Question:
ALERT; Water, Water Water --- it hasn't rained in weeks, and there are no storms on the horizon. Above normal temperatures are forecasted for this week ------------------ I have eight roses in containers sitting on my deck. Over the years, the rootball has sunk as the soil is washing out the drain holes. I want to fix the problem this year. My thoughts are to prune the roses and then extract them from the pots. I plan to keep the bushes in the water while adding fresh soil to the containers and then replanting them. Is this going to work?Answer:
- I like your plan. It's a very workable solution.
- With eight roses to prune, move and then replant, you can take your time and spread it out over several weekends instead of completing it in one.
- However, It is not necessary to keep the roses in water for days on end. You could remove the bushes from the planters with soil on their roots or bare root them.
- The roses with a root ball intact can be grouped together, moistened, and then loosely covered with a tarp, protected from the afternoon sun. The plants can even be stacked on top of one another. This would also work with other ornamental plants in containers.
- Another option is to bare-root these plants by washing the soil off the roots. They are then laid vertically on a flat surface, which could be on dirt or even concrete, and cover the roots with moistened potting soil and a tarp. Again they can be stacked in a pile. If the bushes are under an overhang, the tarp isn't necessary.
- A second option would be to group the bare root roses into several empty containers and temporarily fill them with soil. Roses can be transplanted anytime through February. Also, It's not necessary to replenish every bit of soil. Roses can be stored in this fashion for four to six weeks.
- These options give you the flexibility to proceed at a leisurely pace and deal with any weather delays. Before adding soil, cover the drain holes with mesh fabric. It could be an old screen, landscape fabric, or pantyhose. This prevents soil from washing out the drain holes and the root ball from sinking.
Question:
How do I take care of the Kumquat sitting on my front porch? I've been told it should be fertilized either before it fruits or just after to be sure to get colorful fruit. What fertilizer should I use and when? Also, how much sun is required?Answer:
- Kumquats are a type of citrus; hence, they receive the same care as lemon, orange, lime, etc. They like a sunny location that receives six hours or more of direct sunlight from April through October. Too much shade will impact the fruit and fruiting. Kumquats are fertilized more often than you were told monthly, Mach through September.
- They watered three times a week and more frequently when over ninety degrees. Irregular watering will cause the fruit to drop off when it gets to be about the size of a pea. And finally, the chief pollinator is bees, so you'll need to keep the plant away from entryways and windows.