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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:Thought I'd share with you the first part of a two-part series on roses. I've always loved the fragrance and beauty of roses. Be sure to read the piece on How to Live a Good Life -- I hope you
will find it as inspirational as I did. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop me a note. Rex Gregor 2) Roses (Part I):I was surfing the "net" when I found a Website called Every Rose.com http://everyrose.com/everyrose/index.lasso This website allows you to search roses by name, color or just about any other characteristic. It has a database of over 7,000 roses and 2,100 photo's. I have long had a love of any and all roses. I am especially fond of wild roses and the beautiful miniature ones. I suppose my interest is based on the trustworthy experience of the wild varieties. Through my years of experience, I learned that roses, no matter what variety, - hybrid or wild – almost always follow a distinct pattern of growth habits. Roses are a sun loving plant and they are a thirsty plant; but they do not like wet feet. Roses have a reputation of being hard to handle, and I frequently hear people say "I wish I could raise roses." I simply ask "why not." Growing roses is NOT difficult but there are fundamental requirements you must follow, which I call the rules of the game. First you must understand that roses are a hungry plant and they take a lot of nutrients from the soil. You must give them enough to eat or they will starve, and you will be one of those people who will complain that "I cannot grow roses." Poor drainage will cause problems especially if your rose bed is continually soggy. A mineral nutrient deficiency is unlikely if you are using a general purpose rose food. The more compost and organic material you can add to your soil, the better. Black Spot is a fungus which is the most widely distributed and most destructive disease in rose culture. Wild roses are less likely to be infected with black spot. The symptoms start with black or gray spots followed by yellowing of the leaf. Black spot thrives in damp, humid, warm weather. By the time you see the black spots on the leaves the fungus more than likely is already established. The good news is that "black spot" is usually nothing more than a visual nuisance. If you keep a good check on your roses it will not be a problem! I suggest that you visit your rose plants daily, talk to them and enjoy their beauty. Keep a good check on the leaves, and if you see any "black spots" pick off the infected leaves prompty and put them in your garbage can. Do not drop them on the ground. Keep your rose bed clear of infected leaves and dead petals. I do not like to use chemicals unless I absolutely have to and frankly I have never had to. Nearly every variety of rose plants may get "black spot" - but a healthy plant may never get infected with anything, and that includes rust, mildew, and insects. Next week I will tell you about winter protecting you’re your rose plants. 3) Humor for Today:The minister was passing a group of young teens sitting on the Church lawn and stopped to ask what they were doing."Nothing much, Pastor," replied one boy. "We were just seeing who can tell the biggest lie about their sex life." "Boys, boys, boys!" he scolded. "I'm shocked. When I was your age, I never even thought about sex." In unison they all replied, "You win!" 4) How to Live a Good Life:
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. 5) Spider Mites Follow-up:In Issue 4 we had a long article on spider mites. As I suggested, the best way to deal with mites is to prevent their build up.One thing that will help indoors is to increase the humidity around the plant, and proper watering without stressing the plants will decrease feeding potential for mites. As I've said, be sure to check all new plants brought into your house. If mites are discovered, the best indoor solution is insecticidal soap. You want to avoid chemical sprays. Thoroughly douse leaves with a commercial insecticidal soap, such as Safer's. I do not recommend mixing your own homemade concoction -- these concoctions can do damage to the leaves. Repeat applications will probably be necessary. Be certain to read the product label. 6) Cooking Tip: Better Well Done BurgersAs most everyone knows, the USDA recommends that we fix our burgers well done. Well, it is too often that by waiting for the middle to become well done, the outside edges become pretty darn charred, and our burgers dry out. Here is a little tip I just picked up. To speed up the cooking process and avoid those dried up burgers, after you've formed those patties, take your thumb and make a "dimple" in the center of both sides (about 1/4 inch deep). This will help the center, the thickest part, to get done at the same time as the edges. 7) A Site to Visit If You Like Riddles:Two issues ago we included a riddle. This got me to thinking there are folks out there who just love riddles and might be interested in finding a website to feed their craving. I came across a spot where a riddle nut can go to wett that appetite for riddles. http://www.RiddleNut.com. They have hundreds of riddles to get you scratching your head. And, if you can't figure one out, they include a link for the answer. If you don't want to spend a lot of time at their site, they also have a riddle-a-day mailing list. A popup subscription box appears when you arrive to their site. 8) Subscribe/UnsubscribeThis newsletter, the Green Thumb Times, is sent out only to those PRIVACY: Your email address is held in the strictest of privacy. To subscribe to The Green Thumb Times To unsubscribe Rex Gregor, Editor Please feel free to forward The Green Thumb Times to a friend. Rex’s Seedco has searched the world for quality
growers of garden seeds. Many of these farmers bring together ancient
wisdom and modern science so people everywhere may have good health
and enjoyment in life. We are dedicated to providing the best wherever
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