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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 ...

More lilies

The lilies are spectacular this year (with the exception of those annoying white flies that leave the powdery residue).

"Caravan" - 7 feet tall and gorgeous color
 
 
"Scheherazade" - another 7 feet tall lily with loads of blooms


 
Tiger Lily


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Philip... you're singing my song!! beautiful... not familiar with the flies however and hope it stays that way!! Larry

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  2. Beautiful! My Tigers have just opened. More rain needed here.

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  3. Hi Phillip, spectacular they are indeed! I have no lilies in my garden yet, but your post really makes me want to plant some :-)! I wonder how they will be doing in our dry summer heat.
    Christina

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  4. Beautiful! Love them! Those white flies are on my limelight hydrangea. Hate them too. Spraying doesn't seem to help much.

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  5. Your lilies are superb! My crop of whiteflies are the horrible this year. I have been spraying them with an eco-friendly summer oil, and that has helped a lot. But just about when I think I have them truly conquered, I find them in another shrub.

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  6. I cannot wait for my tiger lilies and "Scheherazade" to bloom...gorgeous!

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  7. For the past few years I have admired lilies in other people's gardens and yours are beautiful. I resolved to add some in my own this year. I wanted something orange and tall to rise over my other plants, particularly over my Black and Blue Salvia. I found some at a flower show that were supposed to be 48" tall, but when they bloomed they looked more like little florist lilies, and if it is even possible, they were too orange, even for me.

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  8. What gorgeous lilies, especially that Tiger Lily. I'm a big fan of them too and am looking to add more to my garden for next year.

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  9. Simply stunning! So very beautiful, Phillip! You've got me yearning for a flower-bed filled with the most spectacular lilies now.

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