Gardening on the Moon ( GOTM )

Written by Jeff

Who would guess that more than half the roses sold in the United States are grown in Arizona for shipping to various outlets including some of the major mail-order retailers? The truth is that roses do very well in the Sonoran desert as long as they are given proper care and the appropriate varieties are selected.

When growing roses in the desert heat, they may become more spindly than normal and blooms may decrease during the hottest part of the summer. Shade from hot afternoon sun is recommended to avoid sunburn damage and provide relief. While these plants may struggle through the heat of the summer, they provide quite a show in the spring and again in the fall. Some varieties bloom well into November and beyond!

This series of articles is based on a lecture delivered by Marylou Coffman in Cave Creek, Arizona on December 13, 2008. Ms. Coffman is a consulting rosarian and expert rose grower who is eager to share her knowledge and encourage others. She has over 200 roses in her collection and helps to oversee the Mesa Community College Rose Garden with over 8,000 rose bushes on their way to 12,000. If you ever get a chance to visit the Mesa Community College Rose Garden during its peak, you will be treated to a spectacular site!

View pictures and learn more about the Rose Garden at Mesa Community College:
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/community/rosegarden/

Rose Selections

It is always wise to pick roses that do well in a particular area. One way to find out which roses do well in a given region is to join the local rose society. That is not always possible so many groups such as the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society maintains a list of roses that are particularly suited for the Sonoran Desert (see the link at the end of the article). Another place to find potential varieties is at HelpMeFind [ http://www.helpmefind.com/plant/plants.php ] Make sure that “Roses” is selected in the drop-down menu under the Name Search tab.

Whichever rose is chosen, make sure it is a number one quality. One of the most important considerations is that the roots of the plant are vigorous which means avoiding most roses with roots packaged in bags. Purchasing bare root roses offers the opportunity to examine the roots. Most retailers will stand behind their nursery stock and either refund the money spent or offer a credit towards future purchases if you are not satisfied. Each rose purchased should have multiple, thick canes (branches) above the bud union. Four or more strong canes would be ideal.

NOTE: It is important NOT to purchase any roses for planting in the desert if they have wax on them. This is done to protect tender growth against the cold in some geographic areas, but will be a severe disadvantage to any rose headed for the hotter climates.

Location

Roses need at least six hours of sun to perform their best. In the desert, an eastern exposure with morning and early afternoon sun is ideal. If, however, you want to plant roses in a location where they will receive the heat of the strong afternoon summer sun, shade cloth, lathing or other measures can be used to mitigate the effects of the sun’s rays. There are a few varieties that will tolerate the heat of the full sun and spring back into full action once the cooler days of fall return, but to perform their best, most roses will need some protection from the hottest days of desert sun.

Roses do not like reflected heat. Avoid planting near walls and areas where heat would reflect back onto the bushes. Also give them plenty of room. Three to five feet of growing room should be left between large growing plants with less space for smaller plants such as miniatures or the more compact bush roses. Climbers may need ten or more feet depending on how vigorous they grow. Ask the retailer or research the needs for the particular plant online or with the local rose society.

Article References:

Read Part II of Roses Among the Thorns – http://www.gardeningonthemoon.com/2008/12/29/a-rose-among-the-thorns-part-ii/

Read Part III of Roses Among the Thorns
http://www.gardeningonthemoon.com/2009/01/07/a-rose-among-the-thorns-part-iii/

To view .pdf (portable document files) you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader which is free. Download it here: http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/

Mesa-East Valley Rose Society – http://www.roses4az-mevrs.org/Home.html

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post