Flower Gardening Articles

The Art of Growing Roses

Roses are among the most beloved and misunderstood plants. Most people believe the rose is a troublesome plant to grow, demanding constant fertilizing, spraying, pruning and fussing. This may be true if you want a show-quality plant, but it's easy to grow beautiful roses in your garden for you, your family and friends to enjoy.

red roses
DIY: Probably not as hard as you thought. Photo: sxc.hu/bassplyr34

Growing Basics

First, select a disease-resistant variety of rose that's well suited for the Rogue Valley's Mediterranean climate and your yard's soil type. Plant your new rose plants in the fall or early spring. Planting dormant plants are a better bet than plants in leaf. If you chose to plant an established bush prune it back in the fall or early spring when the plant is dormant and then plant it.

Planting

Plant your roses where they'll enjoy plenty of morning sun, since the afternoon can be a little intense for them. Dig a hole a little larger than the root ball and add some compost or a well-rotted manure mixture plus a handful of bone meal. Plant the rose in this mixture, making sure the roots are covered and give your new plant a nice long drink.

If it's hot, as summers here in our area tend to be, remember to water the plant regularly (either in the early morning or late evening).

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How To Grow Pansies

How do you know winter's just around the corner in the Rogue Valley? Pansies start cropping up in flowerbeds and planters around town. These cheerful little flowers weather the winter without a fuss and provide a much-needed shot of color when the sky is gray and your garden is brown.

These annuals are available in many brilliant colors: some solid, some shaded, others look like they've been tie-dyed. They come in almost every shade of yellow, purple, red, white, orange and pink, and some pansy blossoms have dark markings resembling a face in the middle of the flower. Pansies come in regular, miniature and giant varieties.

Growing Basics

Pansies may be grown from seeds, but are more often purchased in flats or punnets as small plants or larger, already-flowering plants.

pansies in a container
Use pansies in containers for a bit of color in the winter. Photo: sxc.hu/mzacha

If you want to grow your own plants from seeds, the seeds need to be planted indoors 8 to 10 weeks before you plan to plant the seedlings outside. It is generally easier, although not required, to plant the seeds in large seed trays. The seeds need to be planted in a moist soil and covered only lightly. If you keep the seeds in a dark, cool (between 40 and 60 degrees) place they will germinate more quickly. It should take two to three weeks for germination to occur.

The seedlings planted in seed trays need to be transplanted into larger pots when they have 4 to 6 leaves and moved out of the dark and into either natural or fluorescent light.

Planting Pansy Seedlings Outdoors

You can plant your homegrown or purchased flats of pansies outdoors in the fall or spring. If you plant in the fall, the pansies won't grow much until springtime. If the temperature drops below freezing or there's a frost advisory, it wouldn't hurt to cover them. Pansies prefer full sun but will grow in partial shade, and they'll do best if planted in rich soil with good drainage. It is a good idea to fertilize the soil at the time of planting. Make sure the seedling roots are wet when you plant them and water the seedlings immediately after planting.

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