Hybridizing Progress

We have babies!

We also have mold problems.  That's OK.  I have culled the seeds that sprouted mold instead of roses, and I'm hoping some of the others will be encouraged to grow a bit more.  I had read that mold is a common problem with seedlings; I've also read that washing the seeds in diluted hydrogen peroxide is the way to avoid said problem.  Sadly, I read it a bit too late to make use of the idea.  Next year.

But we have babies!  Check it out:

We started with a little sprout. . .

Friends decided to join in. . .

I have anticipated about a 15 - 20% germination rate.  I've read sources that say it's more like 5%, and others that say it's 40%.  I figure as a complete amateur, if I get anything viable, I'm kicking ass.  The mother on these little guys is Candyland CL:

Candyland CL.  Isn't she pretty?  Major bloom machine and good disease resistance (if not perfect, but who is?)

I'll keep the father to myself for now.  Let's see how it grows first!  I am hoping for a multi-colored striped rose, with a moderate fragrance and fewer thorns than Candyland CL.  Honestly, I'll be thrilled with anything that lives for 3 years or longer and looks good.

The leaves get bigger, the shoots get bigger. . .

Here you can see the seed case and the first two leaves.  The top seedling is just barely starting to add more leaves, if you look really closely.  The one of the bottom tried to grow a bit upside-down.  I've turned it right-side up, and hope it'll recover.  The silver stars are my row markers, so I know which seedlings are which.  I have tried three crosses.

Here is where we stand today; a total of five happy little seedlings.  I suspect we will have a few more soon!

More posts to come!  In the meantime, check out the American Rose Society and the Rose Hybridizers Association for excellent rose information.

Why Yes, I Am Dorkishly Excited!

I've wanted to hybridize my own roses for a while now, and last spring I finally took that first step.  I attempted three crosses (which I'll keep to myself for now) and, in the fall, was rewarded with a harvest of rose hips.

Once I had these, I cut open the hips and harvested the seeds inside.  I wrapped those up in slightly damp paper towels, labeled them carefully, and put them in small plastic bags.  Those I stored in my fridge to stratify them - tricking them into thinking they'd gone through a winter.

Now that it's about time to plant, I opened up those packets today.  Lo and behold!  I have sprouts!  Well, a few.  The rest I have hopes for.

I planted the seeds in seed trays, and I'm hoping for the best.

Look at that little guy!

Now to try to grow some plants.  In a few months, I'll transplant the strongest seedlings into larger pots and harden them off.  With any luck, a few of these will grow up and bloom!  If I've managed to create something no one has already made, and it goes through the rose trials with success, I'll get to name the new rose.  How cool is that?

MOAR planting!

I may be addicted to gardening.

My husband said to me today, "It's okay.  I'd rather be married to the crazy flower lady than the crazy cat lady."

It might be because I've come home with new plants on five of the last 8 days.  Or maybe because I keep saying, "That's it, I'm done!". . .until I get a new idea twenty minutes later.  Maybe it's because I now have 25 roses and 7 varieties of calibrochoa and I really want more.

The thing is, my kids are growing up and don't need the constant attention that younger kids needed.  I can't have a pet, because my husband is allergic to just about everything.  In a way, the garden has become my pet; I feed it, I water it, I talk to it.  So far I haven't had much luck with playing fetch, but you never know.

Every year in the garden is a learning year.  I'm learning more and more about what comes back and what struggles, what I love best and what I wish I hadn't bothered with.

Many of the roses that I had over the winter are struggling to make a comeback.  I'm seeing improvement on my Burgundy Ice, my Scentimental, my Sedona, and my Wonderstripe.  Sterling Silver, Hypnotized!, Gingersnap, Anna's Promise and Dark Knight are not looking too good.  I'm worried.

The champs that came through just fine are Belle Doria, Oranges & Lemons, George Burns, Julio Inglesias, Cinco De Mayo, Candyland, and of course the Pink Knockout.

Purple Tiger didn't make it, which is fine, since I ended up with two new ones this year rather by accident.  Much to my surprise, the JFK, which I pronounced dead last summer, has made a comeback.  I guess you never know!  Here's hoping it takes and I get some of those big beautiful white blooms.  I have my fingers crossed!

I found a Strike It Rich in a bodybag at Home Depot and brought it home.  She's taken to the planter like a champ, and I'm anticipating great things.  Everything I ordered from Heirloom Roses arrived huge and gorgeous, and continue to grow happily.  I can't wait to see how they bloom!  I even sent a thank-you email to the nice folks at Heirloom.

2016, here we come!

Last year was amazing!

I finally got into rose shows and competing.  I loved it!  The first show, at Moorestown Mall, was a little nerve-wracking - new people, new procedures - but everyone at the shows was amazingly friendly.  I was hugged as soon as I introduced myself!

Not knowing what to expect, I fumbled around a bit to begin with, but was soon grooming my blooms and getting the hang of things.  I did take home two ribbons, which surprised me, especially when I saw the quality of the blooms other competitors had brought along!

I also volunteered to clerk (basically following the judges around and helping with things like tying on ribbons and delivering score sheets).  Clerking really gives you the chance to see what the judges are looking for when they render their scores.

By my second show at Deep Cut Gardens, I actually knew a little more about what I was doing.  I was thrilled when I made the head table with my large Rose in a Bowl entry!  I was surprised and delighted.  Once again, I had a wonderful time with the friendly people, and I've made a few Facebook friends that I hope I'll see more and more.

This Neil Diamond rose was my big winner!

With any luck, and some cooperative weather, I'm hoping to do four rose shows this year.  I have 7 new roses coming for 2016 (so far!), so if all my plants survive the winter, I'll be getting close to 40 varietals.  I'm not sure where I'll put them all, but I am thinking my other perennials might be in trouble.  Since I can't move outward easily, I'm looking into building upward, by relocating bulbs and non-rose perennials into pots on shepherd's hooks.  That cute little ladder didn't last the whole season, so I'll need to find other ways to make it work.

Surprises in the Garden!

Usually when I'm thinking about additions to the garden, I'm thinking about plants.  This year, I've ended up with a lot more - much of which I wasn't expecting!

My favorite surprise addition is a stepladder-style shelf I found and have repurposed.  I had no plans in this direction at all, but it's in great shape and seems sturdy, so I lugged it home!  I'm deciding whether to paint it or just seal it as is; in the meantime, check it out:

Hooray for free and unexpected!  I'm thinking I'll establish a part-shade herb and flower garden and use the lower shelves for storing pots and such.  Either way, it's a welcome addition and certainly in my price range!

Another dandy addition is my LED, solar, color-changing dragonfly mobile, from Plow and Hearth.  The kids gave it to me for Christmas, and I can't help but love it.

Super cute, and I love watching the colors turn at night.

I also finally put up my TARDIS bird house - yes, I am in fact a huge Dr. Who geek, and proud of it!  I can't wait to see if the chickadees take to it as well as they have the other birdhouses.  It replaces a cute little country cottage birdhouse that didn't survive the late summer humidity and winter rains.

Today saw the completion of rose pruning.  I'm worried about my Gingersnap rose and my Dick Clark rose, but they've still got green on them.  Everyone else seems to be okay.  My new Moonstone rose got potted today, so now I have two more to go: Neil Diamond, and when it arrives, Miss Congeniality.  I also have some dahlias to plant - first time with those!  Credit for inspiration go to my brother and his wife, who have grown them beautifully in their Center City Philadelphia home.

Before the end of April, I'll be adding a swiveling hanging basket, which I'll plant with a hummingbird-attractant red-belled. . .something.  Still deciding.  I've also got a mini greenhouse to build. . .and find a good place for!  Yikes!

Getting Sweaty and Mulching the Multitudes

Holy geez, I'm sweaty!

There is so much more to do in the garden now that spring is here!  My ladies are all budded up and ready to reach for the sun.  It's such an exciting time!

I am still in the process of moving all the roses back out into the open air and sunshine from their winter hiding place.  If I'm going to get any more done, I'll need to tap my husband for his superior muscles!  Those pots get crazy heavy.  As each one gets moved back it gets a little bit of aeration if needed, and then a healthy layer of fresh mulch.

I'm trying out the Miracle Gro Water Storing Crystals I found at Home Depot with the new roses.  More on that as experience warrants.  I also picked up some parsley and tucked that in the dirt.  Rumor has it, it helps drive away beetles and improves the scent of your roses.

Speaking of new roses, All-American Magic went in the dirt today!  It should look something like this in a couple of months:

Or at least I can hope so!  I got the plant from Regan Nursery and was really pleased with how big and healthy it was.  It's a marvelous, sunny, 70 degree day out today, so I really couldn't ask for better.

Much to my surprise, while I was working I discovered that my JFK, which I was quite sure had given up the ghost, is spouting. . .something.  I am really not sure if it's reverted to root stock or if the rose is still fighting for life.  Here I was about to shovel prune it!  I will hold off and see what blooms.  I do miss having a white rose.

There's a bit more potting to do, but I need more soil before I can do it!  I went through three bags as quick as a wink.

Happy Planting!

And so it Begins. . .

Happy Spring, O Faithful Readers!

The new roses have started to arrive, and that means it's GARDENING SEASON!  Huzzah!

Happily, most my babies appear to have made it through another rough winter intact.  I think moving them all to the location in my backyard with walls on three sides was the key.  I've begun the process of returning them to their three-season positions.  That's a work in progress, especially since a few tags and markers seem to have gone missing!

I found some adorable mini-campanula at Home Depot and added them in with the "Dark Dragon" roses, which, as it turns out, are just a re-named Purple Tiger.  Caveat Emptor and all that, but the hooligans that sold them to me did refund my money.  Good thing I at least like Purple Tiger, though I hadn't intended to add any more to the garden!

I have started pruning a bit, doing just a little at a time.  I've been getting over a nasty sinus infection, so that's about all I can handle.  I've also been doing the usual winter clean-up.  You should see the pile of sunflower seed husks left by the birds over the winter!  Wow!

You may remember I had an Osiria that I was pretty sure had died, but saw a lone branch trying to re-grow.  I let it keep growing out of curiosity, and am now positive it's a sucker from the Dr. Huey rootstock.  My thinking at this point is that I'll shovel prune it and move my Butterfly Bush into the large pot so it can get bigger this year, freeing up a pot for a first-year rosebush.  I'm a bit sad, as you can't get Osiria anymore, but I've got a Love and two Dark Nights for different reverse coloration, so I'm essentially good.

I'm adding a hanging basket on a long wrought-iron branch this year, and planting it with something red and bell-shaped and hummingbird attractant.  My mom gave me a portable greenhouse for Christmas, and my kids an LED, glow-in-the-dark dragonfly mobile, so those will be fun and welcome additions!

Got any plans for your garden?  Share them below!