All for Roses: March 2023

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Chat GPT and rose information

I wanted to see what Chat GPT would do when asked to write about a rose. The results are concerning. There are quite a few errors. The task was "Write a 500 word essay on the rose Charles de Mills" and then "Write a 500 word essay on the rose Charles de Mills, which is concise and accurate." Here are the results (due to space constraints I am going to only post the first essay here and both of them on my blog):

https://youtu.be/3alARVwvoUA

1) Charles de Mills is a popular old garden rose that is widely admired for its beauty and charm. This rose is known for its striking crimson red color and its pleasant fragrance, which makes it a favorite among gardeners and rose enthusiasts. The history of Charles de Mills dates back to the 18th century when it was first discovered in France. It was named after a French nobleman named Charles de Mills, who was a member of the French aristocracy. Charles de Mills rose is a hybrid gallica rose, which means it is a cross between Rosa gallica and another rose variety. The flowers of Charles de Mills are large and showy, with a deep crimson red color that is almost purple. The petals are ruffled and have a velvety texture, which adds to the rose's charm. The flowers are borne singly or in small clusters and bloom in late spring or early summer. The blooms are followed by attractive hips, which add to the beauty of the plant. Charles de Mills is a vigorous grower and can reach a height of up to 1.5 meters. It has a bushy habit and can spread to about 1 meter in width. The leaves of the rose are dark green and have a leathery texture. They are semi-glossy and have serrated edges. The foliage provides a perfect backdrop for the beautiful blooms of the rose. The rose is relatively easy to care for and is resistant to many common rose diseases. It prefers a sunny location and well-drained soil. Regular watering and fertilization will help the plant to grow healthy and produce abundant blooms. Pruning is also important for maintaining the shape and health of the plant. The best time to prune Charles de Mills is in early spring, just before new growth appears. Charles de Mills is a popular choice for gardeners who love old-fashioned roses. It is also widely grown for its use in cut flower arrangements. The beautiful blooms of the rose can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any bouquet or floral display. In addition to its aesthetic value, Charles de Mills also has some medicinal properties. The rose hips contain a high concentration of vitamin C, which makes them a popular ingredient in herbal teas and supplements. The hips are also used in the preparation of jams and jellies, which are known for their health benefits. In conclusion, Charles de Mills is a beautiful and charming old garden rose that is widely admired for its striking color and pleasant fragrance. It is a vigorous grower that is easy to care for and is resistant to many common rose diseases. The rose has a rich history and has been a favorite among gardeners and rose enthusiasts for centuries. Whether grown in the garden or used in cut flower arrangements, Charles de Mills is sure to add a touch of elegance and beauty to any setting

2) The Charles de Mills rose is a hybrid perpetual rose that was first introduced in France in the mid-19th century. This rose is known for its deep red, almost maroon, petals that have a velvety texture and a slight fragrance. It is a popular choice among rose enthusiasts due to its striking appearance and its ability to bloom repeatedly throughout the growing season.

The Charles de Mills rose was developed by the French rose breeder Jean-Baptiste Guillot in 1837. Guillot was known for his work in creating new rose varieties, and the Charles de Mills was one of his most successful creations. This rose was named in honor of a wealthy Frenchman named Charles de Mills, who was a patron of the arts and a supporter of rose breeding.

The Charles de Mills rose is a vigorous grower that can reach up to six feet in height and four feet in width. It has a bushy growth habit with thorny stems and dark green foliage. The flowers of this rose can grow up to four inches in diameter and are double-layered with up to 40 petals each. The petals are a deep red color that fades slightly towards the edges, giving the flowers a striking, velvety appearance.

One of the most notable features of the Charles de Mills rose is its ability to bloom repeatedly throughout the growing season. This rose typically blooms in late spring or early summer, and then again in late summer or early fall. This extended blooming period makes it a popular choice for gardeners who want to enjoy the beauty of roses throughout the growing season.

In addition to its striking appearance and extended blooming period, the Charles de Mills rose is also known for its disease resistance. This rose is relatively resistant to common rose diseases, including black spot and powdery mildew, which can be a significant issue for other rose varieties.

When it comes to growing the Charles de Mills rose, it is important to provide it with the right growing conditions. This rose prefers full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. It is also important to prune this rose regularly to encourage new growth and maintain its shape. Pruning should be done in the early spring, before new growth begins.

Overall, the Charles de Mills rose is a stunning and reliable rose variety that is popular among gardeners and rose enthusiasts alike. With its deep red petals, velvety texture, and extended blooming period, this rose is sure to add a touch of beauty to any garden or landscape

Check out my other links:

https://www.facebook.com/Allforroses-103964165342717/

https://www.youtube.com/@allforroses

https://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=3.25480&tab=2

https://all-for-roses.creator-spring.com

https://www.instagram.com/allforroses/

https://www.lulu.com/shop/all-for-roses/roses/paperback/product-9pzryq.html?q=roses&page=1&pageSize=4

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Rose rootstock suckers

Rootstock suckers can take away energy from the desired plants, and eventually overwhelm the desired plant. here is how to remove the suckers:

https://youtu.be/Mb5pmfk3G3g

Check out my other links:

https://www.facebook.com/Allforroses-103964165342717/

https://www.youtube.com/@allforroses

https://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=3.25480&tab=2

https://all-for-roses.creator-spring.com

https://www.instagram.com/allforroses/

https://www.lulu.com/shop/all-for-roses/roses/paperback/product-9pzryq.html?q=roses&page=1&pageSize=4

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Are "experts" the reason for....

the negative perception of rose growing? There is a lot of information that people are given to grow roses. Some good, some not so much, and quite a bit that could be confusing. Sometimes, I wonder if roses "experts" do more harm than good giving advice.

I was reading a local gardening publication that comes out during the growing season. There is an article on roses each month by a former "rosarian with … botanical garden" (from the bio in the publication, with the name of botanical garden removed by me) and is a member of the rose society, as well as at one point having a rose nursery. So I feel that it is believed that this person is considered an "expert" on roses. The March article was about things to do in the rose garden in the spring. There were several things in it that I would like to address here.

"My first thought is don't uncover your roses until April 15."

I get covering to try to protect roses from the cold, and in some zones this may be necessary. However I question using a date to use as the uncover time. Granted in this area April 15th is generally considered the last frost date, but it has snowed in the 3 years I have been here after the 15th. I think that people should use their eyes, and look at the forecast when it comes to uncovering roses. If there is a ton of growth happening and you wait too long, you run the risk of damaging new growth when uncovering, and other issues may arise as well.

"Start by cleaning up any climbers … by cutting the lateral canes back to 4 bud-eyes and removing any dead or diseased canes. This will encourage more bloom along the main canes, by trimming the lateral canes you will get blooms at the ends of the lateral canes."

My first thought was "what?". The more I reread the paragraph I realized that she was saying that you should shorten the lateral canes. which are those canes that are coming off the main canes. I think that how long you lateral canes should be reduced to is dependent on what you are trying to do. If you are trying to have a rose run along a long fence, then you are probably goring to what as long as you can lateral canes. Ideally if you have a long fence you probably would find it easier to cover with more than one rose, but that may not always be possible. Also if you are training you laterals more horizontally than vertically, then the plant is more likely to have the bud eyes grow, allowing for more blooms from the laterals without you having to get into the plant and prune it. I do agree with cleaning up the cleaning up dead and diseased canes.

"Next job is to clean up your shrub roses. All roses appreciate a good pruning and that includes the 'Knock Out' family of roses. Thin out center of the plants by removing crossing canes … as well as any spindly, broken or diseased canes. Trim about 1/3 of the plant's growth."

No!!! Not all roses appreciate pruning. If you have Old Garden Roses that are once blooming, or even once blooming climbers, pruning in the spring makes it where you are removing that years' blooms. For the size I wouldn't remove more than a third of the plant if needed, but that is the max, not the required. I have found that roses, as well as many other plants, are actually happier and quite of healthier with less pruning. Do prune out dead and diseased canes. Crossing canes can come out as well, but not every roses needs pruning, wants pruning, or appreciates pruning. Adding extra work to growing roses doesn't make it an enjoyable task of growing roses. I would also say that David Austin roses (English roses) are happier with lighter pruning than a remove a certain amount of growth every year.

"Check with local nurseries to see what they have. As consumers we must make it known that we are interested in the hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora roses and support the nurseries that carry them."

While I agree with checking with local nurseries, and not just limiting to big box stores, don't limit yourself to just the "big three" categories of roses. If all the nurseries ever heard was I want the Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, and Grandiflora roses, then eventually the smaller groups of roses will find themselves not in commerce, and yes I am including David Austin roses in the out of commerce category with that strategy. Go to local nurseries, find out who it is that purchases plants/roses for them and contact that person. Let them know what you want and try to get them to order those roses. The "big three" roses knocked other classes of roses out of commerce at least once before, it is our responsibility to not let it happen again.

"There are many mail-order sites that sell roses. … If you order bare-root roses through a catalog, be sure they ship no later than ... (the date that is best for your area, added by me, article gave specific location) When the roses are potted the timing is not as critical. A potted rose can be planted any time. Usually the potted roses are own-root and very tiny. The rose will need to be babied for the first year but I have heard they usually do well. I do not recommend mail-order simply because you do not know what you are getting and the price is very high."

Wow. There are several things in that. I do agree that if you go the mail order route for bare-root roses you should have them shipped so you can plant them at the appropriate time for your location.

While you can plant potted roses any time the ground isn't frozen, there are better times than others. Planting roses, or much of anything, bare-root or own-root, in the middle of summer isn't as ideal as in the fall or spring.
I think that you have to be careful in generalizing size and types of what you are receiving. I know of a few mail-order companies that send plants in gallon plus size pots. There may also be a few that sell grafted roses. Also bare-root roses maybe be the size of some own root roses that are potted when you receive them. Own-root roses can be shipped bare-root as well.

My gripe with the last sentence is that over all most mail-order companies do their best to send you what you ordered. There are mistakes made, and some companies have a reputation to be more mistake prone than others, but to say you don't know what you are getting isn't fair to probably 85+% of the mail-order companies out there. However how many times do you walk down the big box stores and see a potted roses labeled something like "cut flower" or "patented rose" and not necessarily a name? I have seen it often. And if you buy a bare-root rose from a big box store, you can't be certain that rose is labeled accurately until it blooms. The part of "the price is very high" isn't always correct. There are many local nurseries that I have gone to in Georgia, Oregon, and Missouri that for the price that they are selling the rose plant, I could have ordered the same rose mail-order for slightly more than half of the price due to shipping. Granted there are some expensive mail-order rose companies out there, but if you know where to look you can find decently priced, mail-order nurseries; often cheaper than buying it in person. Here is a link to a list of a few: https://allforroses.blogspot.com/2021/12/more-affordable-rose-nurseries.html