Rose Care Recommendations - Giles Roses, Davenport Florida
Jim2
I hesitate to post these kind of broadcast messages, but attached are
planting/growing/care recommendations from Jim and Diane Giles of Giles
Roses in Davenport Florida. Please note that Jim and Diane, having read
numerous and often complicated "secret" formulas for rose success have
strived to make it very simple. Additionally, they have been growing roses
commercially in Florida for some 20 years. Also recognize that what works
in the south on cleft grafted pot grown Fortuniana based roses might be
inappropriate in another setting. Their cutting beds are extremely healthy
and vigorous and represent the best looking established roses I have seen
anywhere. Jim and Diane would tell you that there are infinite ways to
have great roses, this is just one, and a reasonably simple one.
THE PARENTHESES ARE MINE, EITHER TO CLARIFY A POINT OR ELABORATE ON IT
BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS WITH JIM AND DIANE.
Warmest regards,
Jim Tew
PLANTING A ROSE BUSH
Dig a hole one foot deep and two feet square, mix one bag of top soil and
2 quarts of Milorganite with the soil from the hole and refill. The plant
should be staked with a smooth metal rod after planting. (All of Giles’
roses are cleft grafted to Fortuniana and pot grown; Fortuniana tends to
be a shallow root stock which has a fine, spreading feeder network that
can spread up to 25 square feet).
MULCHING
Oak leaves, pine bark, pine straw, cypress or other ground products are
okay.
SPRAYING
REGULAR SPRAYING IS A MUST TO CONTROL BLACKSPOT. Every 7 days to maintain
control. If you get Blackspot you will need to spray every 4 days for
three sprayings to get Blackspot under control.
Funginex (Triforine), Manzate DF (Zinc-Manganese) and Kocide 101 (Copper
Hydroxide) are all good products for controlling Blackspot. You can
combine Funginex with either Manzate or Kocide for better control (Kocide
is the least expensive of the three products).
For Spider Mites you can use Safe-T-Side (Bryant Labs) spray oil (or other
rose growing season safe horticultural oil), being sure that oil (and
dosage) is safe for non-dormant roses. For stubborn mites you can add AVID
(very selective miticide that does not kill traditional insects) per label
directions (Citrus growers are getting up to six months protection from
mites with Avid and oil, but this is longer than you should expect for
roses).
For Thrips use Orthene per label directions, adding one Tablespoon of Dark
Brown Sugar per gallon of water (the sugar “invites” the Thrips out of the
Bloom/Bud; they love the sweetness, consume it and die). Just Spray the
buds and blooms. (Giles avoids Malathion and other oil based insecticides
to avoid phytotoxicity damage due to our high spring/summer temperatures).
(Giles has little problem with Aphids, probably because of the oil spray
which also smothers aphids. Additionally, he hand picks the occasional
bloom beetles. For other beetle type pests which are rare, he uses Sevin
or Maverick very selectively, i.e., only on the affected plants.)
(Giles strongly recommends against regular general use of broad spectrum
contact insecticides such as Orthene. Mite predators are also killed, and
mites will almost always become a major problem as a result).
FERTILIZING YOUR ROSES
After rose has been planted for one week, fertilize with 1/4 cup of GILES
ROSE NURSERY 16-5-10 every two weeks for six months (Giles mix is a
partially organic mix with minor elements, no sulfur coated urea due to
the potential to lower pH over time and less Phosphate due to the high
phosphate content of Florida soils). Then 1/2 cup every month. Water well
before and after fertilizing (Giles uses drip irrigation for potted roses
and an upward spray system for his cutting stock.) Epsom Salts every three
months supplies extra magnesium, 1/2 cup per plant (Magnesium leaches
quickly in Florida’s sandy soil). Alfalfa meal or pellets every six months
is beneficial, two cups scattered on the ground and watered in well will
do.