Rosenut Update

Who Am I Trying to Kid??

-Wed, Jul 16, 03

Guess it's myself. I finally have to admit that I'm physically unable to take care of a rose garden. I can't even follow all this good advice I'm trying to give to others. I haven't been able to spray yet this year and the roses look like it. Was not able to till in all the good stuff when the roses were planted or follow any kind of fertilizing routine. I've got a shed full of Mill's Magic, alfalfa meal, blood meal, cottonseed meal, fish meal, and Mil-Organite and can't get it put on the rose beds. I'm able to fertilize with my Dosatron but fertilizer applied that way is meant to supplement a good rich soil, not be the primary food source. My weed filled yard is growing good and has to be cut every 2-3 days but I can't get the weedwacker out to finish the job so there's long grass and weeds growing along the fence, side of the house, shed, and mail box. The heat, sun and humidity keep me inside per doctor's orders so I can only go out on sunny cooler days. Now we have swarms of mosquitoes due to all the rain and the wife wants me to stay inside to avoid West Nile. I deadhead a couple of beds but can't get back to finish the job for a few days, then have to start all over again. Cane borers are having a field day because I can't get to the canes with my carpenter's glue. Now the midge have started. I have 8 bags of diazinon granules to help with that but can't get them applied. My optimism on improving my mobility has not lessened but I realize that I can't take care of all these roses.

Many of my roses are just holding on. I would be doing them a favor if I help  euthanize  them which is probably what's going to happen to all but those that are growing well with such minimal care. As I improve I'll start slowly again and only plant what I can readily take care of. I feel like I'm committing genocide with my roses.

If I was independently wealthy, I'd hire a gardener. Having to pay to have little odd repair jobs around the house done has eaten into my resources. It not fair to my wife or friends to expect them to do what I need to have done in the rose beds to make it right. They have their own interests.

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Have Questions?  Write to:  rosenut@rosenut.com