May Rose Report
Charles Anctil
H
ere it is April 2 (when I’m writing this), and all these plants are growing and blooming already. Roses are leafed out and starting to bud. We’ve had many calls to the store asking if you should prune roses now or let them go. The choice is yours. The roses this year are so excited and happy they are almost six weeks ahead of schedule. My roses usually start blooming around the 3rd week of May, but this year, if we do not get any freezing temperatures, they could start showing off by the end of April. I have removed some of the mulch but it is still close at hand so if freezing temperatures come our way, I can recover quickly. This should be a nasty year for insects. Customers are already reporting seeing aphids, so be on the lookout. You do not have to spray everything in the yard. Just walk and spray where you see the insects. Remember this, the more you spray, the more problems you will have, because you will be killing the “good” bugs as well as the bad.
For those of you still using chemical fertilizers, remember the risk: fertilizer burn! How does this happen? Roses are made up of cells whose activity is supported by water, just like human skin and tissue. Burn occurs when water is removed or displaced from the cells. Most fertilizers use ammonium sulphate or ammonium nitrate as the nitrogen source, synthesizing the element found in nature. These compounds have the tendency to take up water. If the fertilizers in the soil are too concentrate, moisture is absorbed from the soil, and even the roots, thereby destroying or interfering with the moisture support system for the cells. The solution to fertilizer burn is to apply the right amounts and water deeply, then water again! One last thing; black spot and spider mites always start at the bottom of the plants so you might want to strip the foliage 6” – 8” from the ground! Works for me…..might work for you! Charles Anctil has been an active Rosarian since 1958, Kansas City Rose Society, ARS Judge Emeritus, ARS Master Consulting Rosarian. If you need help, call him at Moffet’s Nursery, St. Joseph, Mo., 816-2331223.
Country Club Tree Service Inc.
Caring for your largest “Assets” for 55 years
Disease & Insect Control Pruning • Removal • Consulting Mark Young MW-103B
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Beautification Contest
he Overland Park Chapter of The Gardeners of America is hosting a beautification contest. We wish to recognize those communities, organizations, businesses and homeowners whose green thumbs make Johnson County a beautiful place to live. There will be four divisions: 1. Communities or organizations (cities, schools, places of worship, HOA’s etc.) 2. Businesses 3. Home garden maintained by owner
4. Home garden maintained by professional landscapers First prize each division is $50 gift card. For complete rules and entry form please visit our website: www. op-goa.org. Or call Karen at 913-677-4246. Entry deadline is May 10th. The Overland Park Chapter / TGOA is a fun group of people who like to get dirty. We meet at 7 p.m. the 2nd Monday each month at the Colonial Church 71st & Mission Road, Prairie Village, Kan. Visitors always welcome. Come grow with us!
“Everybody can find a way to make their space more beautiful.” Erin Busenhart Family Tree Nursery Overland Park Mon-Fri 9am - 7pm | Sat 9am - 6pm | Sun 10:30am - 5pm
George Eib Chuck Brasher
8424 Farley Overland Park, KS 913.642.6503
816-333-7220 Monthly Tip:
May is a good time to prune early flowering trees and shrubs. Later pruning removes next year’s flowers.
www.countryclubtreeservice.com May 2012 / The Kansas City Gardener
7036 Nieman Shawnee, KS 913.631.6121
www.familytreenursery.com
830 W Liberty Dr Liberty, MO 816.781.0001
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