Saturday, February 21, 2009

Oueen Elizabeth' as a hedge

By Jack Dawson

Bush and miniature types do not present much difficulty, but in order to accommodate a climbing rose that can easily make 10ft (3m) tall in open ground, you have more than difficulty. First, the container will have to be large in order to take the root run without undue restriction - I would suggest something of the order of 20-24 inches (50-60cm) deep and as wide. It will need to be well provided with drainage holes, and the growing medium will have to be capable of retaining moisture without holding it unduly and becoming a soggy mess. The compost mix suggested for the miniature tubs above would be suitable, except that I would reduce the nutrient content by using John Innes No. 1, because it will be necessary not to encourage this climber to grow too well. The quantity involved is not small, and without access to garden soil, there presumably is no alternative to buying it in, which will not be cheap. In addition, the 10ft (3 m) average height for this variety will be growing from soil already 2ft (0.6 m) above ground level, and you should therefore be prepared to see some stems reaching beyond `round the door'.

A frequent cause for disappointment with containers exposed as this one will be is due to direct sunlight on the container sides, which heat up and become hot - you cannot expect roses, or any other plants, to grow with baked roots. One solution may be to use a metal or fibreglass container inside a timber or other attractive outer casing, in which case make sure there is an inch (2.5cm) or so clearance for ventilation and for heat to disperse.

Roses do not like root disturbance, and while it may be possible during the dormant season to turn out and replant a miniature rose in a small container, you are hardly likely to be able to do this with a container of this size. The gradual build-up of nutrient and trace element deficiency therefore is a distinct possibility. This is a very big argument in favour of using an organic source like Humber and, because it is practical on a soil surface area of this dimension, maintaining a mulch cover.

Perhaps the most frequent cause of trouble with all pot and container grown plants is that it is not generally realized that, as soon as a root ball becomes dry, it thinks it has become a duck's back, and water poured on from the top runs off in just the same way, down the sides and out through the drainage holes, leaving the soil and roots as dry as ever.

Grown in open ground, this problem is not so likely to occur, and if you follow the reasoning contained in the chapters dealing with feeding and mulching, there is no reason why you should not derive a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction from growing miniatures. One salient fact you should always bear in mind is that these little roses may be reduced in size, but the pests and diseases are not and, relative to the tiny tots, it is like having greenfly as big as bumble bees!

Size, however, is one of the problems here, and there is something to be said therefore for allowing this plant to divert some of its energy into producing a hip display for the autumn and winter.

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