First Attempt at Cloning Rose Bushes

Two days ago I took a trip up to a local rose garden. Washington State is famous for being the rhodadendron State. Finding rose gardens is not an easy task. This one in particular was designed in 1922.

Fall is the perfect time to start taking rose cuttings. I searched reletlessly for Hotel Savoy rose. I swear I saw it in that garden. After 30 minutes of looking at one bush after another, alas I could not find it. Although I was disappointed, I didn't leave empty handed. I left with four bundles of cuttings. I made sure there were buds on each cutting, and that the cuttings were at least the size of a number two pencil. I wrapped them in a warm towlet, and stored them in a plastic bag for one day. 

Later the next day, I cut, and rooted my rose cuttings. Right now I have four medium size pots with about six cutting each. Apparently it takes about 6 weeks for the plants to root and two years before we get a successful plant. Sure it takes a lot of patience, but the payoff is one gets exactly the rose the want....(unless it is Hotel Savoy). In two years the roses will be transplanted to either a larger pot or directly in the garden. 

I am a firm believer that flowers must be seen in groups to get the full effect. At least three of the same kind of rose bush should be planted together to appreciate the colors. However, I don't like boarders with only one kind of garden. 

I think I will take another trip to the garden and take at least four more plant cuttings. For all the roses I don't plant, I will either sell or give away.

Liverpool Remembers

Burgandy Iceberg

Crimson Bouquet

sunsprite floribunda

Needless to say, I am very happy my Nadia finally arrived. This was a great birthday present from my father. There are three lavender plants under the tree, but today I planted about ten more. The strings are tied down with bricks and large stones, which I covered with soil. Nothing is more unsightly than string tied to bricks structuring branches. I hope the lavender will detract from that. Hopefully the string will only be here a year or so.

Nadia Cherry/Plum Hybrid

How the Nadia Arrived

Two Van Cherry Tree's from Carpinitos

                                                             

The seedlings

tomato, basil, pepper, and zinnia. Weather is a little go cold to put them out yet.

potato planted finished

White potatoes are planted. We are having three batches this season. 

1 french fingerling

2 red potato

3 white potato

I also planted some gladiolus plants around the potatoe garden so it wouldn't look do ugly Potato patches are not the most attractive thing to look at.

Potato patches are not the most attractive part of a garden, so I planted a line of gladiolus in the front blocking the view to some degree.

Angelieque tulips are in bloom

Seeking Savoy Hotel Rose

I am looking for the Savoy Hotel Rose to plant with the Myrtle Gentry peony that I recently purchased.

Mr Lincoln Rose

Yesterday I planted a Mr. Lincoln Rose fairly close to my house. I wasn't planning on planting a red rose bush in the front yard, but I've been so excited about my Myrtle Gentry Peonies that I started thinking about companion planting.

Savoy Hotel Rose looks like it would be a great addition to my garden. (BTW: the whole red and pink clash only applies to clothing - not gardens). It should be planted with Iris and lavender.

Savoy Hotel Rose

When to plant vegetables in Kent Washington

Quick Look At Naomi's Garden -Summer 2015

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2016 herbaceous boarder plan

I am planning my herbaceous border for next spring.

Pink Marshmallow Fuscia
Angelique Pink and White Tulip and Angelique Tulip 6 pack
Drifting Bubbles Irish (white with a little pink)
Guardian Angel Pink Iris
 (how to cross pollinate iris)
Calla Lily (white South African lily)
Calla Lily Crystal Blush (white with touch of pink)
Aphrodite Amaryllis
Apple blossom Begonia

Alyssum for Edging
Alyssum for Edging Apricot
Osteospermum Akila White
Tip Top Apricot

Grafted Fruit Trees in my backyard

Stella Cherry

I started my first tree grafting project, and have yet to actually label the newly grafted branches. I know, major mistake. So before I forget, I grafted two other types of cherry onto my sweet Van Cherry Tree, the two grafts are Stella Cherry and Sam Sweet Cherry. Sam Sweet Cherry is a good pollinator for Rainer cherry. Stella cherry does not need a pollinator. I know that growing cherry trees as espalier, and expecting fruit, is harder than apple trees. They have to be grown as a fan instead of cordon style. Right now, I have two four cherry branches growing on the cords, this should keep their growth slow. This will give me time to figure out how many other types of cherry I will graft onto the tree.

Cherries are divided into groups: Sweet and Pie (pie are also called tart cherries).  My two grafted cherries are SWEET. I think the main

Van Cherries

dark cherry tree is also SWEET. This means, next year I should graft some tart and pie cherries onto the trees. Tart cherries bloom too late in the season to pollinate the others, this is okay because if I graft them, then I can get early and late season cherries.

Sam Cherries

Training cherry branches to grow along a cordon is more difficult than training apples. The branches are less pliable, so it is a good thing I am doing it now instead of later. Cherries grow on new growth wood only, which is why they must be grown as a fan. I am still training the bottom four branches to grow in a straight line on the fence, but later on I will have to allow the branches to grow into more of a fan. The important thing is that grafting different kinds of cherry allows for efficient pollination, and a good crop year after year. So next year, I need to graft two tart cherry branches onto the tree. This way, I will have a total of five different varieties of cherries growing on two trees.




I have two apple trees, one is a Red Delicious Apple and the other is a semi dwarf Gala Apple. The Gala Apple tree has nothing grafted onto it.

Gala Apples

On the Red Delicious apple tree I grafted a golden delicious apple branch. (lets hope it takes) If the graft survives, then next year I will try to grow a Granny Smith Graft on the same branch. Then I will grow all three (yellow) (red) and (green) apples as cordons up the fence. If it works, it will look pretty cool!

In the Raintree Nursery Catalog I read about a man, Sam Van Aken who grafted varieties of plums,peaches, nectarines, cherries and almonds onto one tree. He starts with a hardy root stalk, with a Shiro Japanese plum tree. Plums are grafted on the bottom of the tree, then apricots, while peaches are up on top.  I would love to take on a project like that, but I am working only with espalier trees.

Rainer Cherry Tree
Wine Grapes
Peach Tree (order November - April)