Started my spring pruning of my roses today. I heavily cut them back each spring just as they break dormancy. So that usually is in mid March. This year such a cold spring that they are not growing yet. But want to get going as afew have bud swells so I can see to start.

I have much to do yet, only got my southside rose garden done and another small section. Unfortunately looks to be lots of losses from the horrid cold we had this winter.

Hope you did not lose too many, Rita!

Catmint20906 said:Hope you did not lose too many, Rita!

It is possible for them to send out new shoots from the roots so we will see.

Fingers crossed!

I learned last year (after an unusually cold winter) that they could send up new shoots from the roots, Rita.. I had actually pulled a few out before I stopped and waited!! Last November we covered all the bushes with tons of straw. We'll see if this made a difference. I'm waiting for it to be warm enough to safely take the straw away from the roots. I do leave the straw to decay and add to the nutrients in the soil. I used Wilt Pruf the year before last and it didn't seem to help much.

Roses_R_Red said:I learned last year (after an unusually cold winter) that they could send up new shoots from the roots, Rita.. I had actually pulled a few out before I stopped and waited!! Last November we covered all the bushes with tons of straw. We'll see if this made a difference. I'm waiting for it to be warm enough to safely take the straw away from the roots. I do leave the straw to decay and add to the nutrients in the soil. I used Wilt Pruf the year before last and it didn't seem to help much.

My roses are mulched, or at least the entire rose bed is with straw. Can't go too much as I have so many spring bulbs in there.

Anyway, even my grafted roses are planted with the grafts below ground. The own root roses are fine, will be fine. But many of the grafted ones are the problem ones. Everything above ground on many is dead. So yes, it is possible for shoots to come from below ground. However, at least for me, this has rarely happened on grafted roses and when brown like this, turned out dead and needed replacement. But we shall see. I am not digging them up, I will just leave them and see what happens.

Newyorkrita said:

It is possible for them to send out new shoots from the roots so we will see.

You should be fine Rita, but we are expecting snow and rain again tonight. I am so sick of this. Our roses which are very few get cut back each year and they are doing fine. We will cut them back again soon. We have a disease on our Douglas Fir and we are about to loose hundreds of trees. We are going to spray and pray.

We will see how the roses do do if we ever get warm weather so that they should leaf out for spring. Usually they are growing by now, not this year as it has been so cold and spring is late coming.

I was out pruning and cutting back roses again today until just now when the rain drove me back inside. I really wanted to get more than this done today but I am not going to stand out in the rain to prune!

It takes me days as I have a lot of roses.

Mine are under snow again. Haven't had a chance to do anything yet. My cousins are coming from Florida in mid April. Rodger is itching to get out into the gardens and start getting them in shape. My DH, Bob, my cousin Annie and I will help cousin Rodger, but Annie and I will be skipping out on them to shop and get lunch out. We'll find some local entertainment for all of us in the evenings.

Had a busy day. Took Lily for a long exercise walk of 3 1/2 miles and then after we got home I took her with me and went and did some errands. Lily loves to ride in the car.

I stopped at a local in town nursery. Could not resist getting some pansies because they just looked so happy and cheerful for spring. At least I saw some flowers even if I did have to go to the nursery to see them ha-ha! Well, guess now I will see them at home cause I bought the pansies.

I needed Rose Tone as my roses will surely need fertilizing after I finish prunning. So much winter damage this year. So want to give them a good pick me up to get them growing.

Also got a bag of grass seed to fix the mess in front of my house. Last December the city work crews put in a new sidewalk in front of my house. Unfortunately they also made a mess of the strip between the sidewalk and street. skimmed off all the grass and left dirt. They put out some seed but since it was December it simply washed away! Now I have to fix the area.


Did some work out in the yard to cleanup the garden and called it a day.

Pansies are always nice!

I like them in early spring. Usually just plant some in a pot or planter.

I always like to get the viola--especially the bi- and tricolors

Today being a glorious day I took Lily for a three mile walk. My friends and I all got together and walked our dogs. Then after lunch I worked out in the garden. Still pruning my roses but got lots done.

Lily was out with me while I worked in the yard. I had her tied out where she could see everything. And I could watch her to make sure she didn't get in much trouble. She found sticks to chew and dug a small hole but otherwise was a good girl.

Now she is tired from her busy day and so am I.

Sounds like a blissful life for her! If I come back as a dog in my next life, I want to be a dog like Lily.

She seems like such a happy dog. She is busy, curious and loves to play with her toys. And she has many of those. We go for long walks, usually with friends so she gets to visit with the other dogs.

She sleeps in bed with me at night but really can sleep wherever she chooses. But usually chooses to sleep plastered up next to me.

Oh she gets lots of treats and really tasty Stella And Chewy Brand Freeze dried food. Yep, she has it pretty good.

Lily is lucky to have you and you are lucky to have Lily

HollyAnnS said:Lily is lucky to have you and you are lucky to have Lily

I just adore the sweet thing!

What a beautiful day out. Sunny and finally feels like spring. I have garden work needs doing and will be out there soon. I just came back from my usual exercise walk for me and my dog.

lovely here, too! only got a little bit of time outside after work. Hoping for a nice weekend!!