PhotoComments & Questions 
Discussion id : 101-231
most recent 22 JUN 17 HIDE POSTS
 
Initial post 22 JUN 17 by Kellymnzone4
Hi Straw! How winter hardy is this one for you? Wondering if I need to grow MIP in a pot...
Thanks!
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Reply #1 of 2 posted 22 JUN 17 by StrawChicago Alkaline clay 5a
Kelly: MIP is very winter hardy. But it was much taller & vigorous in MG-potting soil as band-size. For first-year own-roots, I use fluffy soil at root-level, but dense & fast drainage clay & pine-bark at bottom (roots will get harder as it matures, to go down to dense clay at bottom). I also plant roses AT SOIL level, rather than planting deep. That way I keep piling up bagged-top-soil, and this clay-fertility make roses pump out blooms better than potting soil (good only for 3 months, then it sinks down). A book written by a Wisconsin Rosarian stated to plant roses AT SOIL LEVEL, rather than planting deep, for more basal breaks. He piled up dirt /leaves/straw to a foot tall for cold winter. He's right. Tip for poor-drainage clay: plant higher than soil level works both for trees and for roses. Val in sandy Florida also plant a few inches higher than soil level, since sand sinks.

It died back to the crown for Krista (zone 4/5), same here in my zone 5a alkaline clay (even with winter-protection in 2nd year). But it bounced back fast, and bloomed earliest in spring. The blooming period is almost 2 months (early May to end of June). I didn't winterize MIP for the 1st year, it's drought-tolerant & roots won't dry out like French Romanticas. But MIP hates standing-water, so digging deep for drainage is a must. MIP likes alkaline clay with its many dense petals.
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Reply #2 of 2 posted 22 JUN 17 by Kellymnzone4
Thank you!!
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Discussion id : 100-680
most recent 11 JUN 17 HIDE POSTS
 
Initial post 10 JUN 17 by Lavenderlace
Lovely Straw! How long did it take for MIP to develop her scent for you? Thank you!
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Reply #1 of 4 posted 10 JUN 17 by StrawChicago Alkaline clay 5a
MIP needs trace-elements and retentive clay to keep its scent, same with Munstead Wood. Last year MIP was in dense clay, topped with horse manure, and the scent was FABULOUS. But it was too wet, so I moved it up hill, and made the soil loamy with composted leaves, and the scent was gone. So I topped it with alkaline clay & chicken manure, and got some scent back, but only 1/4 compared to the strong scent in clay plus horse manure.

Same with Munstead Wood, I topped it with chicken manure, and the 1st early spring bloom was intensely fragrant, perfumed the entire room. Then we got tons of rain (pH 4.5), plus it's in a loamy soil, that leached out trace elements. 2nd bloom of Munstead Wood had ZERO SCENT. That spot was getting too acidic, so I topped with more chicken manure & alkaline soil, and Munstead Wood now gets some scent back, but NOT as strong as the 1st bloom (heavily fertilized with last-year horse manure & new chicken manure). Clay does help to retain the scent. So I'll buy more bagged top-soil (blackland soil) and top my roses before mid-summer rain comes.

Also my friend in CA with alkaline clay sent me the best scent bloom of Munstead Wood (knock my socks off) .. she fertilized that with chicken manure plus fish-emulsion (plenty of trace elements).
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Reply #2 of 4 posted 10 JUN 17 by Lavenderlace
You've solved the problem for me, thank you!

They are in an extremely fluffy mix of sand and composted alfalfa here, topped with manure/pine shavings from the winter. They are getting huge but I've been so shocked at the lack of scent here after hearing all of the rave reviews.

The first blooms were a lovely shade of violet though, so I was thrilled about that. Now they are hot pink and I can't find anybody who can smell much fragrance from her. The roses that are next to her have a strong fragrance.

It sounds like she needs to find some clay if I'm going to get any fragrance from them, thank you again!
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Reply #3 of 4 posted 11 JUN 17 by StrawChicago Alkaline clay 5a
Lavenderlace: Anything dense like clay or peatmoss is enough to retain the scent. The best fragrance came from potting soil high in peat moss. The Knock-outs at local store in potting soil have nice scent, but zero scent in the ground. I put all my own-root roses in potting soil 1st for roots to get big, before I plant into my clay, and their scents in peatmoss-potting soil & watered with alkaline tap water, were even STRONGER than my clay.

Last year those MG-moisture control were sold out at Sam's club, so I had to use Schultz potting soil (ground-up wood-chips & forest products & more loamy & faster drainage) ... roses became stingy & less scent. If you mix acidic peatmoss at pH 4 with your sand, it's good to include some lime to bring the pH to neutral. An easier way: neutral pH & peat-moss-potting soil with sand. I use potting soil with peat moss in my planting hole. 1/2 potting soil and 1/2 native soil was recommended by Frank Gatto, owner of a large rose nursery in Washington.

If you can find red-lava-grit (high potassium & iron & boron, pH 8), it's even better. Potassium ratio should be twice more than calcium, as in rose-tissue analysis done by U. of C at Davis.
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Reply #4 of 4 posted 11 JUN 17 by Lavenderlace
Thanks so much for this information. It sounds like time isn't going to cure my lack of scent with my current soil conditions!
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