By: Ted W. Mills, ARS Consulting Rosarian and Judge
Have you ever been to a football game and
left feeling that the offensive linemen were tremendous in their performance, even though the
quarterback and running backs set offensive records for the team? The answer
is probably "no." Everybody's favorite seems to be the yard gainers or the
touchdown passer. All eyes are focused on the backfield and little attention
is given to the awesome play of the linemen. Any true follower of football
knows that neither the quarterback nor the running back would perform very
well, were it not for the championship effort displayed by the offensive
linemen.
There is a definite correlation between the game of football and the growing of good roses. When we look at the blue ribbon winners on the court, all too often our attention is focused mainly on the bloom. No bloom would be "worth its salt" were it not for the foliage that supported its growth. And that is the purpose of this article. To awaken the rosarian to the realization that to produce good foliage is the most important step in producing good roses.
In the horticulture world, the manufacturing of food for the plant is called photosynthesis. Now that's a high brow word but its importance to plant growth is very basic. Webster's dictionary says it is "the formation of carbohydrates in the chlorophyll-containing tissues of plants exposed to light." In other words, it is the process by which green plants make sugar and starch from water and carbon dioxide, with the help of sunlight and the green material in their leaves, called chlorophyll. Please note that I intentionally placed the word leaves in italics. This is done to emphasize the utmost importance of leaves to a plant's growth.
Rosarians are hung up on the production of beautiful blooms. In fact, countless sums of money are spent to bring roses to the court in rose shows. But did you ever see a rose win a blue ribbon when the foliage was weak and diseased? To every rose show judge, the answer is a resounding "no." It must be emphasized that good leaves produce good roses. If the rosarian will place great effort in growing healthy leaves, then the leaves will naturally work vigorously to manufacture the food for the plant. Yes, a good root system is a vital conduit in transporting nutrients to the plant and eventually to the leaf structure. And it is only these precious leaves that manufacture the food that is so vital to healthy growth. Prize-winning blooms come from the presence of healthy leaves.
Show me a rose garden that has luxurious foliage and I will show you a rosarian who has mastered the art of rose growing. He or she will do everything possible to protect the health of the leaves. And there are many things that attack leaves. Insects such as Japanese beetles ravage leaves as well as blooms. Mites, although not classified as insects, inflict major damage to the leaf factory and almost shut the plant down if left uncontrolled. Their damage is swift and requires immediate attention. Then too, many diseases affecting leaves lurk in the wings. Primary enemies to leaves are black spot and powdery mildew. Leaves of faded light green color are victims of a condition called chlorosis. This condition can usually be eliminated by the addition of iron. There are various other diseases that bear watching. Examine plants regularly and ensure that any affliction is quickly attended. When in doubt, solicit the help of a Consulting Rosarian in coping with leaf deficiency. A soil test can determine which fertilization elements are absent from the soil. This absence may be causing trouble with the leaves. Bear in mind that keeping leaves healthy is the most important step in producing good roses, or any flower for that matter.
Often, I attend rose gardens on the request of rosarians who experience problems of plant's producing only weak and undersized blooms. Most of the trouble can be traced to prevalent weak foliage. Either the plant has not been fed properly, or often enough, or the plant is not receiving enough sunlight or water. Remember at the outset of this article, I mentioned the part that sunlight and water played in the photosynthesis or feeding process of the plant. Rose bushes simply cannot perform at their best when sunlight or water is insufficient. The leaves are a working factory in manufacturing food for the bush only if adequate sunlight and water are present. This scenario ensures that the leaves of the plant will properly utilize the root system's delivery of nutrients.
Yes, when you go to your next football game, give justified attention to the line play of the team. Remember this. Very few touchdowns are scored without the help of the players who block the opposition. And so it is with the rose bush. Don't just look at the blooms. Inspect the real "workhorses" of the bush, the leaves. These and only these can produce the food necessary for award-winning blooms. They are truly the "linemen" in the game of rose growing.