Thursday, November 17, 2016

As Gardening Season Winds Down

Fall is officially here, and winter will soon bring freezing temps and an end to outdoor gardening.  What's a rose gardener to do?  Bring the garden indoors, of course.  

In my last post (which was WAY too long ago) I showed you how I brought a bit of light and cheer into my greenhouse.  Next thing on my list was to finish preparing the area where the baby roses will spend the winter.



Instead of heating the whole building to keep the little pots from freezing, using a TON of propane in the process, I'm going to use a propagation heat mat underneath the pots.  I put two layers of insulation on the bench (one piece of solid foam and a layer foil bubble insulation, topped with the heat mat.



The mat is connected to a thermostat with a probe, to monitor and control the temperature of the pots.  So far, it's working really well.

The read-out on the thermostat shows the temperature of the pot that contains the probe.


The sun warms the greenhouse during the day, and the mat should only be needed during really cold nights.



In the house, things are going gang-busters in the propagation area in my basement workshop.  



I planted these cuttings at various times in October, and some of them are already showing awesome roots!  (I attribute this to some good luck, careful attention, and a little bit of help from bottom heat provided by the fluorescent light on the shelf below the cuttings.)   Roots usually show in four to eight weeks.  It looks like these little baby cuttings are VERY anxious to grow up and become real plants.  

Allow me introduce you to ...

"Haywood Hall"  A Noisette rose that was found at Haywood Hall in Raleigh, North Carolina.  It is one of the best Noisettes in my garden and very few people know about it.  Because of this, I want to share it around to make sure that it doesn't disappear.

Spray of "Haywood Hall" in my garden last month.


Tag, showing the date that I planted the cuttings.


Growing roots like this after only three weeks!


'Pink Poodle' (a miniature rose from 1991) is very rare and, again, needs to be propagated and spread around to insure its survival.

'Pink Poodle' showing some deeper-than-normal color in cooler autumn weather.


Cuttings didn't even drop one leaf.


Visible roots in three weeks!


"Talcott White Noisette" grows in Hollywood Cemetery.  It is a very old, very large plant, in an out-of-the-way location.  As far as I know, no one has ever propagated it.  







Visible roots in four weeks!


While I was in Harrisonburg, Virginia, last month, I visited Woodbine Cemetery.  I always have my tools with me, and I took a few cuttings of the roses that I saw there.  One of them was an incredibly fragrant Noisette-type rose.

The flowers on the cuttings perfumed my whole car.


The plant at the cemetery is 7-8 feet tall.




Visible roots in three weeks!


While the outdoor garden is slowing down, you can see that things are just getting started indoors.  Soon, the basement rose babies will be potted up, and they will join their buddies to spend the winter in the greenhouse ... gonna have to tidy up some more to make space on the bench for them.

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To learn the method that I use to root roses, click HERE.

11 comments:

  1. They all look super healthy and so happy that you are preserving them!

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    Replies
    1. As you always say, my dear Cydney ... preserving history one rose at a time!

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  2. Wow! You have such a wonderful 'rosey green' thumb! It is wonderful that you are propagating these for others to enjoy and to keep their species alive.

    Happy Rose Growing and have a wonderful Thanksgiving week ~ FlowerLady

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    Replies
    1. With these cuttings, I think that it was lucky timing, roses that probably root fairly easily, and a bit of good fortune to stumble upon the effect of bottom heat on them. Whatever it is, I'm very pleased with the results so far.

      Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Rainey dear!

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  3. OH MY GOSH Connie, Pink Puddle...oh wow! You know I envy your green house, most of my citrus is in the log cabin, it has a southern exposure, so they might stay there, but need a heat source for when it gets ridiculously cold...lost two last year. But I am slowly putting away the tender plants, and enjoying my yard without the constant mowing...enjoy your weekend, and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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    Replies
    1. Pink Poodle is usually paler, but still with the shading and subtle center stripe on the petals. The leaves are China in miniature form. It's pretty susceptible to blackspot, though, dang it.

      You want my greenhouse ... I want your log cabin. One day we may each get our wish.

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  4. Connie, It would be great to have these plants available to purchase at the HRF meeting this coming year.

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    Replies
    1. Can't count the 'chickens' before they actually grow into healthy plants. We will see how it goes.

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  5. I envy your ability to slow down on the outdoor gardening for a season....it's just getting into growth season here, for weeds anyway. But we'll have a green Christmas I guess! (Green with weeds!)

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  6. I too love the Pink Poodle!!!!!!
    and I'm envious of your greenhouse! LOL!
    Thank for sharing and letting me live vicariously through you.
    xoxoxo

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