The long and tall on classic beauty

Most people are probably content to admire the blooms while they last (one of the best life extending tips is to change the water in the vase at least once every two days) but gardeners tend to go beyond the bouquet. What types of roses are they and is it possible to grow such exquisite buds in their gardens?

Long-stemmed roses belong to the hybrid tea group. Since they were discovered in 1867, breeders have happily dabbled with these elegantly shaped roses, resulting in thousands of colours in every shade imaginable.

The bushes typically produce long, pointy buds with up to 30 to 50 petals per bloom, and they produce them continuously.

Growing from two to six feet tall, most hybrid teas do not have a fragrance and are more susceptible to diseases than other types of roses.

It is possible for home gardeners to grow long-stemmed roses but in order to do it, other branches that would normally carry more blooms have to be sacrificed. In other words, judicious pruning is called for, resulting in fewer, but far superior, flowers.

In the florist industry, long-stemmed roses are graded according to the stem length and the bud size. The longer and bigger - the better.

If you can grow 24-inch stems, those would be considered high quality along with bud sizes of one-inch or more.

Pruning starts with the basic removal of dead and/or weak branches in April. Leave the thick, healthy ones to form a circle on the outside. Cut these back to about a foot high and fertilize the bush with bone meal and compost. As the bush begins to grow, only allow one bud (the central larger one) to remain on the stem. By removing the secondary buds, the main flower bud will get larger. Fertilize every two weeks with water-soluble fertilizer.

Another method for producing long-stemmed roses is by climate control. Florists grow the majority of these blooms in greenhouses and this environment can be hard to duplicate for the average gardener.

With a greenhouse, optimum conditions for stem elongation and rose growth are created at 27 degrees Celsius with a relative humidity of 60-70 per cent.

Hotter or cooler temperatures reduce the stem length because of increased stress on the plant. By creating a stress free environment the rose can reach its genetic optimum growing size.

This week’s tips from Communities in Bloom are:

Improve the appearance of your home and property by cleaning up trash and removing any nuisance weeds or overgrowth. Keeping your yard mowed and trees trimmed on a regular basis will also improve the appearance of your home and neighborhood.

Before disposing of unwanted clothing, furniture or appliances, check with the local Goodwill or Salvation Army stores about donating these items. Your donation will help needy families and at the same time save needed space in the landfills.