Happy New Year! Here we go again.

Looking back over the past few years, I found that the thumbnail photo for our January thread was New Year for three years in a row, then New Dawn, and then Out of Yesteryear. In the belief that we're all going to surge onward and upward this year to create a truly memorable gardening year, I chose Blastoff as this month's thumbnail.

Great choice! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!!!

Where can I get my hands on Blastoff?!?! Love it!

I've mentioned over some threads in the past about experimenting growing roses in an indoor sunroom converted greenhouse with grow lights. I picked a supposedly fussy HT rose, Dark Night, knowingly that it won't do well in my zone. It is not a vigorous grower, which is understandable, based on my limited knowledge, like other HT roses. It had its first bloom yesterday! However, I also discovered a mildly infestation of spider mites; no wonder the overall growth slowed and the bronzing of foliages, and scorching of leaves. Perhaps, the mites could be the reason why the rose was not a vigorous grower? Could be.

Unfortunately, I don't think Blastoff is available anywhere anymore. I bought mine from Sequoia many years ago and I think Burling may have carried it for a while, but she doesn't anymore.

Now, on to Dark Night. I should start by saying that I'm categorically against growing roses indoors because any rose is going to do better outside. That said, I have to ask whether yours is an own-root rose. I have a grafted one that's the furthest thing from fussy. It's huge for a hybrid tea; not particularly tall (maybe 4-5 feet maximum), but it spreads out at least 4-5 feet wide. In fact, it looks more like a floribunda in its habit. It also blooms in clusters at times, so I'm not at all sure it warrants the hybrid tea classification. It's also an exceptionally vigorous rose. The blooms do suffer in triple-digit temperatures, failing to keep their high-centered form, but that wouldn't be a problem in San Francisco. I have heard that it's prone to mildew in the Bay Area, so that could be a problem for you.

In spite of being grown indoors and being attacked by spider mites, however, the bloom on yours is exquisite!

If I start talking about pruning in December when this year draws to a close, I want you all to smack me in the head.

I had only pruned 10-15 roses last month before I realized that I'm now officially too old to go outside when the temperature dips below 60 degrees. From now on, I'll prune the roses in November or wait until February and I'll hibernate for two months in December and January.

Zuzu - I've never heard of Blast Off before! What an interesting rose!! Love it!! I'll have to get a really, really long pole with a glove attached to smack you if necessary. More moderate temps pruning only!

Shayam - I think that Dark Night is one of the most beautiful roses there is! Since I really want fragrant roses in my relative small amount of pots, I'm glad I can see them here. Lovely!!

Red & white combos are my favorites, zuzu and that's a beauty!

Your Dark Night is gorgeous too, Shyam! While I'm 100% in agreement with zuzu about roses NOT being house plants I do wish you continued success with yours.

First Master Gardener class tomorrow! Whooo Hooooo! We will be pruning the grape orchards in two weeks and I think the rose garden in two weeks as well. Love the hands on experiences we will be having. In the spring there is supposed to be a tour of the flower fields in Carlsbad. My small study group (we are The Peas and their Pod) is interesting. All female (the Peas) and one male (the Pod). We have a contractor, an organic veggie and fruit farmer (but who makes most of her living as a lawyer), the university librarian for the ag department, a food industry person, myself, and our two mentors.

Found out that the local winery does give away free compost. Will be looking to see if I can shovel it up into trash bags to bring home as I don't have a truck. Normally they just dump it into a truck bed for you to take away. When I am down in LA, I see the San Antonio (?) Winery gives away free compost as well. It (the compost) looks gorgeous as I drive by and I always wish I could grab some but I think Amtrak would frown on it.

Good luck! I'm sure you're going to do great!

Thanks, everyone for a nod of encouragement on my experiment!
Even though it is "indoor sunroom" converted greenhouse, I installed a ventilation fan that I placed next to the medium-sized open window to provide sufficient air circulation and installed the grow lights. I know it still won't make up for growing it outdoors. As Zuzu stated the Dark Night is prone to mildew in SF growing zone, and from all the reviews I read online, I highly doubt it will do well if I moved it to the backyard. Then one might wonder why I bother at all growing a rose that poorly performs? Well, I figured if my experiment continues to fair well, then it would be a personal sense of achievement of a sort for me to be able to grow rose like Dark Night in a controlled environment. The competitive side in me is to be blamed

Shyam - yes, you never know! Everyone in Calgary said that roses can't be overwintered in the garage...and I did it. So maybe you can find some way to grow roses well indoors. Crack on with it.

Mustbnuts - Oh! I'm excited for you!!! I love your group name...Peas and Their Pod!! Clever! Have fun and let us know how it goes.

I am sorry if you will now be barraged with Master Gardener things but I find some of the articles and posts very interesting. Apparently, there is a statewide conference that is for the master gardener program participants. I had to laugh at one of the articles as the person who wrote it stated, that as she passed the butter to another master gardener, that person commented that Harlequin Bees were such a nuisance. I busted up as that so describes us gardeners. We are just down to earth (excuse the pun) folks and it is lovely to be able to talk about gardens and plants with each other where as the majority of folks, A) wouldn't get it, and B) would have their eyes glaze over once we started talking.

They were able to get a behind the scenes tour of the gardens at Disneyland which I would have loved to have attended. I always go on Storybook Land ride when I am there as the plantings are some of the originals that Disney himself planted in the days before Disneyland opened and the gardens on that ride were meticulously planned. Of course, I have not gone in years and if they messed them up, I would be very upset. They were beautifully done in miniature. Not an easy feat.

Mustbnuts - yes, please! Barrage us with Master Gardener things.

So what is the difference between growing roses in a converted sunroom and growing them "under glass"? When I read OLD catalogues there are always many roses recommended for growing under glass. MBN, please barrage us with your experiences. I was invited to participate in the program, but it was too expensive and I wasn't sure what I would do with it so it would be purely for my enjoyment. Sounds like I should reconsider perhaps. That is just so interesting about the original Disneyland plantings. Now I have to see if there's anything on the web about them. Thanks. : )

I grew Dark Night for 4 years, then a late freeze got it. It can be a decent exhibition rose. I won HT Princess with it several years ago. Also a vase of 5. If given afternoon shade, it also makes a beautiful fully open bloom. My bush was very vigorous and grew quite large. K&M Roses carries it on fortuniana root stock. I might find room for it again.

@zuzu: Forgot to mention that my Dark Night is own root. I got it from Heirloom Roses.

@KenNEGA: That's a gorgeous Dark Night! Hopefully, mine continues to grow well. Fingers crossed.

@vaporvac: I don't know what you mean by "under glass"? :-/

Comtes de Champagne

Troilus


I didn't want to pick any so I picked other things and wove them among the blooms.





It is very hot and a bit smoky here today. I emptied the hot tub (onto the lawn) to clean it and refilled it. I won't heat it as the water temp is already 32C/90F and I want to take a dip in it later.

Ken - I've never seen a Dark (K)Night open bloom before. Beautiful!

Lola - what do you think of CdC's fragrance?

Carol - I can't detect any fragrance in it at all.