JUNE NEWSLETTER

Growing Roses In A Time of Continuous Rain Rain-rain-rain-go away from my door!!! For the past several weeks this has been the appeal of rose growers throughout most of the United States. The clouds have opened up and torrents of the "wet stuff" have showered our precious blooms. If the amount was normal the situation would be tolerable. But record storms have been a daily occurrence. Rain gauges have been pushed to the limits. Have no fear!! The sun will return in all its brightness and warmth. Once this occurs, the rose bush will resume its vigorous campaign to produce prize-winning blooms.Minimizing the ill effects of excessive water can be accomplished by practicing some basic rules in rose growing. Here are a few things that will help the rosarian cope with water-logged conditions:
1. Clean up all debris and broken limbs caused by rain storms.
2. Check the drainage in rose beds. Be sure that the rose roots are not standing in water. This condition will cause death to the plant. If the problem persists, raising the beds above ground level is the solution.
3. If soil has become compacted, use a sharp instrument to press holes around the bush's root system. This allows life-giving oxygen to reach the plant's roots.
4. Pick off diseased leaves and discard in garbage. Never place them in a compost pile.
5. Abnormal rainfall usually prompts added fungus and insect activity. Accelerate spray program by spraying twice weekly for two weeks. Then resume normal weekly spray program. Never attempt to solve disease and insect problems by increasing prescribed dosage of chemicals as printed on the container. Accelerated spraying is the solution.
6. Excessive water has an adverse effect on a plant's feeding supply. Many of the nutrients are washed away or leached from the soil. Replace these food supplies by adding organic and inorganic fertilizers such as MILLS MAGIC ROSE MIX and MILLS EASYFEED to the soil. Since roses are heavy feeders, it is imperative that nutrient depletion, caused by excessive rain, be remedied.
7. Finally, don't become alienated to water. Next to sunlight, it is the most important ingredient in successful rose growing. Once the soil is approaching dryness, commence the watering schedule. It means the difference in life and death of your plants. Water is that important!

-Ted Mills, ARS Consulting Rosarian

Beaty Fertilizer Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 2878
Cleveland, TN 37320-2878
423-472-2125 (fax)
800-845-2325 (orders)

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