How many of you in more southern climes have had your roses going nuts
in mid-January? Most of my roses have been bustin' out since the
second week in January.

I was concerned and was sure that the new growth would be killed
pretty quickly, but it seems like the new growth had time to harden up
a little, because it's been in the high 20s several times and the red
growth has survived nicely. We had a week or two of very mild weather
with no frosts at night.

I was specifically worried about last night because we had rain
earlier in the day, but fortunately, it dried up before sunset. My
biggest worry is ice at this point because they seem to be acclimated
to temperature. However, this week will be a big test because we're
going to be under freezing for a few days in a row.

How are the rest of you zone 6ers and 7ers dealing with this very mild
winter? Personally, I think I'm going to have to recalibrate my
"dormancy watch" because I think that a lot of this early growth MIGHT
have a chance to survice. Usually I don't do anything major until
around April 10th, which is the last official frost date (although we
haven't had a serious frost in April since I've been growing roses). I
might just push the envelope this year and start fertilizing early
(not yet of course). Any thoughts about this?

"dave weil" <dweil2 [at] bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:b1hcu1pa6g8rbv24ta3aacrn15kf7b8cig [at] 4ax.com...
> How many of you in more southern climes have had your roses going nuts
> in mid-January? Most of my roses have been bustin' out since the
> second week in January.

Hi Dave - My roses haven't gone dormant at all.
But that's not unusual around here (Zone 8). They
will slow down - same as they do when it gets
really hot in the summer. But I've seen a lot of
new growth since January, and some shrubs
have blooms.

> I was concerned and was sure that the new growth would be killed
> pretty quickly, but it seems like the new growth had time to harden up
> a little, because it's been in the high 20s several times and the red
> growth has survived nicely. We had a week or two of very mild weather
> with no frosts at night.
>
> I was specifically worried about last night because we had rain
> earlier in the day, but fortunately, it dried up before sunset. My
> biggest worry is ice at this point because they seem to be acclimated
> to temperature. However, this week will be a big test because we're
> going to be under freezing for a few days in a row.

The only time I had a problem was a couple of
years ago. We had an early "spring", like this one,
followed by a week or so of really nasty freezing
weather. I had planted a bunch of new (young)
roses the previous fall, and many of them died.
The older roses did ok, IIRC.

> How are the rest of you zone 6ers and 7ers dealing with this very mild
> winter? Personally, I think I'm going to have to recalibrate my
> "dormancy watch" because I think that a lot of this early growth MIGHT
> have a chance to survice. Usually I don't do anything major until
> around April 10th, which is the last official frost date (although we
> haven't had a serious frost in April since I've been growing roses). I
> might just push the envelope this year and start fertilizing early
> (not yet of course). Any thoughts about this?

I have been transplanting mature roses and so far
they're doing fine. I don't think we'll get a freeze
this "winter" where I am. But I'm holding off on
fertilizing at least until March.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8

Can't help much since I am a zone 9-10. I never protect my roses here
and have lost none over the years.
Joe T
Baytown TX on the Gulf Coast

Dave,
I am in Z8 in the NW. I have been very worried about my roses, we have
gone from sixty to fifteen degrees in one week. I have a ton of new
growth on tree,ground cover,etc roses.I have never seen so much new
growth by Feb.

I am going to do what I do every year...wait til mid March and prune
them down, new growth and all. That has worked for years and hopefully
we will not have frost after March.

I think fertilizing early is chancy. I start my roses off with a few
cloves of garlic each year and am going to try really rotten banana
peels, advice from a local TV gardener, then wait until end of April
for the "real" fertilizer.

If you fertilize early, I would appreciate hearing how it worked.

Dave,
I am in Z8 in the NW. I have been very worried about my roses, we have
gone from sixty to fifteen degrees in one week. I have a ton of new
growth on tree,ground cover,etc roses.I have never seen so much new
growth by Feb.

I am going to do what I do every year...wait til mid March and prune
them down, new growth and all. That has worked for years and hopefully
we will not have frost after March.

I think fertilizing early is chancy. I start my roses off with a few
cloves of garlic each year and am going to try really rotten banana
peels, advice from a local TV gardener, then wait until end of April
for the "real" fertilizer.

If you fertilize early, I would appreciate hearing how it worked.

Dave,
I am in Z8 in the NW. I have been very worried about my roses, we have
gone from sixty to fifteen degrees in one week. I have a ton of new
growth on tree,ground cover,etc roses.I have never seen so much new
growth by Feb.

I am going to do what I do every year...wait til mid March and prune
them down, new growth and all. That has worked for years and hopefully
we will not have frost after March.

I think fertilizing early is chancy. I start my roses off with a few
cloves of garlic each year and am going to try really rotten banana
peels, advice from a local TV gardener, then wait until end of April
for the "real" fertilizer.

If you fertilize early, I would appreciate hearing how it worked.

Dave,
I am in Z8 in the NW. I have been very worried about my roses, we have
gone from sixty to fifteen degrees in one week. I have a ton of new
growth on tree,ground cover,etc roses.I have never seen so much new
growth by Feb.

I am going to do what I do every year...wait til mid March and prune
them down, new growth and all. That has worked for years and hopefully
we will not have frost after March.

I think fertilizing early is chancy. I start my roses off with a few
cloves of garlic each year and am going to try really rotten banana
peels, advice from a local TV gardener, then wait until end of April
for the "real" fertilizer.

If you fertilize early, I would appreciate hearing how it worked.

Please use plain text when posting and don't post pictures -- links to
pictures are much preferred.

Anne


"misty musings" <mmaura [at] webtv.net> wrote in message
news:23728-4411E9F9-383 [at] storefull-3254.bay.webtv.net...