Roses in the Damp Season

A gradual slope

As rain is a factor in growing roses in the damp season, any superfluous moisture can be dispensed with by means of a gentle slope.  Wherever there is much clay rain has a tendency to lodge, but gravity is even stronger, and if all our rose beds are made on a slight slope there is little fear of our roses getting water-clogged.

There are two most important things necessary to ensure success: First, the rose bed must underdrain, to get rid of any great surplus of water, so that in very damp seasons the rose roots will not be too wet; second, the rose bed must, on the other hand, retain moisture to a certain extent so that in very dry seasons the roots will not be too dry.  To obtain the drainage it is necessary in soil which is greatly composed of clay to underdrain the beds by a layer of crushed stone, where the soil is more open, graveley or sandy, this is not needed.

The rose beds should be made two and a half feet in depth if underdrainage is necessary, with about six inches of crushed or broken stone put in the bottom, the small crushed stone lies evenly, and the earth does not sift through it enough to clog the drainage.  Large or uneven stone should be covered by something to keep the earth from sifting through. 

If the bed is made in a lawn the turf cut from the surface and upside down is a good method.  Fine stone is really the best.  Of course, for a location which is graveley or sandy, this stone will not be needed and a depth of two feet will be sufficient.  

Rose trench

The bottom of the rose trench is either covered or not covered with stone to a depth of six inches, as the case may be, but which is now two feet deep from the ground level.  It should be noted that in digging this trench for the bed the top soil should be placed in one pile and the subsoil in another.  The top soil is the soil on the surface, which runs to different depths, usually about six inches, and which is composed for the most part of decayed vegetation from the roots of many generations of grasses, etc.  It contains a percentage of humus and is, therefore, very valuable as food to the rose roots.  Usually it is darker in color than the subsoil. 

In soils where there is a large percentage of clay or loam it will not be necessary to use subsoil other than that taken from the trench, as far as one-third of the mixture to be put back into the bed is concerned; but where soil is very graveley or sandy it would be best to secure some heavy loam or clay to make the proper kind of rose bed.

The finished rose bed

The finished rose bed should be one third top soil, one third heavy clay subsoil, and one third manure.  There will not be enough top soil taken from the trench to supply the one third necessary for the bed, and more must be provided.

In localities where there is no heavy clay or loam there will often be found heavy, dark soil which contains decayed leaves, roots, etc. which is a very good substitute.  Subsoil containing sand in any quantity should have loam and clay added and top soil containing much sand should have other top soil added.

The ideal way to mix the top soil, clay and manure in three equal parts would be by machine, but for all practical purposes we have found the following procedure to be all that is necessary:  Cover the bottom of the trench with a given number of wheelbarrow loads of the rich, darker top soil, then add the same number of loads of the lighter, clay type subsoil, and then an equal number of loads of manure, after which the whole bed should be forked together thoroughly to mix the ingredients.  After this first layer is thoroughly mixed, proceed as above with the wheelbarrow loads of each ingredient and mix again.  After each mixing the rose bed should be thoroughly rammed, otherwise it will settle too much after it is finished.