Organic Rose Gardening Tips

Roses have been known for generations and are perhaps the most liked flowers in the garden. Fossils indicate that they were known some 40 million years ago. They have been mentioned in the records of many civilizations including, ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Grecians, Romans. It’s possible that the art of rose cultivation was introduced into England by the Romans. Some records show that cultivated roses were introduced to the States in the 16^th century.

In a normal garden cycle, plants absorb nutrients and water from their roots. Through the plant leaves using water and sunlight, photosynthesis takes place. The organisms and soil bacteria break down dead materials that are used for soil fortification. Any interference with this cycle will be detrimental to the soil and what’s grown in the garden.

Of concern to many modern-day gardeners are the number of chemicals used to grow roses. The introduction of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides disrupts soil fortification, thus interfering with the natural balance that is essential to the soil and roses. The rose plant roots need certain bacteria for protection and, if it is missing, can be affected by harmful fungi. Also, roses can become addicted to chemical fertilizers as the more chemicals are used to stimulate growth, the more reliant the roses will be on chemicals.

There is growing interest from rose gardening enthusiasts that they would like to try organic rose gardening. Organic gardening is not really something new as for thousands of years before the onset of modern gardening techniques, gardeners didn’t have access to man-made chemicals to beautify their gardens. Natural techniques, you can be assured, will increase rose life expectancy and keep family and pets free from harmful chemical effects.

Organic rose gardening is easy and very cost effective, simply because you are not purchasing chemical fertilizers for pest control. The soil can be nourished by working in compost, if it’s a new garden, or mulch if it’s an established garden. Start off by building a compost pile using decaying plant clippings, animal waste, dried leaves, grass clippings. You can even include kitchen left-overs like fruit peelings or fish heads. Whatever you use, make sure you mix the pile frequently so that the compost is decaying properly. Keep the soil pH slightly acidic (6.0 – 6.5).

In organic gardening you don’t use any of the chemical means for pest control. Pesticides will kill both plant pests and helpful bacteria. Lady bugs and some wasps are needed for preying on insect pests. Birds eat grubs and frogs, lizards and snakes all assist in overcoming pest problems. If a pesticide is really needed, buy organic or natural pesticides that are effective and less poisonous. The natural pesticides can be helpful in targeting particular problem pests without harming the helpful ones.

Sometimes you can get black spot on your roses. Don’t automatically reach for chemical pesticides to tackle your problem. There are organic solutions available.

In your rose gardening efforts you are aiming to grow the largest, the most beautiful flowers in the garden. This can be done organically without investing in buying harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides.