Organic rose gardening is something which many gardeners are beginning to explore. It's hardly a new idea; until relatively recently, organic gardening was the only type of gardening there was. There's no need for man-made pesticides and fertilizers to have an incredible rose garden.
When you choose to garden organically, you'll not only have healthier roses, but you'll also be able to prevent exposing yourself, your family and your pets as well as wild animals to potentially hazardous chemicals.
After all, the natural world (including roses) have gotten along just fine without human intervention. It's when we decide that we can improve on nature that problems start to crop up.
The way things usually work is this: the leaves of plants carry out the process of photosynthesis, where sunlight is turned into energy, while their roots absorb nutrients and water from the soil. The soil contains organisms which break down organic materials into their constituent components - the nutrients which roses and other plants rely upon.
The man-made pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers which non-organic gardeners use can kill the natural organisms present in the soil and upset the balance which roses depend on. When the bacteria which naturally exist in the soil in a symbiotic relationship with the plant are not present, fungi and other organisms can set up shop and cause damage to your roses. Roses can also become dependent on these artificial fertilizers, which starts an unhealthy, unnatural cycle.
It's actually quite easy to grow roses organically - it's also less expensive. You just don't use the chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. You can use natural methods of fertilization and pest control; if the soil in your garden needs a little enriching, you can easily take care of this.
Using compost is the best way to enrich the soil in your garden. Start a compost pile in your garden with leaf mulch, grass clippings and other organic components (fruit peels, coffee grounds and the like). These materials will break down, producing a nutrient-rich compost.
Composting is easy to do. You can make a compost pile or compost in a container, though you will need to stir your compost occasionally to make sure that your compost is breaking down properly.
Organic rose gardening doesn't use chemical pesticides, though there are natural pest control methods you can employ. Generally, the insects which can damage your plants can be kept under control through the action of their natural predators. When you use artificial pesticides, you not only kill the harmful insects but the beneficial ones as well.
Ladybugs are one of a gardener's best friends, as are parasitic wasp species; these insects will happily eat other insects which can threaten your roses. Birds, lizards, frogs and snakes are also good to have in your garden. If you're having pest problems which natural predators can't keep under control, then there are organic, natural pesticides available which are non-toxic (except to harmful insects) which rose gardeners can use.
There are even pesticides which target a specific type of insect pest, leaving others unaffected.
There's no need to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides to grow roses with large, beautiful, fragrant blooms. An organic rose garden does require an investment, though this is an investment of the gardener's time and effort rather than money spent on chemicals - the roses you'll grow using organic methods are a reward which is more than worth the undertaking.
When you choose to garden organically, you'll not only have healthier roses, but you'll also be able to prevent exposing yourself, your family and your pets as well as wild animals to potentially hazardous chemicals.
After all, the natural world (including roses) have gotten along just fine without human intervention. It's when we decide that we can improve on nature that problems start to crop up.
The way things usually work is this: the leaves of plants carry out the process of photosynthesis, where sunlight is turned into energy, while their roots absorb nutrients and water from the soil. The soil contains organisms which break down organic materials into their constituent components - the nutrients which roses and other plants rely upon.
The man-made pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers which non-organic gardeners use can kill the natural organisms present in the soil and upset the balance which roses depend on. When the bacteria which naturally exist in the soil in a symbiotic relationship with the plant are not present, fungi and other organisms can set up shop and cause damage to your roses. Roses can also become dependent on these artificial fertilizers, which starts an unhealthy, unnatural cycle.
It's actually quite easy to grow roses organically - it's also less expensive. You just don't use the chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. You can use natural methods of fertilization and pest control; if the soil in your garden needs a little enriching, you can easily take care of this.
Using compost is the best way to enrich the soil in your garden. Start a compost pile in your garden with leaf mulch, grass clippings and other organic components (fruit peels, coffee grounds and the like). These materials will break down, producing a nutrient-rich compost.
Composting is easy to do. You can make a compost pile or compost in a container, though you will need to stir your compost occasionally to make sure that your compost is breaking down properly.
Organic rose gardening doesn't use chemical pesticides, though there are natural pest control methods you can employ. Generally, the insects which can damage your plants can be kept under control through the action of their natural predators. When you use artificial pesticides, you not only kill the harmful insects but the beneficial ones as well.
Ladybugs are one of a gardener's best friends, as are parasitic wasp species; these insects will happily eat other insects which can threaten your roses. Birds, lizards, frogs and snakes are also good to have in your garden. If you're having pest problems which natural predators can't keep under control, then there are organic, natural pesticides available which are non-toxic (except to harmful insects) which rose gardeners can use.
There are even pesticides which target a specific type of insect pest, leaving others unaffected.
There's no need to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides to grow roses with large, beautiful, fragrant blooms. An organic rose garden does require an investment, though this is an investment of the gardener's time and effort rather than money spent on chemicals - the roses you'll grow using organic methods are a reward which is more than worth the undertaking.
About the Author
James Tyree is a rose gardening enthusiast. For more great tips on organic rose gardening, visit http://www.care4roses.com.
