Tag: Spring

The Irony

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Eden Rose

Eden {photo credit: unknown}

Upon waking up this morning, my heart nearly stopped when looking at my phone to see snow in this weekend’s forecast. The irony of snow falling on the first day of the much anticipated warmth of Spring. Ordinarily, such a surprise winter attack would not be cause of panic, but when one considers I just planted the newly arrived and leafed out Eden rose a few days prior, my heart sank. Not to mention, freezing temperatures were not in the forecast. Even the forsythia are blooming as well as Japanese Magnolia trees (also known as Tulip Trees) and Eastern Red Bud Trees. With such promising signs the welcomed warmth of Spring was seemingly here to stay, I proceeded in clearing my rose beds and pruning my beloved rose babies just last week.

Naturally, prior to even completing a full cup of coffee, I was on the phone with my local nursery getting critical feedback on how to protect my newest addition, Eden. Upon receiving such advice, I also called Heirloom Roses, where I ordered Eden from, to get a second opinion. Both retailers suggested I apply mulch around the base of the plant then cover the hopeful bush with a 5 gallon bucket and blanket of sorts using a brick to secure it. Fair enough.

While driving to the nursery to purchase mulch for our emergency rose rescue operation, my husband gently, but adamantly declared we will most ardently not be purchasing any more roses in this trip or ever as our yard is small yet full of roses (plus I do believe he is tired of breaking ground). I calmly assured him not to worry. After all, unbeknownst to him, I already inquired on the local nursery’s rose inventory and was informed all they had right now was a few bare roots and left over Knock Outs. Naturally, I had every intention of still browsing their selection as well as all the other garden candy they had to offer. Ironically and much to my surprise, upon walking up to the few bare roots they had on display, my adamant “no more roses” husband immediately fell in love with Angel Face, a lavender purple color rose and promptly suggested we get it (we can plant the bare root rose once this cold snap passes).

Angel Face

Angel Face (photo credit: Pinterest)

Consequently, I about fell over… Then again, I did pull him close and hugged him before entering “the danger zone” of the nursery (aka where they keep the roses). Ha! Although I did not knowingly intend to manipulate, I discovered bodily contact within the nursery limits was certainly a good way to get more roses should he ever attempt to intervene in my apparent rose addiction again.

With all that said, I’m hoping, of course, the up and coming snow fall turns out to be a bust, but am thankful regardless for it provided me an unexpected rose and a productive day of weeding and mulching! The irony!

(Update: Thankfully, the weather experts were wrong. It didn’t snow nor even rained. But God cares about roses and still answers prayers!) 😄

Pruning the Garden of Your Heart

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The weather is warm, the leaf buds are swollen with potential, and life is good. With only ten days till it’s officially Spring, my heart swells with garden joy! Little by little, I’ve been preparing my garden for healthy abundant blooms. While raking fallen leaves and cutting out dead wood, my spirit rises knowing glorious beauty will manifest.

Similarly, separating the fallen and dead is what must occur in order for God’s kingdom to bloom in our hearts and on Earth one fine day.

There has to be a pruning of our hearts, a raking of our fallen leaves, and cutting off the dead wood taking up real estate within our hearts and minds. If you believe in the prophetic writings found throughout Tanakh, anything that is not of God’s righteousness ultimately will be pruned and burnt up. How much more glorious if we allow God to shape us into the ever-blooming rose bush He dreamed of when we were nothing but seedlings!

The Master Gardener will prune our heart’s garden if we let Him — if we cooperate with His will being done in our hearts and homes rather than growing into a mess of an overgrown, out-of-control shrub! Although His pruning painfully cuts deep at times within our souls, His intentions are to manifest the beautiful design He dreamed for us when He planted us in His well-landscaped garden.

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Knock Out’s Sweet Drift

This Spring, as you plan out, prepare, and prune a garden of your own, ask yourself: What is God, your Master Gardener, pruning in you? What needs to be cut out of your heart in order for you to manifest abundant blooms in His garden? God wants to see you bloom. He wants you to live in His ever-blooming love both now and forever with Him in His eternal garden. In order to be ever-blooming though, you need to allow Him to prune the garden of your heart.

“And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deuteronomy 30:6

How To P.R.U.N.E.

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Perhaps the simplest way to remember basic pruning principles is to memorize the acronym P.R.U.N.E.

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{photo credit: Better Homes & Garden}

P: Prepare your plant by thoroughly assessing it. Inspect your rose bush – how did it do over the winter? Any snapped canes from wild winds or heavy snow? Is it a tangled mess? Too overgrown? Damaged? Do you see any diseased canes or problem areas?

R: Remove the 3 D’s: dead, diseased, and damaged canes. Basically, you’ll need to remove any canes that can’t be trained or saved (as painful as that may be – figuratively or literally).Note: Wear welders gloves and clothes you won’t mind getting snagged. While you are discerning which canes stay and which are cut, you also want to remove any canes that are crossing or too thin (skinnier than a pencil). Watch out for canes that have rubbed along a trellis – they could become susceptible to disease so trim any potential problem laterals/canes out as well.

pruning

{photo credit: unknown}

U: Understand your rose bush and the look you want for the plant and how it fits in the overall look of the garden.

N: Nothing left behind -Be sure to gather and evict any remaining dead leaves, canes, or other debris that may be in or around the bush. Otherwise, you will be inviting disease and an unsightly mess of things.

E: Enjoy a healthy, blooming rose bush!

Keep checking Ever-Blooming Roses’ blog for more tips

on developing an ever-blooming rose garden!

 

To Prune Or Not To Prune: That Is The ?

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Whether (no pun intended) it’s climate change or other factors, it’s always difficult to discern when to prune your rose bushes and when to patiently wait. Ideally, you want to wait until any hints of freezing temperatures in your area are no longer a threat. Pruning wakes up your sleeping beauties and encourages them to get busy blooming. If this process begins and then a freeze stuns them, your rose bushes are at risk of dying or being exposed to other issues. Although, if you have an established rose bush, it will probably recover just fine, but for ones younger than a year or two in the ground, I would recommend holding off on pruning. Better safe than sorry! Personally, I find it always tempting on Spring-like days to get out there and clip away, but the lows at night, not to mention a last-minute snowfall, could seriously damper the fruits of my labor.

With all that said, when is it safe to prune? Some say wait till you see bud eyes swelling or little red leaves popping out.

forsythia

Forsythia {photo credit: unknown}

Probably the most reliable indication of when to prune your roses, at least for gardening zones 6-7 such as mine in Pennsylvania and Maryland, is to wait on the forsythias to bloom. When you see those sprawling bushes bursting in glorious yellow, know that it’s time to pull out the pruners!

In the meantime, since you are probably like me anxious to assist your rose darlings before Spring officially begins, you can start clearing away debris and dead leaves that may have congregated in your garden beds. You can also sharpen your pruners and loppers in advance, and stock up on soil, pots, fertilizer, and other gardening supplies. I also call around to see who has the best deals on mulch.

Different regions prune in different calendar months. As for me and my garden, we’ll wait on the forsythia factor!

PRUNING BY REGION

Northeast / Mid-Atlantic: March or April (once)

Southeast: January & August (twice)

Southcentral / Lower Midwest: February & August (twice)

Midwest / Plains: March or April & August (twice)

Pacific Northwest: February or March (once)

Southwest / California: January or February & August (twice)

Snow-Laden Roses

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{photo credit: Rick Oros on Pinterest}

{photo credit: Rick Oros on Pinterest}

After the 2016 Blizzard buried my rose bushes in 28 inches of pure white snow recently, my spirits lifted upon seeing glimpses of green Earth once more. It took nearly three weeks to even see that much!

Today, another snow storm, albeit far less intense, glazed my roses yet again. Despite the evidence of freshly snow-laden roses, I find myself counting down the days till Spring…just 40 days to go!  It may be cold outside, nevertheless, my heart is warmed knowing Spring is right around the corner.