort of weather right now and thus presents the mystery.  Nonetheless, I’ve had more than three leading Consulting Rosarians review this photo and they confirmed that it does indeed look to be Anthracnose.  The good news is that the treatment for this disease is the same as Blackspot.  For this I typically use Mancozeb and Banner Max alternated every 10 days.  Of course, I’m not spraying now due to the extreme temperatures.  My plan of action is to trim and prune the roses for fall of which I’ve produced a short video clip demonstrating.  I also plan to begin my spray routine as quickly as the temperatures recede. That coupled with the Avid for the spider mites should have me all set for perfect fall blooms.

European Rose Slug or Caterpillar? (Hybrid Tea Rose Bloom)
July 19, 2007

While deadheading today I came upon this Diana Princess of Whales bloom with tiny holes throughout the bloom.  Each hole had a brown edge and was seeping a clear liquid--a bit sticky.  This sticky substance also causes the petals, especially on tight blooms, to stick together and fail to open.  Upon further inspection by pulling the petals out away from the center I found an almost invisible (less than 1/18 of an inch in length) worm with its head stuck in the middle of one of the newly formed holes.  I quickly pulled out the literature and found that it resembled a European Rose Slug in all descriptions with a few questioning exceptions.  First, the literature indicated that the European slug feasts on the upper and lower sides of the leaves leaving behind a skeletonized looking structure (leaf veins are the only thing remaining).  There was no mention in any of my material indicating that they eat blooms although I think it's certainly possible.  With this insertion of doubt into the equation I decided to send close-up photos to my favored rose experts or Rosarians.  After some deliberation and without scientific identification of the critter the educated assumption is that it is one of two things:  1) a caterpillar or 2) the European Rose Slug.   In either case it is recommended to spray with the appropriate insecticide.  In my case I chose Orthene 75 WP or a broad spectrum insecticide.  I typically try to avoid these general, all purpose insecticides because they are not specific to the type of insect which you target, but rather it targets all insects.  Thus, when I spray Orthene I'm really getting rid of both the bad insects and the beneficial insects.  However, with these unsightly worms and the damage they can do to blooms I elected to proceed by bringing out the big guns--Orthene.  I should probably note, too, that the literature reviewed on this topic had no indication that these worms will kill the plant or anything of the like, but  rather can and likely will simply result in aesthetically unpleasing rose blooms in the garden.  One could therefore choose to do nothing and live with the damaged blooms and leaves.  In summary, I've never really had a major problem with worms of this nature and have never really worried about their damage should I get them.  However, I on the other hand have never exhibited roses and the need for perfect-looking blooms has never been a top priority.  Nevertheless, I can certainly understand those that do not take kindly to these pesky critters as their unsightly damage would certainly put a damper on any potential king or queen of show.  Simply put:  It's a tiny critter that can do big damage to an otherwise perfect bloom. 

Powdery Mildew (Crepe Myrtle)
July 8, 2007

While trimming and pruning some of the season's overgrowth I came across this sampling of Powdery Mildew that had taken over a portion of one of my Crepe Myrtle branches.  It can be devastating to some crops if left untreated.  However, 95% of the plant looked healthy and only this one portion was symptomatic of the fungal disease.  Powdery Mildew is fairly easy to identify as it resembles "powder" on the foliage or leaves and thus where it gets its common name.  For organic solutions to this problem, see the question on Powdery Mildew in our Gardening Q&A section.  However, since I grow quite a few Hybrid Tea Roses, I have an arsenal of chemicals (I know...some of you are screaming "NO" to chemical treatments...including my wife).  These work quite well to rid your plants of this disease as well as prevent further infestations.  Just remember that given proper weather--cool nights with warm, humid days--PM growth if left untreated can be devastating to some crops or plants including roses, perennials, annuals (those plants you  replace each season) and some trees.

Too Much Shade? (Electron Hybrid Tea)
June 26, 2007

From a gardener in the great state of Texas comes this photo and question, "Why is this rose bush lagging behind and blooms so short lived", paraphrasing.  As noted in the forum entry and from the evidence in the image, it appears the issue is likely too much shade or not enough sun light.  Hybrid Tea roses for the most part and other rose varieties as well need at minimum six hours of direct sun each day.  Without this, the roses will be reduced in vigor, size and bloom frequency and quantity.  To sum it up, they need sun to store energy for pushing blooms.  As a solution, in my opinion I would relocate the bush into a sunny location with amended soil...soil with plenty of organics and the threes--1/3 topsoil, 1/3 organics and 1/3 sand as a rule of thumb.  With the added light and good soil at its feet I think the bush will go from good or mediocre to great!  If others have opinions or would like to comment, please visit the forum on this discussion by clicking here and adding your thoughts.  Note:  Simply create yourself a user ID to contribute in the forum.  You'll have immediate access.

Leaf Cutting Bees (Double Delight Hybrid Tea Bush)
June 21, 2007

In making my rounds late this afternoon I spotted these perfectly semi-circles cut into a large portion of the leaves on my Double Delight Hybrid Tea rose bush.  In researching the topic and remembering back to some information I had read a while back it immediately came to mind what critter was chewing on my leaves.  They're called "Leaf Cutting Bees".  These guys make their nests with the cuttings from the leaves.  The damage is more aesthetic than anything else, but it can certainly generate some alarm when first noticed--it did with me.  Also, although some insecticides are probably helpful, these insects are quite difficult to control as indicated by the American Rose Society's "Consulting Rosarian Manual".  They go on to state that control by insecticides is questionable.  Nonetheless, out of about 70 rose bushes in our landscape, this is the only one that appears to be attractive to the bees.  Even the rose bush next to this one is not affected.  I can handle the holes in the leaves, but I do hope they have gathered enough material for their nests, because I really don't want to donate more to their cause.

Western Flower Thrips (Touch of Class Hybrid Tea Rose)
June 17, 2007

Thrips have long been one of my enemies here in Northeastern Louisiana.  However, friends of mine indicate they don't have the same problems.  Most of their perennial and rose gardens are in established landscapes years in the making.  I often wonder if our property having been developed out of past cotton fields could have aided in my abundance of thrip populations.  Speculation only helps my feelings, but in the grand scheme doesn't really help the problem.  When I stop my chemical spray routines, more times than not I'm plagued by thrip infestations.  They can take a perfectly healthy bloom and make rubbish out of it.  Now, you may look at this first photo and think it looks pretty good.  But take a second look.  Who wants to see a perfectly good bloom with brown streaks and brown-edged petals.  That's what the little critters do, they suck the juices out of the bloom and streak the rose petals with their scratchy wings and bodies.  Reference the informational page for great chemical controls.  When I'm able to maintain an every 5 day routine with the sprays, I can keep them at bay.  Anything longer, and your guess is as good as mine.  This photo is certainly less than perfect.  Its name-- "Touch of Class", a Hybrid Tea.  For more information on other varieties of thrips that can damage rose blooms and foliage, click here.

Rust

(Daylily)

Daylily Rust can be devastating to daylilies--not in the sense that the plant will likely die, but rather in the appearance and productivity of the plant.  Plants that have this disease with obvious signs will likely shed those diseased leaves leaving more often than not a not-so-good-looking plant.  I have found that by trimming the plant back near the ground and then immediately treating with fungicides such as BannerMax and Mancozeb will cure the issue.  Keep in mind that you need to be vigilant about spraying every 10-14 days with the fungicides especially during warm, wet weather.  Unfortunately, I've just described our weather for most of the south for most of the summer (and sometimes during winter).  For a very detailed look at rust, its pattern of growth and life-cycles, visit the daylily rust information page.  There, you'll find any and all information on daylily rust.  Remember, prune back near the ground level (leave about 6 inches standing), spray and you should be all set.  These two photos show rust on one variety (unknown) of daylilies in my garden.  The top is of the front of the leaf and the bottom is of the back of the leaf blade.  The back coloration is more of a true rust color.  I find that because of my heavy overhead watering, these are more susceptible to rust.  However, for my other garden plants, I must water quite frequently in the summer, so my approach--spray on a preventative schedule and try your level best to limit late evening watering, especially on calm evenings when the water droplets will likely remain on the foliage more than seven hours.


Find what you were looking for?  If not, check out our section on Landscape Design Essentials.  It contains useful information on all types of Rose Diseases and Insects and solutions for each.  Also, included are loads of information on lawn and yard maintainance and the problems associated with lawn and landscape upkeep.  You'll also find loads of information on starting your perennial garden and how to maintain it once established.

      
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