Air Layering: First Attempt

A rose this ridiculous needs to be shared with the world. It's colour is exceptional, it's scent is pure nostrilisation. Also, the bush itself is about a hundred years old and looks a little worse for wear. As I find nurturing cuttings time consuming, I thought I'd have a go at 'air layering'. Its a nifty little trick where the cutting continues to grow on the bush while it gets busy making new roots. If all goes well I should have a new rose, ready to plant in about 8 weeks.

When gardening it's always sensible to have more tools and implements than necessary. I did however use every one of these including the feline claw cutters which took the tips of the rose thorns.

I have been eyeing of this shoot for quite some time. It ticked all the boxes for air layering as it was straight, vigorous and minimally thorned. It was just a matter of waiting for the massive rose on top of it to do its thing so I could lop it off and get on with it.

The first step was to remove the excess lower leaves and de-claw the stalk. The cut takes place below the first five-lobed leaf.

This device was a moment of brilliance if I do say so. Its a frame to hold the layering material cut out of some 70mm pvc tubing.

Now this is the business bit. Two parallel cuts around the stem, about an inch apart and half an inch below one of the buds. Next a long cut down the stem and the bark/cambium layer just peels off! I am following instructions but I do find it odd that you're supposed to remove the outer layers the whole way round. Its my understanding that its the outer layers that supply water and nutrients and without them how does it continue to grow? Time will tell.

A dusting of rooting hormone follows, to get the stalk in the mood.

The device in action. Definitely helping to maintain a uniform cylinder shape.

The air layering podule is complete. The filling is sphagnum moss thoroughly soaked in water.

The final coat was added the next day. The aluminium foil will keep things nice and dark, the way things tend to be underground. Also it should provide a measure of insulation.

More Roses

 

And Cue The Roses

Translocated Rose Update

Proof if proof be need be that not only are roses easy to move, but they respond well to the abuse! Although not yet in full bloom, the translocated rose has better growth and more rose buds than all the other roses! I did back off on the dynamic lifter, opting for Osmacote slow release for its first growing season. Maybe it's really good stuff? Looking forward to seeing the first wave of flowers, the first ones are always the best!

Flush with growth!

First sight of rose colour.

Rose Removalist

Is one of your friends moving house? Do they have a rose that the real estate agent hasn't specified in the property description? Then there's only one thing to do, it must be rescued and granted sanctuary in your garden. I've relocated quite a few roses now and this one was by far the easiest. Firstly its the middle of winter so it had more or less shut up shop for the year. Secondly it was growing in the rich and loamy soils of the Victorian highlands where the roots could be delicately extracted with a minimum of extreme violence. And third I only received two significant scratches. I have planted it alongside my other rescued roses in a spot where one that didn't make it used to reside. I have pruned it ruthlessly to reduce the transplant shock and create a more balanced spread of canes. This spring it will receive slightly less feeding and spraying than the others but I will be doing everything possible to keep black spot at bay. Unfortunately no matter how hard I fight against black spot, it always wins in the end. I just can't match its enthusiasm.

Storm Rose

Sky potato development and tea rose

Greenhouse Planting & More Roses

First Roses

"Double DeeLite"

"Peace"

Peace Rose

I've finally got around to stringing up the wire over the front porch for the climbing peace rose. Its original purpose was to support the Bougainvillea planted below the corner post but that plant has demonstrated a bad growing attitude and a general lack of vitality. The peace rose however may one day take over the house with its vigorousness. Here's a shot of its first flower this spring, I often find the first rose produced is the best of the season... weird.

Roses and grapes

A fragrant and perfectly formed rose photographed in the dead of night with the assistance of my Raiders work light. The drops of water gathered on the petals might make the flower look like a bejeweled wonder, but they just remind me that its wet as hell at the moment and rose black spot is running rampant! Triforine has proved utterly useless so next i'm going to try a copper fungicide.


Some more shots of the slowly ripening Black Muscat grapes.

Spring Rose Growth

Roses have an interesting way of unfurling their leaves at the beginning of spring. Its like they're all folder together perfectly within the leaf bud like a sail or a parachute. I've got in early this year with Potash and Dynamic Lifter to ensure they are strong enough to fight off the black spot which caused heaps of problems last year.

It's all roses and peas at the moment.

More roses.

It is unlikely that all the roses I grow will receive this level of attention. But seeing as these are the first roses I've ever grown I'm going to photograph them to death!


During my afternoon of weeding I took a series of shots of this rose as the sun got lower in the sky.


Not everyone seems to like this rose, but I think the more it opens the better it gets.