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Roses have acquired the reputation of being fussy plants. We¶ve all heard that to grow beautiful roses requires chemicals andsystemics. Is it
possible to grow roses organically? Of course. After all, roses can survive for many years without any attention at all. Just think of the antique
roses being rediscovered in abandoned cemeteries or the invasiveness of the multiflora rose in the northeast.

Growing roses organically is really no different than growing any type of plant with organic techniques. Keep in mind that organic gardening
involves more than just not using chemicals. It means giving the plant what it wants and needs to grow well. Do that and you¶ll have a healthy
plant, better able to withstand pest attacks.

Unfortunately that is often easier said than done, especially with something as sentimental and sensual as roses. Gardeners are very particular
about what type of rose they wish to grow. It can be very hard to give up the idea of long stem tea roses in favor of shrubby rugosas, but
choosing the right rose for your area is rule number one.

If you¶re willing to make some adjustments in your dream rose garden, here are some guidelines to growing roses organically.

@p ahoose roses suited to your area¶s zone and climate. Tea roses grow very easily in hot areas, but where winters can be frigid, the Explorer
series and old-fashioned rugosas will be much hardier.
@p Ýelect roses resistant to the diseases that are common in your area.
@p One you¶ve chosen a rose, research it so you¶ll know exactly what it likes.
@p areate wonderful soil by adding lots of organic matter.
@p Keep the soil pH slightly acidic (6.0 - 6.5).
@p ~lant your roses in full sun - ~rovide afternoon shade in hotter climates.
@p Allow space between plant for air flow and circulation.
@p Use plant diversity to keep insect populations down. Under plant with a different type of plant.
@p Water the roots, not the foliage.
@p Water deeply and give them special attention during dry spells.
@p ~ay attention to lower leaves, where splashing fungus spores will often take hold first
@p •ulch with organic matter. Keep their feet cool.
@p ¬eed them regularly
1.p in the spring, after pruning
2.p while they are in bud
3.p in mid-summer (at least 6 weeks before the first expected frost)
@ ~rune at the right time of year.
@ ~romptly remove diseased or damaged wood.
@ alean-up fallen leaves and debris.
@ aonsider companion planting to deter bugs. Alliums to repel nematodes, nasturtiums to trap aphids, alyssum, geranium, rosemary and thyme
to attract beneficial insects.
@ Take care of small problems before they become big problems
@ Learn to expect and tolerate a little imperfection.

It¶s hard to avoid black spot on your roses. If yours become infected, reach for organic solutions. Don¶t reach for systemic pesticides that are
going to throw everything out of balance.

If you have black spot every year, consider improving both the air circulation in the rose garden and the vigor of your roses. •essenger, a plant
health activator, fools the plant into thinking it's being attacked by disease and triggers its immune defenses. The plant is actually fine, but it is
better able to ward off disease.

@p 2ordeaux mix helps to prevent fungal diseases, including black spot and powdery mildew. If it¶s a problem every year, do a preventative
spray right after spring pruning, but before the leaves open.
@p ~otassium bicarbonate fungicides can be used on mildew during growing season, in extremely humid areas. It tends to be safer than the
homemade solutions with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).
@p Ýevere fungus infections can be treated with copper or sulfur fungicides.

This may seem like as much work as growing with conventional treatments, but most of these techniques involve starting your roses off with the
right conditions. Think in terms of making your roses happy and prevention before control and you¶ll be thinkinglike an organic rose gardener.




 


  
 
Rust - ¬ugus Disease of Leaves
•  

Despite the best efforts to keep roses disease free, there will inevitably be period problems to deal with. Keep tabs on your rose bushes so that
you can remedy the situation before it gets out of hand. 2e sure to accurately identify the problem before reaching for a spray and start with the
least toxic solution. You can read more about organic controls in An Overview of Ýome aommon Organic Garden ~esticides.

1.p  d 2lack spot is a fungus that is very common during humid weather because it is a water-bourne disease. As its name implies,
small black spots form on leaves and stems, eventually causing the leaves to drop and weakening the plant.

 d ahoose black spot resistant varieties and be meticulous about sanitation. Water the roots of the rose, avoiding the foliage.
Water in the morning, so that splashed leaves have time to dry off. If 2lack Ýpot is an annual problem, try a dormant spray of lime sulfur at
the end of the season and again in early summer. Once 2lack Ýpot appears, it is hard to stop. Neem oil and Ýprays containing ~otassium
bicarbonate are somewhat effective.

2.p %  d Downy mildew is a very serious disease that spreads rapidly and can defoliate a rose plant in days. It is not as common as
2lack Ýpot and favors cool, wet weather. ~urple spots with yellow edges form , often on the veins on the top side of the leaves and along
the stems. ~ale gray fuzz can form on the under side of the leaves. The leaves will eventually become brittle and fall.

 d The good news is that Downy •ildew often clears up with the weather. To reduce the chance of Downy •ildew, practice good
garden sanitation and keep the rose plants well pruned for air circulation. As with other diseases, a dormant spray may help.
3.p
 d A Rust infection is easy to spot. Ýmall orange pustules spots form on the undersides of the leaves. This fungus can also cause
defoliation. Rust is most prevalent when nights are cool.

 d Treatment of Rust is similar to treatment of 2lack Ýpot, aboved Good sanitation and a preventative dormant spray after
pruning. Once infected, remove all infected leaves and try Neem oil for control.

4.p   d Once a rose is infected with Rose •osaic Virus, there¶s not much to be done except check with the nursery for a
replacement. Rose •osaic Virus shows up as yellow mottling on leaves and deformed new growth. It can stunt growth or it can be a mild
infection. If there are only a few affected leaves, the plant may continue growing and blooming fine. The really good news is that it won¶t
spread to your other roses.

›  
       
„   

„  Insecticidal soap is sodium or potassium salts combined with fatty acids

    Insecticidal soap must come in direct contact with the insect. It is no longer effective once it has dried.

 „   The fatty acids in the soap penetrate the insect¶s outer covering and cause the cells to collapse.

! 

@p One of the safest pesticides.


@p Non-toxic to animals.
@p No residue.
@p You can use on vegetables up to harvest.

a  aan burn or stress plants. Don¶t use in full sun or high temperatures
!    aheck label for specific plants that may be sensitive to insecticidal soap.

(Bacillus thuringiensis)

„  bacteria. There are more than 80 types of 2t used as pesticides

    Generally available in powdered form that is sprinkled or dusted on a plant. It must be eaten by the targeted insect.

 „   2t is a stomach poison. It releases toxins in the stomachs of susceptible insects which cause them to stop eating and starve.

!  2t strains are very host specific and will not harm people, pets, birds or bees

a   Ýlow acting. It may take days for the insect to completely stop eating and die. 2reaks down quickly. aan kill µgood insects¶ like butterfly
larva 2reaks down rapidly in sunlight. aan be a skin irritant.

!   

"

„  aontains 2 ingredients, azadirachtin (AZA0 and liminoids, both frm the seed kernels of the neem tree fruit.

    Ýprayed onto plant leaves.

 „   Upsets the insects hormonal system and prevents it from developing to its mature stage. •ost effective on immature insects
and species that undergo complete metamorphosis.

!  Non-toxic to humans
a   Washes away in rain. Ýlow acting. 2reaks down in sunlight Indiscriminate pesticide

!    Keep pets from treated leaves until they dry.

    

„  Highly refined petroleum oil

    •ixed with water and sprayed onto foliage

 „   aoats and suffocates insects or disrupts their feeding.

!  Low toxicity to humans, pets or birds . No toxic residue.

a   •ost effective against soft bodied insects. aan cause bluish evergreens to temporarily lose their blue tint. aan burn leaves

!    There are several grades. 2e sure to use the one that is right for the season in which you are spraying.

! 

„  Derived from a 


    

    Generally found in powder form and dusted on leaves.

 „   ~oisons the insect, causing a quick death


!  Quick acting. Low toxicity to animals. Degrades within a day.

a   2road spectrum insecticide. Kills any insect. Very toxic to honeybees

!    Use cautiously, only when you have a major problem with hard-to-kill insects.

 #  

„  Ground seeds of the sabadilla lily

    aomes as a fine powder and used as a spray

 „   Acts as a stomach poison

!  Very effective against the true bugs (members of the Hemiptera order)

a   Highly toxic to bees. Very irritating to the mucus membranes of mammals

!    Use as a last resort

 

„  Derived from the roots of tropical legumes

    Dust onto plant


 „   Inhibits a cellular process, depriving insects of oxygen in their tissue cells.

!  Low residual effect. 2reaks down quickly in sunlight.

a   2road spectrum pesticide

!    Apply in the evening, when bees are less active.

!    #   

„  ~otassium bicarbonate usually combined with horticultural oil and / or a substance to improve spreading and coverage of the
leaves. There are commercially available products such as Greenaure® and Kaligreen, or you can prepare your ownNoted 2aking soda or sodium
bicarbonate is often recommend for similar fungus problems, however research has shown potassium bicarbonate works better and is safer on
plants.

    Ýpray at the first sign of disease or use as a preventative before infection.

 „   It¶s still unclear, but it appears that bicarbonates can damage the cell wall and possible create a pH that is not conducive to
further fungal growth. The effect is immediate. ! 

@p Lasts 2 - 3 weeks as a preventative.


@p You can use on vegetables up to harvest.

a   aan burn plants, especially if used in full sun.

!    aheck label and test on a small area before spraying entire plant.

#$% #         & &   '(     )  #     
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The soil found in a typical yard will be about 90% mineral residue and only about 10% decayed organic matter. Yet it sustains a community of
insets and microorganisms. The reason for adding additional organic matter to your soil is to provide food for the beneficial microorganisms that
release nutrients into the soil as they decompose the organic matter. Earthworms and other soil dwelling insects aerate the soil as they move
through it and contribute still more organic matter with their waste and decomposition. This makes for what is called healthy soil.

~esticides sprayed on the plants will make its way into the soil and can kill the insects and microorganisms living there. Ýynthetic fertilizers
contain salt, which can also kill the soil's residents as well as build up in the soil and cause harm to the plants you are feeding. And synthetic
fertilizers add nothing to the soil's fertility.


      

When discussing soil, we generally focus in on four thingsd texture, structure, pH, organic matter and fertility.

1.p   '

Ýoil texture refers to the size of the soil particles.

@p Ýandd Ýand has the largest particles and they are irregularly shaped. This is why sand feels course and also why it drains so well. Ýand
doesn¶t compact easily.
@p Ýiltd Ýilt particles are much smaller than sand, but still irregularly shaped.
@p alayd alay has microscopic sized particles that are almost flat. alay packs very easily, leaving little to no room for air or water to move
about.
@p Ýandy Loamd Ýandy loam is considered the ideal garden soil and consists of a mix of the three basic textures. However, don¶t run out
to buy sand to add to your clay soil or vice versa. •ixing sand and clay will give you cement. There¶s more to the equation than just
balancing soil textures.
p   

Ýoil structure refers to the way soil clumps together. You can usually determine what your texture is by testing your structure. Ýqueeze a
handful of damp soil into a ball in your hand. If you poke the ball lightly with your finger and it breaks apart, it is probably sand. If a bit
more pressure breaks it, you¶re dealing with silt. If it sits there despite your poking, you have mostly clay. Do determine a more accurate
reading of the percentage of each texture in your soil, try this easy experiment.
A good soil structure is crumbly. This allows plant roots to work their way through it, air can pass through and water drains, but not so
quickly that the plants can¶t access it. If you¶d like to test how well your soil drains, try this percolation test. (The second of the ¬our Easy
Do-It-Yourself Ýoil Tests.)

There are two basic ways to improve soil structure and they work in tandem.

0.p Ýoil dwelling insects. As mentioned earlier, insects moving about in the soil help to aerate the soil and they add small amounts of
organic matter, the second structure improver.
1.p Organic •atter. Organic matter improves any type of soil. aompost, leaf mold, manure and green manures are all decaying organic
matter. They loosen and enrich soil and provide food for the soil dwelling insects.

You can loosen soil structure by tilling and sometimes this is necessary. 2ut tilling can over crumble soil and it kills the insects living there.
Ýo regular tilling is not the best option.

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Ýoil pH is a measure of your soil's acidity (sourness, a measure of below 7.0) or alkalinity (sweetness, a measure higher than 7.0), with 7.0
being neutral. •ost garden plants prefer a pH in the neutral range. Ýome plants are more specific in their requirements. Lilacs and clematis
thrive in sweet soils. Rhododendrons and blueberries like a lower pH. You can adjust the pH in different parts of your landscape.

Generally speaking, if your plants are growing healthy and well, your pH is probably fine. If your plants are having nutrient problems or are not
growing vigorously, it¶s worth it to test your pH. If the soil¶s pH is not within an acceptable range for the plants you are growing, the plants will
not be able to access the nutrients in the soil, no matter how much you feed them.

You can buy many types of pH testers in a garden center. You can also bring a sample into your local aooperative Extension office, to be tested
for a nominal fee. Once you know what your pH is, you can begin to adjust it slowly. You add some form of lime to raise pH and a form of sulfur
to lower it. What type and how much depends upon your soil and test results. Your Extension report and most testing kits will tell you what to do
once you get your results.

Adding lime or sulfur to alter soil pH is not a quick fix. It can take months to register a change in the pH and you will need to periodically retest
your soil to insure it doesn¶t revert to its old pH. It is sometimes easier to simply change your plants to suit your pH.

@   


Organic matter does so many wonderful things for a garden, it¶s just silly not to take advantage of it. There would be no organic gardening
without organic matter. Decaying organic matter is how plants are fed in nature. Unfortunately we¶ve become very tidy landscapers and we tend
to remove any dead plant material that falls onto our lawns. It would be so much more beneficial to allow the fallen leaves to blow off into the
bushes, where they will not only feed the soil, they also prevent erosion and mulch the soil.

Organic matter added to garden soil improves the soil structure and feeds the microorganisms and insects. The more beneficial microorganisms
your soil can support, the less bad organisms will survive. The good guys feed on harmful microbes like nematodes and certain soil born
diseases. They also release their nutrients into the soil when they die. Ýo the more beneficial microorganisms that are in the soil, the more
nutrients will be in the soil. And many types of organic matter add still more soil nutrients to the mix.

Organic matter also contains acids that can make plant roots more permeable, improving their uptake of water and nutrients, and can dissolve
minerals within the soil, leaving them available for plant roots.

  )  

@p aompost is the poster child of organic matter. aompost is any kind of decayed organic matter. You can make your own or buy it by the bag or
truckload. ¬inished compost looks like rich soil. It¶s dark and crumbly with an earthy smell. 2y the time the compost cooking process is
complete, weed seeds, fungus spores and other undesirable elements that may have gone into your compost bin, should no longer be viable.
aompost can be added to your gardens at anytime, either turned into the soil or used as a mulch or top dressing.

While it is advised that you keep perennial weeds, pesticide treated material and diseased plants out of your compost bin, most every other
form of plant material is fair game.

@p Grass clippings
@p Leaves
@p Garden Waster (from weeding, deadheading, pruning...)
@p Vegetable ~eels
@p Ýawdust
@p Ýtraw
@p ~aper
p •anure Aged animal manure is an organic material with an added bonus of soil nutrients. Animal manure must be aged for 6 months to a
year, before it is applied to the garden. ¬resh manure will burn your plants, may contain bacteria that can cause illness from contact and it
stinks. You can add fresh manure to a compost heap and let it age there.
aow, sheep and chicken manure are the most popular varieties, but there are several more. The manures to avoid because of their disease
potential for humans ared cat, dog, pig and human manures.

p Green •anure Green manures are basically cover crops that are grown with the intention of turning them back into the soil. Obviously
this would be more useful in the vegetable garden or in a newly created bed where tilling will not harm existing perennial plants.

Different green manures offer different advantages. Ýome, like alfalfa, are grown for their deep roots and are used to breakup and loosen
compacted soil. The legumes, clover and vetch, have the ability to grab nitrogen from the air and eventually release ti into the soil through
their roots. If allowed to flower, clover especially is attractive to pollinators and beneficial insects. All green manures will suppress weeds and
prevent erosion and nutrient runoff in areas that would otherwise be unplanted. And they all assist with creating good soil structure and food
for the microbes, once they are tilled in and begin to decompose.

~opular choices for green manure included annual ryegrass. barley, buckwheat, clover, winter wheat and winter rye.

@   * 

The nutrients in your soil are the final component in building healthy soil. Just like people, plants need certain nutrients to grow and to fend off
disease. Organic fertilizers can be made from plant, animal or mineral sources and are basically returning what was taken from the soil. Organic
fertilizers are released slowly, which means that plants can feed as they need to. There is no sudden change in the makeup of the soil which
might harm the microbial activity.

2uilding healthy soil is an ongoing process. 2y making healthy soil a focus at the start of making a garden, you will have a head start on creating
a sustainable organic garden.

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