Posted on 03/18/2007 8:05:23 PM PDT by Knitting A Conundrum
Spring fever has got me. I want to get out of the house, away from the computer, and dig in the dirt. Getting ready to start a new rose bed. Anybody else out there nuts about roses?
Do I win any small appliances (or plant cuttings) for getting 00? LOL
LOL!
Did you get a chance to look at my reenactment newsletter? It's still little, only the first edition, but I laid it out and wrote a part of it....Next time I will include some crafty stuff...starting perhaps with a series on plain sewing...
and period gardening!
http://www.snsbooks.com/alra/broadside1-1/broadside-3-07.html
Wow, looks great!
I enjoyed the articles and the combination of old looking fonts and verbiage with modern imbedded photos. The best of re-enacting! :-)
I should send a link to my friend who lives part time in Haley...
Do it! That would be cool....
I just sent it off. Let me know if you hear from her. :-) (I hope I have the right addy, it's been awhile since I corresponded...)
Cool site with pictures, too many to post here:
The Heritage Rose Foundation:
Goals of the Heritage Rose Foundation
§ The collection of roses originating in the nineteenth century or earlier and roses with particular historic, educational, or genetic value (heritage roses).
§ The establishment of one or more gardens wherein heritage roses may be grown and displayed.
§ The advancement of research and investigations into heritage roses, including history, identification, genetics and breeding, propagation, diseases and pests, and suitability for landscape use.
§ The publishing and dissemination of information about heritage roses, including any and all research that emanates from the foundation.
§ The establishement and maintenace of a library of books, periodicals, research papers, manuscripts, catalogues, and other items to facilitate further research and investigation into heritage roses.
§ The establishment of public knowledge of heritage roses through seminars, meetings, forums, panels, lectures, tours and exhibits designed to encourage and increase the public's perception of heritage roses.
http://www.heritagerosefoundation.org/
I was doing a bit of this today, but I hit hardpan that last bit - but it's a raised bed, so it's not so awful. Added compost, a little sand, gypsum:
Double Digging
Every gardener's goal is--or at least should be--near-perfect soil. One technique for transforming so-so soil into super soil has several names. In some circles it's known as French-intensive gardening. Others call it bio-dynamic gardening. More commonly it's known as "double-digging."
No matter what you call it, it's the most backbreaking method of gardening. However, it's also the surest way to super soil. While it takes a tremendous amount of effort up front, the payoff--in the form of healthier, more productive plants--is almost immediate. Caution: If you have back problems or other health problems that prevent you from performing strenuous activity, forget about double-digging.
First, define the area where the digging will take place. Then soak the area with water a day or two prior to digging (unless it has rained recently) to make digging easier.
The tool to use for this is a square spade--a long-handled version is a little easier on the back. Speaking of the back, before getting started, you might want to do some stretching so you don't strain anything.
With the spade, dig a trench one-foot wide and one-foot deep down the entire length of the bed. Toss the excavated soil into a wheelbarrow or garden cart. With the trench complete, stab the spading fork into the subsoil, rocking it back and forth, to loosen the subsoil down to a depth of one foot. At this point, spread a two- to three-inch layer of compost over the exposed subsoil. Move over one spade's width in the bed, and begin to dig out another trench. But this time toss the excavated soil into the adjacent trench, the one you just added compost to.
When the digging is done, apply a two- to three-inch layer of compost on top of the bed, and gently work it into the top six inches of soil. By adding compost between the soil layers in the trenches as well as on top of the bed, you raise the bed roughly six inches above the original soil level.
You don't have to dig the entire garden all at once. Instead, work small areas, say, three feet square, whenever you wish. Once you double-dig a bed, don't walk on it. After all, the whole point is to loosen the topsoil and the subsoil to a depth of two feet so plant roots can grow unrestricted and water can readily percolate through the soil. Walking on the soil packs it down again.
If you've been wanting to improve your soil, especially for growing plants such as vegetables or roses, double-digging is the best way to do it. However, remember to start small, pace yourself and avoid straining your back. A few tips on spade safety are listed below:
* First, select a spade that's right for you and the job you're tackling. Short-handled spades are better for short folks or for working in tight spots, whereas long-handled equivalents seem to work better for folks taller than 6 feet. For serious digging, a pointed spade may work better, but a square-end version, if it's heavy enough, will allow you to make a cleaner, more uniformly shaped trench.
* Don't try to lift more than you can handle comfortably. Chances are you'll find that by taking smaller amounts, you can actually dig more for longer periods of time.
* As you work, take your time, and try to establish a rhythm. As soon as you feel you've had enough or you find it difficult to straighten up, stop. If you push beyond this point, you're likely to hurt yourself. Take a break, or save the rest of the digging for another day.
* Finally, when doing a lot of heavy digging, be sure to scrape the blade of soil now and then, and if necessary, use a file to sharpen the end of the spade, following the original bevel of the blade.
Tip: There's a big difference between a cheap spading fork and a good one. The tines on a cheap fork are thin, flat and bend easily in all but the fluffiest soils, but those on a good spading fork are square and will endure the toughest conditions. Good forks cost a bit more but will last much longer.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_soil_water/article/0,1785,HGTV_3632_1372205,00.html
Man, I thought you were writing this yourself, after not feeling well...
I was going to type sternly at you! ;-)
Hope you're feeling better.
I did do some of it today..finally began feeling better. did about 1/4 of my bed.
Some pains work out better with some activity.
And it's a raised bed, so the digging's not that hard.
Good to hear. :-)
I like the tip about soaking the area first to soften the ground. Remind me of that April 13, when I have a chance to start digging....
God bless you - you are my spiritual twin. I have nearly the same story as you; I have one child that is 22, and another that is eight. We have had three miscarriages after them (two very early, and one later) and my husband planted a rose garden to ease our pain.
Our "babies' rose" is Knock Out, plus some others which have been added. We have a little sleeping angel statue, plus a little laughing bunny and duck. The rose bring joy to us, and never ceases to remind us of the wonder of God's gifts of love to us - our children...
God Bless you too. I love my rose garden & theres a bench to sit & think. I do that at least once a day and I look at all the roses planted . Theres a Peace rose for my departed mother, a Sterling for my brother and so many more. I plant garlic next to my bushes because my mother always did and we put coffee grounds into the soil because my aunt did. She grew Rose Trees but I haven't gotten that far. I just love being able to sit there and watch the clouds go by and smell my roses. I pray there quite a bit too. It was wonderful to meet you...~Pandora~
Would you like on the Ping list? I'm trying to make sure something gets posted and pinged out every day, one or two stories...
ROSES ARE BLUE
Scientists Genetically Engineer the Impossible
It was announced on June 30 that Suntory and an Australian company, Florigene, had pulled off the feat of genetically engineering the world's first blue rose, something that had long been considered the holy grail of horticulturalists. The team of developers intends to continue efforts to make the roses bluer and also to consider any possible effects on other plants and the environment, with the goal of releasing this new flower commercially in 2007 or 2008.
Adding Blue Genes from Pansies
The rose has a very long history; it was first cultivated by ancient civilizations 5,000 years ago, and more than 25,000 varieties have been produced since then, in such colors as red, pink, white, and yellow. One color that had proved impossible, however, was blue. The pigment that makes some other flowers blue is called delphinidin, but roses lack the genes to produce it.
Focusing on this point, Suntory and its partner began joint development in 1990. First, they took the genes for blueness from blue flowers like petunias, aiming to embed this genetic material in roses and create a blue specimen. Though this method did not succeed with roses, it was found to work on carnations. One of the byproducts of the development process was the commercialization of the world's first blue carnation in 1995, which soon became a popular product. Some 10 million of these flowers were produced around the world in 2003.
The blue rose that was successfully created was made by introducing blue genes extracted from pansies. Differing from previous efforts to produce blue roses through existing hybridization technology, the petals of the roses were altered so that they were composed almost entirely of delphinidin, making it possible to breed varieties more susceptible to hybridization. While the rose is referred to as "blue," its actual color is closer to blueish-purple. Though certain genes are a necessary precondition for producing a blue rose, a flower's color is also dependent on nongenetic factors.
The two companies intend to continue pursuing this line of research, with the goal of engineering a rose with a sky-blue color similar to that of morning glories. They hope to create a product for which a ¥30 billion ($272 million at ¥110 to the dollar) market could develop in the future.
Research Producing Results
Suntory's rival Kirin Brewery Co., meanwhile, has improved on the vital, a small carnation it developed in 1999. The company has created over 20 varieties, including yellow and pink flowers and even some with round petals. Kirin expects sales of these carnations to top ¥10 billion ($90 million) this year, up roughly 300% over 2003.
The National Agriculture and Bio-oriented Research
Organization has developed basic technology for embedding genes into chrysanthemums at a high efficiency. If this technology is applied, the growing of extraordinary blue and red chrysanthemums may prove to be more than just a dream.
By manipulating genes, it is possible to alter not only a flower's color but also its pattern. Researchers at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have pinned down the gene that controls the pattern of carnations. There is also a method of forcefully causing sudden alterations of genes. The research institute Riken is conducting studies aimed at producing new types of flowers by removing DNA from flowers with an ion beam inside an accelerator called a cyclotron. A spokesperson for the institute says, "While it is difficult to create a color to specification, it is possible to alter the genes that create pigment. If blue pigment can be created via gene splicing, it may be possible to strengthen the pigment and make a completely blue flower." In the future, flower varieties produced by genetic manipulation may even outnumber those produced the traditional way.
Beautiful!
Thank you both, and what a wonderful way to ease the pain while celebrating your children's existence.
I'm not a rose grower, too intimidated, but this thread makes it seem so tempting and possible. :-)
A sniff and a cheer! :-)
I'm trimming and clipping. LOL ;-)
Fabric, not roses...
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