Fraser Valley Rose FarmWith a single method, you can propagate and grow many different plants from stem cuttings. In this video, I'll show you 4: hydrangea, currants, St. John's wort, and Russian sage (three shrubs and a perennial) all prepared with the semi-hardwood technique. 3 weeks later, all varieties have either rooted or callused. I'll also discuss a couple of different ways to maintain humidity while the plants trying to root.
For a longer (more detailed) version of the semi-hardwood propagation method, refer to my video on rooting roses: youtu.be/211r10Jj_OY
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4 Easy Plants to Grow from CuttingsFraser Valley Rose Farm2019-08-07 | With a single method, you can propagate and grow many different plants from stem cuttings. In this video, I'll show you 4: hydrangea, currants, St. John's wort, and Russian sage (three shrubs and a perennial) all prepared with the semi-hardwood technique. 3 weeks later, all varieties have either rooted or callused. I'll also discuss a couple of different ways to maintain humidity while the plants trying to root.
For a longer (more detailed) version of the semi-hardwood propagation method, refer to my video on rooting roses: youtu.be/211r10Jj_OY
If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out:
Photo credits: Ribes sanguineum photo by Mark Robinson, used without changes under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
Perovskia photo by Andy Mabbet, used without changes under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licenseCold Damage on Plants: Protection ResultsFraser Valley Rose Farm2024-01-21 | Just before winter, I prepared various levels of cold protection for my young plants. If you'd like to see that discussion, here's the video: youtu.be/0nsY9MUmVIo
The levels of protection included: 1) grouping plants together, 2) shelter from wind in an unheated greenhouse, 3) crop cover, and 4) moving to a minimally heated area. As you might expect, you can easily see the difference between those that were given the lower levels of protection and those that were provided higher. This is especially true with the younger/smaller plants that are far more vulnerable.
In this video I'll show you the results, and they really are quite striking! You can easily see the difference in the foliage, of course, but more importantly, in the health of the roots.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningBuy Plants Like a GrowerFraser Valley Rose Farm2024-01-18 | When nursery growers start plants, they want to pick from a wide selection of the newest and most interesting plants. Isn't that what every gardener wants? For many home gardeners, though, your options are limited down to the "picks" of your local garden centers.
Whether you're a cut flower grower, a small farmer that wants to add some perennials to your farm stand, an aspiring backyard grower, or just an avid plant lover who wants to see *all* the options, this video is for you. I'll discuss the different ways to add a wider selection (and better pricing) to your plant purchasing. I'll also discuss how teaming up to pool orders with other small growers is a win-win for all involved.
Now, the specific supplier info in this vid is obviously based on the marker I know: North America. Nevertheless, the basic options would be similar wherever you go: seeds, bulbs & bare root, cuttings & plugs. So I hope you can get something out of this no matter where you're joining us from!
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningThese Roses Deserve a Spot in my Garden!Fraser Valley Rose Farm2024-01-10 | How do I decide which roses are worth a try in my garden? With many centuries of roses in cultivation, I'll have to give fair consideration to each of the classes. Here I go through some of the important breeding roses and famous garden roses I've added to the farm so far. Not that I'm making excuses, but many of these are young plants, and they won't represent the best garden performance for the variety. As the garden grows in, I'll add newer (and 4k) footage to the channel to show their full potential.
Photo credits: Fred Loads by Wilrooij CC BY-SA 4.0 Yolande d’Aragon (1) by Ritadesbois CC BY-SA 4.0 Yolande d’Aragon (1) by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Rose de Rescht by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz CC BY-SA 4.0 Comte de Chambord by Alexandre Dulaunoy CC BY-SA 2.0 R. gallica officinalis by Michael Wittwer CC BY-SA 4.0 Charles de Mills by Jamain CC BY-SA 3.0 Tuscany Superb by Kleuske CC BY-SA 3.0 Königin von Dänemark by Salicyna CC BY-SA 4.0 Chloris by Dmitriy Konstantinov CC BY-SA 4.0 Rosa alba semi plena by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz CC BY-SA 4.0 Old blush by A. Barra CC BY-SA 3.0 La France by Arashiyama CC BY-SA 3.0 Gruss an Teplitz by Ann Reg CC BY-SA 3.0 Peace by Roozita CC BY-SA 3.0 Queen Elizabeth by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Constance Spry by Rosa Staropramen CC BY-SA 3.0 Stanwell Perpetual by Salicyna CC BY-SA 4.0Baggie Method Seed GerminationFraser Valley Rose Farm2024-01-02 | A quick way to start or test seeds is the baggie method. Sealing the seeds in a sandwich (ziploc) bag in a paper towel or other growing medium traps the humidity and helps the seeds to germinate quickly. Remove from the baggy promptly and carefully transfer into a pot or longer-term home for growing on. This is a popular method for germination testing, seed stratification, and it remains popular with cannabis growers, where the large seeds are relatively fast and easy to handle once sprouted. There are pros and cons to the method, which I'll cover in this video.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningRooting Indoors over Winter. Roses & moreFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-12-25 | If you're enjoying the challenges of plant propagation, it can feel limiting when the landscape begins to fall into dormancy. What I'm enjoying these days is the fact that not every plant reacts equally to cold. This lets me continue to push the envelop of bringing hardy plant material, like roses, inside to controlled temperatures as cuttings. In this video I'll demonstrate with roses, rosemary, and also demonstrate with a few more tender indoor varieties I have on the go.
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Photo credit: Rosa mutabilis by 阿橋 HQ CC BY 2.0How Not to Plant: Big Holes with Lots of StuffFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-12-20 | All-too-common wisdom is to dig a wide and deep planting hole and fill it with some high proportion of amendments to surround the roots of your new plants. Let's talk that through together - because I don't think it's helpful either in the short or long-term health of you trees, shrubs or perennials.
Now I can already anticipate some push-back on this topic. No worries! Let's discuss. The main objection, I suppose, will be from people who say "my soil is too poor/clay/rocky/waterlogged/sandy/alkaline etc. so I need to improve the planting hole to give my trees a fighting chance!". I respond with this: you can't realistically solve a "whole yard" problem one hole at a time. If it's poorly drained, for instance, your rich planting hole just became an easy place for the water to collect. If it's infertile, let your roots anchor into it, and then mulch, improve, and feed appropriately from the top down to support the whole root system.
For those who may argue anecdotally along the lines of "I planted with heaps of manure in the bottom of the hole, and it always worked for me" I'll say two things: 1) I'll never try to argue against your personal experience or success - I don't have the same facts in front of me as you do, and you're really the best person to make that call, and 2) I'd suspect that a similar dressing of manure added as a top layer and watered in regularly as the plant(s) established would deliver the nutrition equally and avoid some of the potential risks.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningWhy Chill Seeds?Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-12-18 | For some seed varieties, a duration of cold moist "stratification" is required to convince them to sprout. This is particularly common with cold-hardy trees, shrubs and perennials. It's important to know that this seed chilling can vary quite a bit around temperatures, timing and other requirements. Here I'll go through my own setup and my "default" method for sprouting seeds where a cold treatment is advisable.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningWhats Wrong with Wood Chips in the Garden?Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-12-13 | There are quite a few advantages to adding a mulch of wood chips to the garden if you can find a convenient (or especially free!) local supply. I have heard a few concerns raised about their use, and I wanted to quickly outline them here:
00:00 Intro 00:31 Pests 01:12 Nitrogen Lock Up 02:34 Soil Acidity/pH 03:28 Delay of Soil Warming 04:17 Fungal Growth
Some of these can be overcome with some by adjusting which plants you apply it to or the manner of use. In my situation, I'm confident the advantages far outweigh any concerns!
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Photo credit: Field of blueberries by University of Delaware Carvel REC CC BY 2.0African Violet Leaf Cuttings #plantpropagationFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-12-11 | One easy plant to propagate by leaf cuttings is African violet (saintpaulia). In this video I'll show you the easy method to get started, and I'll also briefly discuss why this method may not be the right choice for "pinwheel" or other chimera saintpaulias.
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Photo credits: Exhibition african violets by 阿橋 HQ CC BY-SA 2.0 Chimera statue by Carole Raddato CC BY-SA 2.0 Laburnocytisus by Simon Garbutt CC BY-SA 3.0Why Soak Seeds? Plain water, H2O2 & more!Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-12-08 | Should you soak seeds before sowing? If so, how long? And should you add anything to the water? In this short video I'll discuss the pros and cons of seed soaking. I'll also go over some of the common seed treatment options to combine with a soak: hydrogen peroxide, seaweed extract, gibberellic acid and hot water treatment.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningMORE Conifers for your Small GardenFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-12-03 | Let’s look at some small trees for your garden: dwarf and small conifers, mainly evergreen, in all sorts of shapes, colors and textures! Here I visit Burkland Gardens in Mt. Vernon WA, a nursery specializing in dwarf and unusual conifers.
This video is part 2 of 2. Here’s a link to the rest of the tour: youtu.be/-YDxLlKIXPo
Many thanks to Gil for sharing his time and expertise. For viewers looking for more information of the kinds of plants on this tour, here are links to Burkland Gardens on YouTube and their business web page: youtube.com/@burklandgardens643 burklandgardens.com
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Photo credits: Gold Tipped Picea by Mark Bolin CC BY-SA 2.0 Abies Ice Breaker by laurent houmeau CC BY-SA 2.0 Witches Broom on Jack Pine by Elia Sagor CC BY-SA 2.010 Stunning Conifers for your Small GardenFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-12-03 | Let’s look at some small trees for your garden: dwarf and small conifers, mainly evergreen, in all sorts of shapes, colors and textures! Here I visit Burkland Gardens in Mt. Vernon WA, nursery specializing in dwarf and unusual conifers.
This video is part 1 of 2. Here’s a link to the rest of the tour: youtu.be/yKvBK3sxgWo
Many thanks to Gil for sharing his time and expertise. For viewers looking for more information of the kinds of plants on this tour, here are links to Burkland Gardens on YouTube and their business web page: youtube.com/@burklandgardens643 burklandgardens.com
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Photo credits: Gold Tipped Picea by Mark Bolin CC BY-SA 2.0 Abies Ice Breaker by laurent houmeau CC BY-SA 2.0 Witches Broom on Jack Pine by Elia Sagor CC BY-SA 2.0Cuttings by Mail: Stems for PropagationFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-30 | Have you ever wondered about buying (or selling) cuttings or scion wood by mail order? In this interview style video, I'll talk to Mark from Dingdong's Garden @dingdongsgarden - they've been selling stems for hobbyist growers who want to try out propagation, and collect some fun an interesting varieties along the way!
Thanks to Mark and Dingdong for taking the time to discuss and for providing the footage to go along with the conversation. You can check out their current offerings at www.dingdongsgarden.com
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningShould You Score Cuttings? Plant PropagationFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-27 | Scrape a little extra skin or bark from the base of your cuttings? It's sometimes called "scoring" and it's a common bit of plant propagation advice. As with so many methods, the answer of whether you should give it a try comes down to the variety, and your willingness to experiment. I find that most shrubs and perennials root fairly easily with basic techniques, and without scoring. If I get good results without the extra handling, why change it up? Because there are likely difficult-to-root varieties where this method will make the difference between success and failure.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningEasy Winter Cuttings: Hardwood PropagationFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-23 | With winter approaching, my woody plants are well on their way to dormancy, and that opens the window for hardwood cuttings. While I find them slower and less certain than summer cuttings, some shrubs and trees are particularly suited for this kind of propagation. I'll give you six examples and a list of others to try. In the meanwhile, here's a refresher on the technique and placement.
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Photo credits: Spirea by Peter Stenzil CC BY-ND 2.0 Limelight hydrangea by Delaware Master Gardeners CC BY 2.0Peculiar growth on my roses #gardening #roses #rosegardenFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-19 | ...Elevate Your Garden with Climbing RosesFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-16 | Planting climbing roses for more impact and drama in the garden. In this video I'll take you through some of my selections for climbers, with some focus on the structures we're highlighting (or hiding!).
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Pale Pink Climber by Acabashi CC BY-SA 4.0 Compassion by MM CC BY-SA 3.0 Crepuscule by 阿橋 HQ CC BY-SA 2.0 John Davis by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Constance SPry by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Baltimore Belle by Nadiatalent CC BY-SA 4.0 Lady of Shalott by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Rosanna by Salicyna CC BY-SA 4.0 Etoile de Hollande by Salicyna CC BY-SA 4.0 Rosarium Uetersen by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Geschwinds Orden by Wilrooij CC BY-SA 4.0 Narrow Water by Epibase CC BY-SA 3.0 Buff Beauty by Leonora (Ellie) Enking CC BY-SA 2.0 Leverkusen by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz CC BY-SA 4.0 Don Juan by Chic Bee CC BY 2.0 Bleu Magenta by Momoly CC BY-ND 2.0 Royal Sunset by Ryan Somma CC BY-SA 2.0 Madame Alfred Carriere by Anna Reg CC BY-SA 3.0Rose Garden Rescue - Neglected Public GardenFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-12 | I'm talking to Josh, a rose enthusiast who has taken on the challenge of saving a neglected public rose garden in Bend, Oregon. Planted in 1948, the garden once had hundreds of roses on display, but over time they've become weedy & overgrown. With a little annual care, I'm sure they can once again become the focal point of Bend's scenic Pioneer park on the banks of the Deschutes river. In this video we'll discuss some of the next steps in pruning the "lanky" roses to encourage fresh branching, and I'll answer some general questions about roses.
Many thanks to Josh for taking the time and effort to arrange this video call, and for collecting video we could share on YouTube. My hope is that the discussion can provide encouragement to anyone who is in the midst of their own "garden rescue" whether private or public.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningSave Your Potted Mums. Propagation by CuttingsFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-10 | The potted mums that are commonly sold as fall decor are bred from perennial chrysanthemum varieties. While the focus of current breeding is not really on making a hardy perennial, they're often hardy to zones 5 or 6 when well-established in the garden. If you care to try, your best chance at "saving" garden mums from one season to the next is one of two methods:
1. Plant the mums out in the garden fairly early after purchase - the more time they have for rooting, the better. In my example, I'm starting late, so I've trimmed the flowers. That'll serve (I hope) to allow more light down to the foliage, and redirect the plant's energy from flowering to rooting.
2. Propagate by cuttings. Again, this is likely better earlier in the year - on mums you've already overwintered. I'll show in this video, however, that it's possible to root cutting even from flowering stems.
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The topic for discussion is how each of us has developed a plant business to provide activity and income for retirement. Those who have watched my videos on backyard nursery in the past will know this: I wouldn't suggest the plant business is either easy or a sure money maker. It's not just a matter of sinking your retirement money into plants and expecting a quick return. I hope you'll see from the discussion that it pays to do a lot of research and to understand your own abilities & risk tolerance levels.
Thanks so much to Larry and Martha for participating in the video!
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Photo credits: Norway spruce (Picea abies) by Famartin CC BY-SA 4.0 Norway spruce cones by Ryan Hodnett CC BY-SA 4.0 Arborvitae (Thjua occidentalis) by David J. Stang CC BY-SA 4.0 Schip laurel by H. Zell CC BY-SA 3.0 Schip laurel by Fancy DB CC BY-SA 4.0 Emerald ash borer poster by Fungus Guy CC BY-SA 3.0 Plant growing field by Chrisdlink CC BY-SA 4.0Plant Fall Bulbs on their Side? #gardening #flowerbulbs #fallplantingFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-07 | ...DIY Garden Foot BridgeFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-05 | Here's a DIY garden foot bridge made from dimensional lumber and without any specialized woodworking skills.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningFall / Winter Pruning on Roses? #gardening #roses #rosegardenFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-11-02 | ...Mini Roses for a Longer Bloom Season #miniatureroses #gardening #roses #rosegardenFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-31 | ...Is This Pest in Your Garden Yet?Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-30 | This Asian bug is spreading across North America, South America and Europe - feeding on a wide range of garden fruits, veggie and ornamental crops. It's the brown marmorated stink bug. Note that there are native stink bugs that are far less concerning. Look for the white bands on the antennae to ID the Asian species. The fight against rapidly spreading invasive pests can seem a little hopeless: since most of their natural enemies have been left at home. But that's not the whole story. Biologists have found that the Samurai wasp (I couldn't make this stuff up!) has valiantly followed its enemy and is establishing across its new range. Additionally, under close observation, scientists have found that some native predators are well-suited to feeding on on the new stink bug to our continent. Green lacewings, assassin bugs, spiders, birds, and even pill bugs have a role to play. Mark down another point for biological diversity in the garden!
Photo credits: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug by Chris Hedstrom CC NY-SA 2.0 DEED by Gilles San Martin CC BY-SA 2.0 by Judy Gallagher CC BY-SA 2.0 By Yerpo CC BY-SA 3.0 Laying eggs by Eggs hatching by David R. Lance CC BY 3.0 Samurai wasp by OSU CC BY-SA 2.0 Green lacewing by Judy Gallagher CC BY 2.0 US distribution map by Jofre Espigule Pons CC BY-SA 4.0Dont Let Your Nursery Dream End as a NightmareFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-24 | Lisa and I are enjoying the challenge of building our own backyard nursery business. I have no difficulty encouraging others to take the leap into horticulture - growing and selling plants! It does, however, make sense to give a little extra consideration to the question: How big a business do we want this to be? And further: Is there a plan in place for succession or a clean exit? I've seen so many plant growers and sellers struggle with this - building up large and fast, only much later to wonder how to conclude or ensure the continuation of the business.
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Butchart Gardens by Robthepiper CC BY-SA 3.0Lavender Prop from Your Trimmings #gardening #plantpropagationFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-22 | ...Fall and Winter Rose PruningFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-18 | If you're in a cold-winter climate, should you prune your rose in the fall? Usually my answer is to wait. The early spring (or after first bloom for once-bloomers) is usually a better time to address the size, shape and health of your rose with structural pruning. By then, you'll be able to see what damage has been done by winter cold. However, if your roses have an unruly streak, they may have sent up some stems that are vulnerable to damage from winter wind or snow. In this video, I'll show you some examples of preventive pruning to protect roses from winter damage.
I should say a couple more things I didn't have time to address in the video. 1) of course if you're in a climate with no serious cold, it makes no sense to wait until spring, and you're more likely to tackle your structural pruning in the coolest part of the year. 2) if you're in a climate much colder than mine, you may also be offering some winter protection to your roses in the form of wrapping/covering/mounding with soil. It's still a good idea to time this protection carefully and let your roses see some cold beforehand. A touch of cold can help settle them into dormancy, which makes them more likely to survive the conditions inside the protective layer.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningScam Alert: Expensive Plant SupplementsFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-14 | The shelves of your local grow store may be stocked with dozens of high-priced (mainly liquid) plant supplements, each with their own claims. Should you trust them? Of course not. Pssst... they're after your money! Their whole job is to put something into a bottle, market the heck out of it, and sell it for many times what it cost them to produce. How many times? Who knows... the product contents, claims and results are as non-specific as possible.
Sorry to say it, but the responsibility and blame falls on the buyer. It's your job to ask the questions that matter, and demand satisfactory evidence before opening your wallet. Vague claims and a lack of independent evidence should mean you won't purchase, full stop. That's the only power the consumer has to convince these supplement makers to offer specific, reality-based claims and back them up with research.
I mentioned that even within the humic acid industry, there's concern about the false claims. Here's a link to one of those suppliers: youtu.be/qxlotcSrSWQ?si=vu6_KyASO2JNxyLL&t=27 Note that even though he acknowledges the problems, it's still his business to promote the benefits of humic acid. I'm not judging, I just always consider the source.
The products profiled in this video, the the sections discussing/showing their packaging, website, claims and even commercials are offered here under what I'll be happy to defend as fair use. One of the better outcomes user-generated video platforms like YouTube is open criticism of business practices. If HB101 or Superthrive don't like it, it's completely within their power to specify and prove their marketing claims.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningPlants in Pots over Winter? Prepare Now!Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-09 | Hardy plants in pots are more vulnerable to the wet, cold and windy weather of winter. In this video, I'll go through 5 techniques to better protect your container plants over the winter season.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningTwo Years in the Retail Nursery Business. Rose Farm ResultsFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-05 | We've been running a plant business as a side-hustle for a number of years now, but it was only last year (2022) that we opened the farm with regular hours as a sort of retail nursery. It's true that we don't look the part of a true garden center. Customers who are accustomed to big parking lots, retail displays, nursery staff and cashiers may look at us as unfinished: a work in progress. And they'd be right!
We haven't gone ahead and built the more familiar "from the ground up" version of a retail garden center. Partly that would be from a reluctance to sink big money into the effort. Instead, we're trying to bootstrap our reputation from local plant sales, garden clubs and social media - and the result is a less formal shopping experience. We're adding more plants as we can propagate them (with some bought in for additional assortment) and we're now working on the bones of our display gardens.
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Photos: International Test Garden by Another Believer CC BY-SA 3.0 Salvia bulleyana by Mikeschgardener CC BY-SA 4.0Plant a Rose Bush in MemoryFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-10-03 | If you're planting a rose in memory of a loved one, it's tempting make your choice based on the rose's marketing name. If the deceased was named Beverly, you're in luck with a well-behaved and strong performing garden rose - but usually the choices don't match up quite so neatly. In this video, I'll offer just a few quick points of advice for choosing a planting a rose as a memorial.
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Photo credits: Dorothy Perkins by Vivian Evans CC BY-SA 2.0 Irish Eyes by Conall CC BY 2.0 Memoire by Salicyne CC BY-SA 4.0 Fellowship by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Belinda’s Dream by Inga Munsinger Cotton CC BY 2.0 Julia Child by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0How to Fertilize RosesFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-09-26 | This is the more condensed video to answer the question of how you should feed (fertilize) roses - in pots vs. in the ground. While you can get satisfactory results with a wide range of fertilizers, the horticultural literature and research appears to be pointing away from the high phosphorus formulations that are commonly marketed as "rose food".
For the detailed discussion video (how I reached these conclusions) here's the link: youtu.be/axVxXLrIhyo
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningHow a Grower Feeds Roses (Discussion)Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-09-26 | I've grown roses in pots using both slow-release fertilizer and a water soluble blend. In this video, I'll discuss some of the information sources I've used to make my current fertilizer recommendations. To cut to the chase, while you can grow good roses over a wide range of NPK ratios, my experience, the literature and research seems to support a higher N, lower P and mid to high K. The simplified ratios 3-1-2, 3-1-3, 3-2-2, or 3-2-3 (as locally available at a good price) would each do the job, but for best plant health should also be formulated (or amended) with Mg, Fe and Ca and micronutrients. Note also that there's little support for the high P formulations often marketed as "rose food".
For a quicker discussion (without books & research) aimed at the home gardener, here's a point-form video on the topic:
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningAre Temu Garden Tools Too Cheap to Be Any Good?Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-09-26 | The products were provided to me free of charge for a review of initial quality, but there were no preconditions on the content of the video. If you're interested in trying the Temu app here are the relevant links:
💰 Download TEMU App to get 50% off for your first purchase on app temu.to/m/umrtdqv110s 🔍 Or search the code【DKB8829】in the product search bar to claim offer
Chinese Toon Stainless Steel Lawn Mower CA$14.99 temu.to/m/uibr1zwortb 1pc Stainless Steel Hand Shovel CA$18.29 temu.to/m/ug8xr61oamc Professional Garden Rose Pruning Shears CA$7.79 temu.to/m/uquntaz6zio Stainless Steel Scythe Sickle CA$11.79 temu.to/m/u9yt9qdda8z Thickened Garden Shovel CA$6.49 temu.to/m/ucddaqb053c Garden Auger Drill Bit CA$7.99 temu.to/m/u32djplflg4 Diamond Sharpening File CA$9.79 temu.to/m/uvvvg9kjjfm Hand Pressure Sprayer CA$9.19 temu.to/m/uoh2j61bc82 High-Quality Pruning Shears CA$22.99 temu.to/m/uct29dea91w 65Mn Steel Blade Fruit Tree Pruning Scissors Picking Fruit CA$25.29 temu.to/m/un4355npl5f Garden Pruning Shears Stainless Steel Scissors CA$4.89 temu.to/m/uq9775wsuwh Leather Breathable Gauntlet Gloves CA$16.99 temu.to/m/uewz775nakq Small Hand-held Hand Saw CA$10.49 temu.to/m/urt7oh1gsgz Crack Weeder Crevice Weeding Tool CA$12.79 temu.to/m/uxo6v34puxmDivide Ornamental Grasses Now: Fall Demo & TourFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-09-16 | It was my pleasure to visit Exemplar Horticulture this week. Exemplar is a specialty producer of ornamental grasses, perennials and a whole range of other interesting plants. Julia from the growing team led an overview & demo of their grass division process on calamagrostis (feather reed grass).
Many thanks to the owners, Paula & Greg for having me out to the nursery for this demo and tour. I'm also grateful to Julia & Rajpal for the tour and demo, and everyone else on the team who welcomed me onto the site.
Incidentally, for those who follow my channel, Paula & Greg were the managers who hired me straight from horticulture school many years ago. I worked under their leadership for many years (at a different nursery). It's exciting to see how far they've taken their new venture, and I can't wait to see what else they'll do with it.
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Photo credits: Cortaderia by Joe Mabel CC BY-SA 3.0 Twilight Zone Little Bluestem courtesy of Walters Gardens Calamagrostis by Cultivar413 CC BY 2.0 Festuca with dry sheaths by Matt Lavin CC BY-SA 2.0Garden Design for Impact, Fall Planning TourFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-09-11 | We try to make significant improvements to the presentation of our farm every year, and our time for that is the fall. It's after the retail season, and we have a little more time to reflect on what worked (and didn't!). The thumbnail and early garden scenes are from a walk Lisa and I took through Sendall Gardens in Langley BC for inspiration. Yes, we're exactly that geeky about plants!
A couple of questions I'll answer here in the description, even though I expect I may have to answer again to comments:
1) Yes, we'll have some mix of roses and/or clematis climbing both of the metal pergolas we've already built, as well as the custom (curved garden) shade structure to follow. I don't yet know which ones, but will update you when they go in the ground.
2) I don't expect that Lisa will often join me for videos, so I'm happy you got to meet her. It made a lot of sense for this subject because she's the big-picture thinker for garden and nursery projects. For more routine garden and nursery videos I'm generally more comfortable with the topics, and so we just follow a natural division of labor.
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Photo credits: Kirengeshoma palmata by KENPEI CC BY-SA 3.0 Sciadopitys verticillata by scott.zon CC BY-SA 2.0Potted Mini Roses: Can They Go in the Garden?Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-09-08 | Frequent gifts for Mother's Day, housewarming, or Valentine's - these pretty little mini roses hold up for the occasion, but sometimes just barely! Going from warm greenhouse conditions to an air conditioned grocery store, and finally on to your dining room table takes its toll on a plant. They run out of nutrients, root space, and can look like heck once their blooms are spent. Let's talk about how to "save" these mini roses and put them back into good condition for your garden or patio.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningWhy Divide Into Pots?Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-09-06 | Dividing perennials in the spring or fall (mainly) is a great low-cost way to add plants to the garden or create extras for selling or gifting. I usually divide into pots for a few reasons, but the main one is that it gives me flexibility around the timing (and therefore placement) of planting. In this video I'll talk about some of my other reasons for dividing into pots, and also briefly discuss some overwintering considerations.
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Photo credit: Phlomis russeliana by S.G.S CC BY-SA 4.0September Tips: Stop Deadheading, Start Dividing (4 Examples)Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-09-04 | Timing is everything in the garden, and in my northern temperate climate the beginning of September is when you usually shift your focus from deadheading and think about dividing many of you perennials. In this video I'll divide four examples: monarda, sanguisorba (very small divisions), festuca ornamental grass, and hostas.
It goes without saying (or maybe not!) that you'll have to evaluate this timing and advice as it applies to your own climate & hemisphere. As you go into lower latitudes and warmer climates, you may push back into later months or even get to the point where these particular seasonal differences are irrelevant.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningRose Growing Tips from the ExpertsFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-30 | I had the opportunity to visit Ben and the team at Heirloom Roses in Oregon. While taking a walk around the nursery, we talked about rose growing tips that will be useful for both professional growers and the home gardener. Many thanks to Ben and the team for their hospitality. I was extremely impressed by the level of care given to producing healthy, vigorous roses for their customers - and their assortment is phenomenal!
They also host an excellent channel of their own on YouTube. Here's a link to their video with a close-up view of how they produce roses: youtu.be/CEzZDlGI6MI
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Photo credits: International Test Garden by User:Cacophony (Wikimedia Commons) CC BY-SA 2.5
Test Garden (2) by InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA CC BY-SA 2.5Seed Perennials Now for Next SpringFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-28 | I start a second batch of perennials seeds from mid August, taking advantage of our long fall season to get a good start for next year. Some perennials like aquilegia, geum, salvia nemorosa and dianthus are actually reluctant to go dormant in cooler temperatures - giving us valuable "bulking" time. Others actually require cool temperatures (vernalization) for flower initiation. A wide variety of hardy perennials are adaptable to this approach - but it helps if you're prepared with some additional protected (indoor, greenhouse, etc) space in case there's a quick cold snap or two before they're ready.
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Potentilla nepalensis by Michael Wolf CC BY-SA 3.0
Eucalyptus Silver Dollar by David J. Stang CC BY-SA 4.0
Aubrieta by Zeynel Cebeci CC BY-SA 4.0
Iberis by Tanaka Juuyo CC BY 2.0Cuttings Failed. What Now?Fraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-26 | I have a propagation failure to show you. It's not a big, spectacular failure like the cuttings melting down with rot, or dropping all their leaves and crisping up. In fact, these blueberry cuttings seem quite happy to stay green and relatively plump, but there's little sign of pull-back (rooting) or callus. Let's take a closer look...
It's important, I think, to note that I may not yet have the solution to the problem even after this closer look. What I have is a little more information, and the makings of another attempt. Plant propagation is all about persistence. While many plants will root from stem cuttings with the same basic conditions and methods, other plants can be quite particular about the stage (ripeness) of wood, temperatures, time of year, rooting hormone. In short: each plant can be a little different. My modest (but non-zero!) success rate only serves to motivate additional attempts.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningPeach Trees Under PlasticFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-24 | Here's our crop of peaches from trees grown under plastic at the back of our greenhouse. Winter protection isn't really necessary here: peaches are plenty hardy in our zone 8 climate. It's more an issue of protecting the trees from the ravaging effects of peach leaf curl during our coot, wet spring. The extra heat from the greenhouse does push along ripening I suppose too! I've seen other local gardeners succeed with peach trees under an overhang against a south facing wall.
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Picture: Peach Leaf Curl by Duartd Frade CC BY-SA 4.0No-Till Results in Our Not-So-Perfect SoilFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-21 | Would you call this method deep mulch? No-till raised beds? Just good old-fashioned top-down soil amendment? Whatever you want to call it, a deep layer of bulk organic (mainly composted wood material) allowed us to overcome the difficulties of our heavy clay-like, crusted soil to established this long mixed border in less than one year. Visitors to the farms have commented "well you must have a pretty good soil to begin with!" - then I show them the exposed area. Dry, cracked, lacking organic matter. On its own, it's a difficult surface for new plants to overcome (especially in the dry season). Mulch moderates the moisture, temperature, and gives young roots a foothold in the garden.
Thanks Kathy!
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningKowoll Kolmower M28E: The World’s First 3D LiDAR SLAM MowerFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-14 | I'm always happy to have a look at new technology, and goodness knows we have enough lawn to give this a try. This is a Robot Lawnmower at the Kickstarter stage - and instead of using boundary wires, it maps the area by satellite and plans a full mowing pattern, resulting in more straight lines and less time "wandering". I hope you find this look at the product interesting!
Facebook group: facebook.com/kowollgarden KOWOLL Introduces New Kolmower M28E Robotic Lawn Mower, World's First Lawn Mowing Robot with 3D Lidar Slam KOWOLL, a leading pioneer in robotic lawnmower technology, has just announced the release of the Kolmower M28E. This robotic lawnmower is the first in the world to use 3D LiDAR SLAM technology.
3D LiDAR SLAM stands for 3-dimensional Light Detection and Ranging Simultaneous Localization and Mapping. This technology allows the Kolmower M28E to create a detailed map of your lawn, which it uses to navigate and mow efficiently.
The Kolmower M28E is also equipped with some other features that make it a top-of-the-line robotic lawnmower, including:
A powerful motor that can mow up to 4,000 square meters of lawn in 24 hours. A weatherproof design that can withstand even the most extreme weather conditions A theft alarm that will alert you if the mower is moved A user-friendly app that allows you to control the mower from your smartphone The KOWOLL Kolmower M28E is the perfect choice for homeowners who are looking for a reliable, easy-to-use, and high-performance robotic lawnmower.Planning a Plant Nursery? Sit In on This ConversationFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-14 | I met (over Zoom) with Shelley from Kawartha Family Farm - a home-based plant nursery in Ontario, Canada specializing in perennials. We wanted to compare notes on our planning and results in the nursery business so far. Since a number of my channel viewers have also expressed an interest in working on their own backyard nurseries, I made the meeting into a video to share the conversation with you.
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For shareable articles on roses and gardening: fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardeningThrips in the Garden: Damage and ControlFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-07 | They're small, they're fast, and they're clever - thrips make for a difficult opponent in the garden. As a pest, their damage can range from minor an cosmetic all the way up to devastating. In this video, I want to show you the signs of their presence, how to confirm them as your pest, and then what measures you can use against them. Good news: even if you remained oblivious to these little guys, the beneficial insects and mites are already on the case: pirate bugs, lacewings, predatory mites are already feeding on your thrips. Does it make sense to supplement their numbers? That depends on the severity of the damage and your tolerance for "waiting it out" until the good guys get the upper hand.
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Photo credits: A single thrips by Katja Schulz CC BY-SA 2.0
Western flower thrips by Dave Kirkeby CC BY-SA 4.0
Chilli thrips damage by Matt Border CC BY-SA 2.0
Thrips damage on citrus by HeberM CC BY-SA 3.0
Solanum leaf thrips damage by Pl@ntNet Identify CC BY-SA 4.0
Thrips damage bell pepper by Gerald Holmes CC BY-SA 3.0Divide These 3 Perennials in Summer for Free PlantsFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-08-02 | One very rewarding method of plant propagation is division - and because I grow a wide range if perennials, this is my go-to method for turning existing clumps into free plants in a short period of time. It's easy, it works well for most perennials, and it's even beneficial to rejuvenate well-established plants. Here I'll demonstrate on hemerocallis (daylily), but you can also do iris varieties and oriental poppies during the summer. If you're a little fearless, many other perennials will come through summer division - you just have to attend to watering and mild conditions after they're replanted.
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Photos: Baptisia by Sarah J. Poe CC BY-ND 2.0 Divided Clump by Dvortygirl CC BY-SA 3.0Rose and Perennial Cuttings Next StepsFraser Valley Rose Farm2023-07-17 | Here's a follow-up video (with results) from my ongoing rose and perennial plant propagation under humidity domes. With more controlled temperatures indoors, I'm using this as my primary method for rooting new plants this year - it gets pretty warm in my greenhouses even under mist. Here I'll discuss some of the next steps and timelines: early root development, hardening off and then pruning and repotting.