| Here are three of my favorite rose books: All About Roses, by James McNair. OrthoBooks. Paperback. This is a great, inexpensive introduction to growing roses. It is part of the Ortho series on gardening. These books are widely available in nurseries and bookstores. Although this book is not geared specifically for our area, it contains much useful and basic information on growing roses. It contains good illustrations and beautiful pictures. Roses for Dummies, Second Edition, by Lance Walheim. 2000. IDG Books. Paperback. $19.99. 351 pages. This is an excellent guide to growing roses. Although a national book, it contains much useful information that will work in our climate. If you are only going to buy one book on growing roses, this book should be on your short list. A Year in the Life of a Rose: A Guide to Growing Roses from Coast to Coast, by Rayford Clayton Reddell. 1996. Harmony Books. Hardback. 176 pages. This book is not a beginners "how-to" book. Instead, it is a great piece of writing by one of the best rose writers on his experiences and opinions on growing roses. I found this book to be right on the mark and a very useful read. It is set up to tell you what you should be doing in your rose garden each month of the year. To take a rose cutting, snip a 6" long stem, remove the lower leaves, dip the cut end in rooting hormone and set it in a container of moistened potting soil. You can root several cuttings in a single container. Once you've set all the cuttings into the potting soil, place 3-4 sticks between the potting soil and the container and drape plastic wrap over the top of the sticks to act as a little greenhouse and to keep humidity around the cuttings. Set the container outdoors in a shady spot and check for moisture every few days. Water if necessary. The cuttings should root in about a month. Good luck with your project! |
