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Tips for growing roses organically

Whether it is roses, other flower or vegetable gardening or just about any type of plant, the secret to successful organic gardening of any kind is to understand the way nature works. Nature always tries to maintain a delicate balance. By understanding the basics of how plants grow, you will understand how to maintain nature's balance and thus keep your roses and other plants healthy.

Next you need to think about what you want in your rose garden, where you want to plant your roses and what colors you like. Be sure to consider the other colors in your yard, as well as your house, walkways, etc. Roses grow best with a minimum of six hours of full sun, although some varieties can tolerate a bit more shade. Your shade/full sun areas will affect your possible rose garden locations.

The next thing to do is to find out what roses grow well in your climate. Look at rose gardens in your local area to see what roses seem to grow well and how much you like them. Ask nursery experts what roses grow well in your area. Another good source is your local rose club. This will give you a good idea of the colors, sizes, and other characteristics that will grow well in your area.

Once you have decided on the roses you like, you need to learn about companion plants. Roses really do love garlic, as well as other plants of the onion family. Onions are of the order Asparaginales and family Alliaceae. The onion family is made up of 500 species. Although planting garlic in your rose garden will help protect your roses, there are many other onion varieties that will protect your roses and also provide beautiful flowers to enhance your roses. Marigolds, mignonettes, and thyme are also good companions for roses. When you are deciding on companion plants for roses, check to see when they bloom. Other characteristics, such as texture and height, should also be considered before deciding on your companion plants.

An excellent book on companion planting is Roses Love Garlic by Louise Riotte.

Choose hardy roses. Generally, old varieties of roses are the hardiest and the most disease resistant Choose the colors you like. Bare-root roses are less expensive than potted roses, but potted roses are easier to plant and more likely to survive Choose flowers from the onion family, or other companion families that will complement your roses. Once you have chosen your colors and plants, and have decided how to arrange them and what your rose garden will look like, you can

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