Roses add an unparalleled level of beauty to a landscape. Growing big, beautiful roses at home doesn’t mean one has to dress up in a face mask, gloves and heavy-duty clothing and continuously spray toxic herbicides, fungicides and pesticides.
Roses can be grown organically, without the chemical sprays that known to be so harmful to wildlife and beneficial insects, not to mention people and the Earth.
How to Grow Roses Organically
Like any plant, roses need healthy soil, adequate water, sun and air circulation, and some basic maintenance in order to thrive.
Choose Disease-Resistant Varieties
Some roses, particularly hybrid tea roses, are more susceptible to diseases and attacks by insects; these roses are labor-intensive and much more difficult to grow successfully without using harsh chemicals.
However, there are excellent rose varieties on the market that are disease-resistant and hardy. A few widely available, disease-resistant roses are:
Scentimental – a red and white floribunda rose with a strong fragrance
Amber Queen – a lovely amber pink floribunda that has a beautiful rose fragrance
Topaz Jewel – a soft yellow rugosa rose with a soft fragrance
Lavender Lace – a pinkish lilac rose with a luxurious scent
George Burns – one of the few tea roses that are disease-resistant, this variety is a gorgeous red and yellow with a strong rose scent
Eutin – a true red floribunda rose with a light scent
All of these roses are repeat bloomers that have proven to be resistant to rust, black spot and powdery mildew in the less-than-ideal, damp climate of Corvallis, Oregon (Oregon State University Extension).
Improve the Soil
Like any other plant, a rose bush draws nutrients and water from the soil through its roots. If the soil lacks nutrients, or is too acid or alkaline, the rose won’t thrive.
First, test the soil using a pH test kit, widely available at garden centers or on the Internet. Soil that’s too acidic will have a pH that is very low; a highly alkaline soil will be over 9. Roses do best at a pH of 6.5, but a pH of 5.5-7 will also work.
Roses can be grown organically, without the chemical sprays that known to be so harmful to wildlife and beneficial insects, not to mention people and the Earth.
How to Grow Roses Organically
Like any plant, roses need healthy soil, adequate water, sun and air circulation, and some basic maintenance in order to thrive.
Choose Disease-Resistant Varieties
Some roses, particularly hybrid tea roses, are more susceptible to diseases and attacks by insects; these roses are labor-intensive and much more difficult to grow successfully without using harsh chemicals.
However, there are excellent rose varieties on the market that are disease-resistant and hardy. A few widely available, disease-resistant roses are:
Scentimental – a red and white floribunda rose with a strong fragrance
Amber Queen – a lovely amber pink floribunda that has a beautiful rose fragrance
Topaz Jewel – a soft yellow rugosa rose with a soft fragrance
Lavender Lace – a pinkish lilac rose with a luxurious scent
George Burns – one of the few tea roses that are disease-resistant, this variety is a gorgeous red and yellow with a strong rose scent
Eutin – a true red floribunda rose with a light scent
All of these roses are repeat bloomers that have proven to be resistant to rust, black spot and powdery mildew in the less-than-ideal, damp climate of Corvallis, Oregon (Oregon State University Extension).
Improve the Soil
Like any other plant, a rose bush draws nutrients and water from the soil through its roots. If the soil lacks nutrients, or is too acid or alkaline, the rose won’t thrive.
First, test the soil using a pH test kit, widely available at garden centers or on the Internet. Soil that’s too acidic will have a pH that is very low; a highly alkaline soil will be over 9. Roses do best at a pH of 6.5, but a pH of 5.5-7 will also work.
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