GROWING ROSES IN NEWFOUNDLAND
Douglas S. Sparkes
I live in Paradise, Newfoundland. A number of years ago I was looking for a hobby; I have always had an affinity for the outdoors and nature. As a child my Dad had grown a vegetable garden and involved me in the process. Rather quickly, my attention turned to gardening. At first I tried tomatoes and strawberries, but they proved not to be my thing. I looked to pumpkins and I was intrigued; I have grown them since. Something was missing though, the perfect flower? My first thought was the rose. I dove in, how little I knew. Starting with a trip to a local big box store, I came home with two potted roses. At the time these were the only thing I knew roses to be, the flowers looked like those you would see in the magazines and at the florist; if memory serves, Strike It Rich and Easy Does It, two relatively new introductions at the time. I dug two holes, slid the plants out of their pots into the holes, backfilled and watered.
That summer I had roses, but what had I started? I don’t tend to do anything a little, I research, read, explore; this many years later I have learned a lot. I now grow around 100 varieties of roses (depending on how many survive the preceding winter), these include species roses, ‘Old Garden Roses’, Rosa rugosa hybrids, Canadian developed Explorer and Morden series roses (if you do not know about the Canadian government program and Dr. Felicitas Svejda, look them up), David Austin roses, and still one or two of those florist roses. The first, and perhaps only advice I would give someone looking to grow roses would be ‘right plant, right place’. Those first two roses did not survive a winter, they would have a better chance now; full sun, bury the bud union a few inches, fertilize, ensure a good snow cover in winter, prune in May. Basics to me now, but not then. Roses can be as much work as you want them to be, planted and left alone or tended to almost every day. A little research for the right plant in the right place goes a long way toward success.
There can be many challenges growing roses on the island of Newfoundland. Our climate is an interesting one, ‘maritime’ is the governing theme. Strictly in terms of minimum temperature most of the island fits around Plant Hardiness Zone 5. However, I’ve learned about two key factors that have significant influence; wind and temperature inconsistency (as I write this a typical ‘January thaw’ is swiftly approaching). Protection from wind should be considered, especially to minimize physical cane damage to taller plants lashing about. A caveat, at our latitude full sun exposure is vital for roses and should be kept at the fore of the mind. On the Avalon Peninsula of the island temperature inconsistency plays a critical role in two circumstances, the amount of snow cover and the start of a plant’s new season growth. Snow cover can be a very important factor in cold protection for both rose canes and, in the case of grafted plants, the very important bud union. In winter, temperature fluctuations between minus and plus temperatures serve to provide inconsistent snow cover and, along with those blustery winds, can leave areas of the land completely free of snow cover. Using additional winter protection, soil, mulch, tree boughs, etc., can be beneficial to winter survival of plants. The terms protracted and erratic would apply in describing spring in Newfoundland. My experience has indicated the frost free date can fall in June, and here inconsistency raises its head again. There can be wonderful spring days from April onward, but a snowfall in June would not be unprecedented. These dynamics can have damaging effects on the start of tender new plant growth. In the early parts of the growing season leaving winter protection in place can help shield this new growth.
Thinking back, I might have sealed the fate of those very first two roses. My early research on growing roses was fairly consistent, it dictated pruning in the fall as part of preparing your roses for winter. Experience has shown that here in Newfoundland a better alternative, if not a necessity, is spring pruning once new bud growth has started. Given a relatively short growing season I limit pruning as much as possible, removal of dead, damaged and crossed over canes only. The only other cutting involves deadheading flowers for cleanliness, and that is ended after the third week of August. I do not deadhead roses where hips will form.
Fertilization is regular, once every two weeks, and alternated between synthetic and organic fertilizer. This is the most arduous task involved, however, the roses do appreciate the additional nutrients. I have not had significant trouble with pests or disease; a few aphids, some powdery mildew. The main issue has proven to be rose sawfly larvae; the little green caterpillar-like insects can do significant damage to rose leaves. I have never used insecticides, but I can often be seen leaning over my roses squashing the creatures between my finger and thumb! This method has become so accustomed that I do not even wear gloves anymore. It also gives me ample opportunities to see the roses up close, and I have learned a great deal about my plants from these inspections. In the last couple of years I have started to incorporate native and pollinator-friendly plants into my rose garden. The natural habitats created seem to help maintain a balance between pests and beneficial insects, allowing me more time to stop and smell the roses.