Rose Garden   Listing last updated on 26 Jul 2024.

Chicago, Illinois
United States

My garden is NW of Chicago, zone 5, 38" annual rain with humid & hot summer. My soil is heavy & rock-hard clay high in magnesium at pH 7.7 more than a decade ago, but now less alkaline with 7 rain-barrels. Austin, French Meilland, and hybrid tea like my heavy clay. Albas, damasks, hybrid perpetual, and esp. Rugosas & hybrid Musk prefer sandy and loamy soil & need good drainage. Multiflora prefers high-rain & acidic loamy soil, but wichurana (Dr. Huey) prefers drier & alkaline clay.

Gypsum helps with root-growth. Sulfate of potash helps to induce blooms. 99% of my 160 fragrant roses are own-root, with a few grafted on Dr. Huey. I don't spray. In my dense & heavy clay,  roses are healthy if I dig deep enough for drainage with a 5 feet trench-shovel. I fix my alkaline tap water with sulfate of potash and gypsum.

For OWN-ROOT roses: PALE LEAVES prefer loamy soil & acidic rain. DARK-GREEN prefer heavy/alkaline clay GLOSSY: partial shade & wet & alkaline minerals. TINY LEAVES prefer loamy & drought-tolerant (species). LARGE LEAVES = vigorous & deep root. THICK LEAVES = heat tolerant.

5-leaflet = modern roses, OK with alkaline tap-water. 7-leaflet or thornless or blue-color = multiflora & cooler sites & loamy & high-rain. 7-leaflet and many prickles = drought-tolerant Centifolia or Rugosa & loamy/sandy & hot & dry.

Over-fertilization: wilting, leaves curl down.
Too acidic: leaves curl up & thinner, and blackspots.
Too alkaline: Pale leaves & top leaves twisted & crinkled (copper def).
Potassium def: zero blooms, balling, thin & weak stems, and blackspots.
Calcium def: less petals, stunt growth & tip die-back
Nitrogen def: small leaves & pale LOWEST leaves
Sulfur def: entire plant is pale & stunt growth

ON DISEASES & DIFFERENCES IN ROOTSTOCKS & pH preference:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4167700/blackspot-organic-prevention-and-remedies?n=33
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4307542/best-soil-and-ph-for-different-roses-and-plants-and-your-goals-and-plans?n=16
SOIL CHEMISTRY AND BUFFERS TO NEUTRALIZE ACID RAIN:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4198011/your-plans-for-roses-in-ground-and-pots-soil-prep-and-fertilizing?n=66
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4114089/mineral-nutrient-deficiency-and-secret-to-health-and-antifungal-trace-e?n=50
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2133077/why-own-root-roses-are-healthier-than-grafted?n=18

MINERAL DEFICIENCY: http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4034324/questions-on-mineral-nutrient-deficiency-in-pots-and-ground-and-fertilizer?n=65
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3269110/azomite-red-lava-rock-manure-bone-meal-worm-castings?n=34
TEST YOUR SOIL PH:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2132487/cheapest-way-to-test-soil-ph-using-red-cabbage?n=26

FERTILIZING ROSES:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3241444/taking-care-of-plants-in-flood-drought-heat-and-cold?n=31
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2134701/salt-index-of-chemical-fertilizer-and-soluble-for-hot-weather?n=26
ROOTING ROSES:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4313593/soil-mix-for-indoor-baggie-rose-rooting-vs-outdoor-rooting-with-rain?n=13
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4095901/roses-for-hot-and-dry-hot-and-wet-shady-and-dry-shady-and-wet-locations?n=53
WHAT KILL ROSES IN WINTER: http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4329440/keep-roses-alive-through-winter-and-differences-in-roots-rootstocks?n=15
ROSES THAT SURVIVE ZONE 5a:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4240705/links-to-hardy-roses-in-cold-zones-and-best-roses-for-hot-and-dry-climate?n=17
FRAGRANCE
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2795373/most-perfumed-rose#n=25