WHAT TO DO NOW…..
Do not start pruning yet!!! The most ideal time for
Winter pruning is mid-late July. Pruning is easier the longer you wait
because the rose bush will have lost all or most of the leaves by
natural winter dormancy. Did you know that pruning as late as
September is still OK?
Continue using the same products you've been using all year to
maintain consistent health and vigour, pour over or spray your
roses ...
10 litres of water add ¼ cup of each of the following:
Natrakelp, Eco-oil and Eco-rose
Some people ask: "because the roses are bare, will the spray
program have any effect?" ... the answer is definitely, yes!!
I usually find a similarity between dealing with a plant as you
would human beings …. You wash yourself when you're bare and it
does you a whole lot of good - the same applies for the roses!
Keep up with the spray program, feed every two months with your
organic fertilizer and you'll have bloody marvelous roses this
Spring!
'NATRAKELP' … THE BEST LIQUID SEAWEED - AUSTRALIAN MADE BY
AUSTRALIANS
Our suppliers have offered us a special deal which means if you buy
a one litre bottle of 'Natrakelp' liquid seaweed you can have a second
bottle for half price! That's a saving of $8.75 and you'll be able to
make up to 500 litres of liquid seaweed solution to use liberally on
all your plants - offer ends 31st July, 2006.
GRAHAM'S GARDEN GOSSIP …
There are lots of myths and furphys in gardening … one most certainly
is that mulch should be removed during the Winter! Here are the reasons
why you should have a 50mm layer of mulch on your gardens now:
- Mulch feeds the worms and they're breeding between May and October
- Mulch keeps your fertile top soil in place during Winter rains
- Mulch stops soil compacting when you walk around the roses during
pruning
- Mulch feeds the soil microbes getting plants ready for the Spring
explosion of growth
- Mulch reduces the weeds that tend to germinate and grow in Winter
by up to 90%
- Mulch conserves soil moisture - plants still need water during
Winter!
- Mulch prevents vitamin losses in plants which makes them grow
stronger
There is also NO need to remove leaves which have
dropped from the rose bushes. It is absolutely impossible to prevent
the fungus spores spreading by removing diseased leaves. Spores are
microscopically small and move with the air. If the leaves are covered
with Eco-rose, Eco-oil and Natrakelp liquid seaweed, the spores will be
killed off and will not germinate in water from the next rain and enter
the leaves.
ROSE PRUNING DEMONSTRATIONS …
It's that time of year again … remember not to start pruning until
mid-to-late July … in the meantime, book in for one of our pruning
demonstrations because you'll enjoy a fun presentation with Graham and
then be fully equipped to get to work in your own garden ...
SATURDAY, 17th JUNE - 2.00PM
THURSDAY, 22nd JUNE - 10.30AM
SUNDAY, 25th JUNE - 2.00PM
THURSDAY, 29th JUNE - 10.30AM - SPECIAL KIDS DAY SEMINAR
SATURDAY, 1st JULY - 10.30AM
MONDAY, 3rd JULY - 10.30AM - SPECIAL KIDS DAY SEMINAR
FRIDAY, 7th JULY - 2.00PM
SUNDAY, 9th JULY - 10.30AM
THURSDAY, 13th JULY - 2.00PM
SATURDAY, 15th JULY - 2.00PM
Once again, Wolf Tools are sponsoring these seminars and all
attendees will be invited to go in the free draw for the chance to win
a brand new pair of Wolf Secateurs!
Bookings are essential for the "Special Kids Day" seminars and there
must be an adult present with the child - the kids seminar usually takes
about one and a half hours because they have a break to go and make
scones with Ben and Justine and they get to eat their scones with a
yummy hot chocolate. Each child will take home a potted plant … a
great way of encouraging your kids to be more active gardeners!
If you are coming with a group and staying for lunch in the Rose
Café, I recommend you let us know and we'll reserve a table for you …
make a day of it!! The Seminars cost $15.00 per person and we suggest
you bring your secateurs with you so that we can check them and sharpen
as necessary.
BARE-ROOTED ROSES NOW IN STOCK ...
If you had placed an order and your roses are in, you will have
received a call from us to come and collect your new roses. Maybe you
thought it was too late to order roses … well, it's not … just give us
a call on 1800 821 990 or email:silkiegardens@bigpond.com and we can
organise
for roses to be packaged and sent to you or you can call
into the nursery and collect them.
If you need a hand with planning your garden, don't hesitate to call
in - bring some photos and the dimensions of the area you're planting
and we will gladly assist ...
Our motto: "DO IT ONCE, DO IT RIGHT"
really applies when it comes to designing a garden bed!
I didn't think the quality of our roses could improve, but the
plants this year are lovely two year old, virus tested plants that will
literally bounce out of the ground. Bare-rooted roses are obviously
cheaper than potted roses with bush prices starting from $12.50
compared to $19.50 potted and standard rose prices starting from $24.50
bare-rooted to $33.50 potted - worthy of your consideration if you are
intending to plant a new garden!
Remember, when you follow our recommended management program, we will
guarantee any roses you purchase from us, for a period of three months,
from date of purchase!
ALL THE TALK ABOUT WATER …
Keep in mind that roses are a truly 'water wise' plant and only
require 10 litres of water per week!!! The most simple way of measuring
how long you should hold the hose at the base of the rose is to turn on
the hose and time how long it takes to fill an ordinary bucket or
watering can - water pressure is variable in all places; eg. it takes
30 seconds to fill a bucket here at the nursery and only 18 seconds at
home!
Those people who have an automatic watering system should also
measure by placing a bucket under the dripper line to see how long it
takes to deliver 10 litres of water. It is very important to apply the
10 litres at the same time - not 5 litres on Wednesday and 5 litres on
Saturday!!! Deep soaking is the key to good water management - shallow
watering is wasteful because the water doesn't get to the root zone and
will quickly evaporate at ground level.
Some soils have become hydrophobic, i.e. when water is applied, it
simply runs away. This problem can be easily corrected using Natrakelp
Soil Conditioner or Eco-hydrate - both organic soil wetters which, when
applied, increase moisture levels around plant roots by attracting water
vapour, thus keeping soil moist for longer and reducing plant stress.
THE CHEF PROPOSES … … TO NICOLE …
Whenever Benjamin does something, he does it wholeheartedly and well!
You only have to eat at the Cafe to know that! When he met Nicole we
had an idea she would be the love of his life and sure enough, he popped
the question and she said yes … before we know it there will be wedding
bells! Congratulations to Benjamin and Nicole on their engagement!
www ... (Internet Website)
We have resisted the www. rage but it is apparent that we cannot
continue to stick our heads in the sand! There has been a web page for
quite a long time but it's now being upgraded and will be constantly
revised and you'll be able to get this newsletter online, if that is
your preferred method of receiving mail.
In the reconstruction of "www.silkiegardens.com.au",
we are really keen to submit some testimonials from our customers … you!!!
If you would like to share your experience about any aspect of your
dealings with Silkie Gardens Rose Nursery & Cafe, we would love to hear
from you! Also, if you have ideas of things you would like to see on
our web page, please don't hesitate to let us know … this is a whole
new world to us and any help from you would be sincerely appreciated!
WE ALWAYS GET ASKED … OUR FAVOURITE ROSES …
With so many roses to choose from, you might wonder how on earth do
you select the best? Well, let us help you, by telling you which ones
we think are the best and why we like them …
Hybrid Tea 'Violina' - awesome
fragrance, pale to mid pink, huge flowers constantly on a very healthy,
tall bush
Climber 'Dublin Bay' - stunningly
healthy and free flowering brightest red flower - very tidy climber
New Release 'Sundance' -
extremely robust bush which produces non-fading golden yellow flowers
continually
David Austin 'Jude the Obscure' -
hugely perfumed creamy buff flowers produced freely on a strong, healthy
bush
Ground Cover 'Tintern Rose' -
gorgeous orange buds, yellow opening flowers in stunning profusion -
awesome health!
Shrub Rose 'Rugosa Scabrosa' - a
rose with the lot! Single petalled cerise flowers constantly and then
lots of rose hips
It's not an easy task to select as we did! Interestingly,
each of the above roses is fragrant and healthy! We should be able to,
for example, select our favourite colour in each of the categories and
so on. But then, it would become a huge list … we argued for hours
about the six listed above - there would be a divorce on the cards if
we created a bigger list!!!
You should find a broader description of the above roses in our 2005
catalogue which, by the way, is still current - here are a few very new
release roses which we will stock for 2006 ...
Close to You - Pale lemon, very fragrant,
hybrid tea suitable to a vase
Elle - Classic hybrid tea of soft pink,
peach and gold with stunning fragrance on a healthy bush
Hot Cocoa - Extremely healthy foliage,
prolific blooms of chocolate red
In Appreciation - Luminous pink, highly
fragrant, large flowering hybrid tea suitable for vase
It's a Winner - Well formed blooms of
apricot/pink/yellow, great cut flower with light perfume
Marilyn Monroe - Creamy apricot perfect
buds open to exhibition style classic rose, very healthy
Perfume Perfection - Masses of lavender
pink small blooms in clusters with awesome fragrance
Red Pierre - Burgundy red, cupped blooms
on healthy and lush pillar/climber
Sundance - Golden yellow, non-fading on
extremely healthy bush, light fragrance
The Endeavour - David Austin - Salmon/pink
with yellow reverse, prolific flowering, light fragrance
Wildeve - David Austin - Robust shrub
with masses of mid-pink flowers
There are more which we will have in small numbers. Should you want
a special rose which you don't find listed in our catalogue, please ask
... our grower may have it available or we can, most times, refer you
to a rose grower who has that particular variety available.
We hope that we have inspired you to don your hat and scarf, glove
up and get out into the garden where all the worries of the world seem
to disappear … say this following quotation three times - either out
aloud or quietly to yourself … "I am breathing, gorgeous and flamin'
remarkable" … and we know you'll enjoy your winter rose garden even
more ...
Cheers … FROM ALL OF US AT SILKIE GARDENS
ROSE NURSERY & CAFE
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