Rose Pruning Again
Late February to early March is the time for the major pruning of roses. Back in December, I did a preliminary pruning , now is the time for the last major pruning before the spring season begins. First, a comment on hybrid tea roses. This is what most people have in their gardens. I only have a few hybrid tea roses. These are the roses that need the most drastic pruning. Basically, you cut all the canes down to about 1 foot, making the cuts right above an outward-facing bud. The result will be something like this - Most of my roses fall into the shrub and climbing categories. These roses are pruned differently and not as severe as the hybrid teas. For shrub roses (and many of the David Austin English roses fall into this category), I first take out the older canes completely to the ground. The older canes are easy to spot - they will be thicker and darker in color. After thinning out the older canes, I remove any canes that are damaged, crossing one another and canes that ...
What a beautiful garden you have. The plume poppy worries me. I finally managed to get rid of it all - it was so invasive. A terrific thug!
ReplyDeleteI planted mine in pots and put them in the ground. They haven't been too bad. Occasionally I will find one that has popped up elsewhere but it is easy to pull up.
ReplyDeleteThe spider lilies are so bright and pretty! They do look like little explosions.
ReplyDeleteAh, the Confederate Rose is everywhere on the Gulf Coast because it's very happy = hard to control in that climate!
ReplyDeleteNow that I've moved up to the top of Alabama, you give me hope that I could have a polite CR, and skip wrestling with its thorny whips several times a year to keep it where I want it.
( I do love a CR - it's one of those childhood memory plants for me. I wish I had noticed then whether my piano teacher/neighbor had had to regularly beat her giant one into submission in her garden outside of Atlanta.)
Magpi, I see them growing more and more in this area. Of course we've had many years of mild winters. I would suggest putting it in a south-facing location.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer the red lycoris to pink ones... Gorgeous! All of your photos are outstanding today...Larry
ReplyDeleteFor me, lilies are always number 1. :)
ReplyDeleteEverything looks great though.
I love that first photo where it looks like the Spider Lilies are blooms from the hosta! If only....
ReplyDeleteAlso your Plume Poppies are gorgeous, I wish I knew why mine never look that good.
Wow, that red lady is gorgeous. I have never seen one other than in pictures. I have planted it but they must not like it here because they have never come up. The Confederate rose is one I have never seen either. It is a beauty. I love the different leaves it has too. You have a lot blooming now.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to see other gardeners are catching on to Cestrum. Isn't it a blooming machine, and it laughs at heat and drought.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I get some Red Spider Lilies? I've seen them in people's yards but never at a nursery.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I get some Red Spider Lilies? I've seen them in people's yards but never at a nursery.
ReplyDeleteLove your garden. The Lycoris radiata is stunning, how it grows through the Hosta leafs. The blue pot behind the Northern Sea Oats really make the grass pop. You have a great eye for color and texture combinations. You'll be my inspiration for something new in my own garden. (I too find dirt therapeutic)
ReplyDeleteFroginablender, you can find them on Ebay or here is a nursery source - http://www.southernbulbs.com/
ReplyDeleteThanks Chavliness!
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