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a good deep soaking every 7 to 10 days. This is much better than frequent light watering which encourages the roots to grow near the surface where they are vulnerable. Deep watering will encourage your roses to hold their foliage and bloom better in the summer months. A soaker hose or a form of drip irrigation works especially well to minimize water waste through evaporation and to keep the rose leaves dry. Disease And Insects If your old roses seem to be unduly affected by blackspot or powdery mildew,they are possibly planted in the wrong spot; too much shade, too little air circulation, poorly drained soil, etc. A properly situated old rose should give years of, virtually,trouble-free beauty. This is not to say that the Old Garden Roses never get blackspot.They are disease resistant, but not completely disease free.The difference is that rarely does any of the fungus diseases debilitate them. They will generally shed any infected leaves, continuing to grow and bloom with healthy vigor. If you choose to spray in order to keep the foliage perfect, we recom- mend using a mild, broad spectrum fungicide on an “as needed” basis.

 Taking Care of your Antique Roses

Preparing a Rose Bed

Old Garden Roses are effective even in poor conditions, but will be their lovely best if planted in a favorable site with rich, well drained soil. The best place to locate a garden with roses is in an open area that receives at least six hours of direct sun daily (preferably in the morning) and allows good air movement. Soil preparation will make a great difference in the health and long term vigor of your roses. Adding a quantity of organic material to the bed before planting will both enrich a sandy soil and break up a heavy soil to allow proper drainage. Preparing the soil several months in ad- vance of planting will allow micro-nutrients to become available so that your roses have the best and healthiest of beginnings. We recommend (for the south) preparing a bed in spring or summer for planting in the optimum fall/winter season.

Mulching And Watering

We sincerely believe that mulch is the key to happiness - at least in the garden! A several inch thick layer of mulch applied 2 or 3 times a year means fewer weeds, less water stress, less heat stress, richer more fertile soil and healthier plants. We use decomposed bark on our beds,but pine needles, peat moss, leaf mulch or any weed free material will do the job. Rose varieties that have survived for many years are usually drought tolerant,but your plants will look much better in your garden if they get

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