Kansas suffers mighty wicked droughts, then horrible cold winds with no snow cover. Mulch works until it blows away.......
Once I started following the Earth Kind way of planting roses, I had some success with roses without going to extreme measures to keep them alive. The Earth Kind program suggests mixing expanded shale in the planting mix. It's expensive, but it makes a difference!
After this winter, I'll know for sure which roses really are winter hardy. Extension experts are warning us to expect many trees, shrubs and perennials to die off from the cold and drought. I'm hopeful that I have selected the toughest plants (
self-selection, the weak ones died
) so maybe I won't have to dig out too many come spring.
