THE ROSE IN NOIDA
Roses have played an important part in man’s prosperity, history, religion, poetry and politics. The Rose, aptly called the Queen of Flowers, has a history going back 4000 years. With diversity of climatic conditions in our country certain points are to be considered. These will be helpful for growing roses in Noida.
HISTORY:
Roses have been classified by the World Rose Federation Societies, American and Royal Horticulture Societies. The Indian Federation of Roses also came up in 1957.
We have heard of Cleopatra bathing in asses milk strewn with rose petals. Our own Noor Jahan is attributed with the creation of (Ittar) Attar of Roses. When she stepped into her Hamam containing rose petals she noticed droplets of oil floating on the water and that is as the legend goes is Gulab Attar.
Other rose products are gulkand used in medicines and paan products, and also largely known as a natural laxative. Rose hair oil (Gulroghan) is made by adding the essence to hot sesame (til) oil. Dried rose petals (pankhuri) are used for as air purifiers and potpourris
We are also all familiar with the cosmetic use of rose water. There are around Kannauj, Ghazipur, Ballia and Chittorgarh is strewn with rose cultivation in March/April to distilled rose water and perfumes.
Many people talk about making cuttings of roses. These can be made from our desi gulab - which we use for pujas, garlands, etc and our very fragrant. Today’s talk is on hybrid tea roses (HT) the largest and most popular rose grown all over the world. There are also flory bundas, which are a form of grafted hybrid tea roses, which are very popular and in clusters give a good display. Grandy floras are the largest in size but in the same category. There are also miniature and dwarf roses, polyanthus, climbers and standard roses. Standard roses are ideal for parks and large gardens. They grow on a single cane to form like shape about 4 to 5 feet above the ground. Climbers are used for fences, arches, pergolas, walls and cover a bare tree. They do very well in the hills and temperate climates. The hybrid teas are all grafted form the root stalk of desi gulab. But being a tedious and the vagaries of climate in Noida it is best to get grafted plants.
Anyone can grow roses but a milder climate is ideal. They require plenty of sunlight away from shady trees and their roots. They need protection from strong winds too.
You need to have balcony or ground with 5 hours or more of sunlight. Alternatively, there is the expensive way to grow in artificial light, by using 50 units a month.
Roses love company so you need to spend at least 2 hours tending to them and in the service of the rose. They can be grown on a sunny terrace, ground and pots, in soil and raised beds. Roses are hardy and can stand any degree of mistreatment as long as you can love them. Whenever there is a chance visit a rose garden or show. Pusa holds its annual show in the last week of December.
To start your rose patch, dig a trench 18” to 24” (2 ft.) deep, and add rocks, gravel, coir fibre, sand for proper drainage. Farm yard manure, bone meal should be used a little away from the roots.
BASIC MIXTURE:
3 parts manure/vermicompost
2 parts soil
1 part sand
Banistan and some lindane powder.
Neem khali powder and sarson khali
Addition of gypsum is a helpful to lighten the soil and make it more porous. It even helps to reduce the salinity of Noida.
Small quantities of sulphur and chalk can be added.
However initially don’t add any fertilizer. These should be given only 3 months after planting. Never ever over feed or over water. The feet of roses should never be wet but keep the soil moist. Hence it should have good drainage.
SOME OVERALL HEALTHY AND VIGOROUS ROSES (A.P. SINGH)
(A.P. Singh is a scientist in the Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-10012)
Though more than 20,000 rose varieties exist in different forms and colours but such a large list of varieties does not satisfy the rose lovers. People normally ask "which is a good variety of rose". By a good variety they actually mean a variety which is floriferous and easy to maintain. Giving a large list of varieties is simple but to cover a wide range with a small select list is not easy. The select varieties should be available in easily accessible nurseries and must have proved worthy of choice for the garden.
Considering all factors an overall healthy and vigorous cultivars noted on the basis of personnel experience and other observations are listed below:
HYBRID TEAS
White: 'Frau Karl Druschki', 'Hans', 'Jawahar', 'Lousiana', 'Mount Shasta', 'Tynwald' and 'Via Maia',
Yellow: 'Chitwan', 'Ganga', 'Golden Giant', 'Mc Gredy's and 'Peaudouce’, and 'Summer Sunshine'.
Orange Scarlet: 'Angelique', 'Atoll', 'Command Performance', 'Jawani', 'Montezuma', 'Raja Surendra Singh of Nalagarh', 'Ranjana', 'Sandra', 'Sunfire', and 'Surekha'.
Red: 'Bhim', 'Cara Mia', 'Charles Mallerin', 'Kardinal', 'Lalima', 'Norma', 'Mr. Lincoln', 'Raktagandha', 'Rakiima' and 'Sugandha'.
Deep Pink: 'Anurag', 'Arjun', 'Blithe Spirit', 'Century Two', 'First Prize', 'Dr. B.P.Pal', 'Mrinalini', 'Nishada', 'Peter Frankenfeld', 'Ratnaar', 'Sabine', 'Saridringham Centenary', 'Surabhi', 'Swarthmore' and 'Sylvia'.
Light Pink: 'Apsara', 'Ariana', 'Eiffel Tower', 'Jadis, 'Mridula', 'Princess Margaret of England', 'Pristine', 'Soma', 'Sonia Meilland' and 'Sweet Afton'
Lavender Mauve: 'Blue Moon', 'Lady X' and 'Violaine'.
Apricot: 'Chantre', 'Doris Tysterman', and 'Jogan'.
Bicolour: 'Bajazzo', 'Folklore', 'Love', 'Oriana' and 'Shreyasi.
Colour Blend: 'Abhisarika', 'American Heritage', 'Angel Bells', 'Kiss of Fire', 'Madhosh', 'Montreal', 'Sahasradhara' and 'Yashwant'.
FLORIBUNDAS:
'Arunima', 'Banjaran', 'Charleston', 'Cordula', 'Delhi Princess', 'Himangini','lceberg', 'June Bride', ‘Jantar Mantar', 'Lahar', 'Madhura', 'Manasi', 'Navneet','Nav-Sadabahar' 'Pink Parfait', 'Neelambari', 'Prema', 'Queen Elizabeth', 'Shringar', 'Rupali','Sadabahar', 'Suchitra', 'Summer Snow', 'Suryakiran' and 'Tiki'.
POLYANTHAS:
'Chattilon Rose', 'Echo', 'Priti' and ‘Vatertag’
MINIATURES
'Baby Darling', 'Baby Gold Star', 'Baby Masquerade', 'Cricri', 'Green Ice', 'Over The Rainbow', 'Rise N Shine', 'Stars N Stripes and 'Strawberry Swirl'.
- Roses do not grow in shade. They need at least 5 hours of sunlight.
- The location to grow Roses can be a terrace, balcony and the ground with garden soil. A south east location is ideal to get more sun in winters.
- Roses need a balanced diet. The planting should be away from big trees and have good drainage. Soil should be slightly acidic not alkaline. Roses thrive in a soil which is neither acid not alkaline — a PH value of 7. If the soil is acid, powdered chalk and bone meal can be added. For alkaline soil, sulphur (Gandak) is used. Ammonium Sulphate makes the soil acid and lowers the alkalinity.
Roses do not like a saline soil. This can be improved with the addition of gypsum (calcium sulphate) and sulphur. The following levels of nutrients are also required:
Nitrogen: 25 to 60 parts.
Phosphorus: 5 to 10 parts.
Potash: 25 to 50 parts.
Calcium: 125 to 250 parts.
Farm Yard Manure (FYM) is required for improving the texture and humus in the form of vermi-compost and leaf manure — makes sandy soils less porous and soil with clay more porous. Chemical manures are necessary for good roses. There are many rose mixes in the market. A very well-known formulation is the famous Parks formula:
Potassium nitrate: 6 parts
Ammonium Sulphate: 3 parts
Triple Superphosphate: 16 parts
Potassium Sulphate: 8 parts
Magnesium Sulphate: 2-4 parts
Ferrous Sulphate (Iron) 1/2-1 part
Gypsum (to lighten soil) 6 parts
Epsom soils, magnesium, sulphate or magsulph are available at chemists.
Further improvement is made by adding wood ash, fish / bone meal, sarson and Neem Khali. Never use chemical fertilizers for newly planted roses. Farm yard manure, bone meal, coco peat or other organic material should be used. Fertilizers and mixes could be used after three months. Foliar feeds and weekly pesticides can be combined.
Some brand names for foliar feeding are — Tracel, Jaldigro, Agromin and Vipul.
HOME RECIPE FOR FOLIAR FEEDING:
UREA: 5 GMS
DAP: 5 GMS
POTTASIUM PHOSPHATE: 5 GMS
1-3 TSP TO BE MIXED IN 15LITRES OF WATER
Mixture for top Dressing:
Cow Manure, compost: 12 buckets
Neem Cake: 2 kgs
Bone Meal: 500 gms
Wood ash: 500 gms
OR
Cow Manure, compost: 12 buckets
Urea: 225 gms
Super phashate: 625 gms
Sulphate or nitrate of potash: 250 gms
A TESTED RECIPE FOR LIQUID MANURE:
TO HALF A BUCKET OF COW DUNG ADD SOME OIL CAKE AND 50 LITRES OF WATER IN A BARREL. KEEP STIRRING FOR A WEEK. DILUTE WITH WATER TO MAKE A WEAK TEA-LIKE LIQUID. USE 1 LITRE FOR GROUND PLANTS AND HALF LITRE FOR POTS.
A clean and healthy environment of is very important. Sunlight keeps away pests, which breed in the shade, and most of all loving care, which has to be provided for all plants.
TWO ORGANIC SPRAYS
Garlic spray for plants combine a handful of garlic pods in oil and dissolve in a soap solution for 24 hours. Strain dilute, and use one part to 25 parts of water. Plant garlic and chives with roses, and plants of the cabbage / cauliflower family. This can be used for powdery mildew as well.
Lemon grass Neem leaf solutions. Boil together and strain and spray. This is used very effectively by farmers in the Far East.
It is hoped that Noida will get a great boost in rose growing, and with tender care we will have beautiful blooms in our gardens.
ROSES IN POTS AND SOME PRACTICAL HINTS
Once your rose plants in pots are covered with reasonably thick foliage, you can start feeding them with 1/4 tsp (level) of rose-mix per plant every week.
If you have time and keenness for growing better and more number of flowers in a plant, then try the formulae given below. I have been using these formulae for quite some time and the plants have shown excellent results. There are two formulae, one for the root and foliage formation and the other for the formation of buds and for getting the right colour of the flowers.
GOLDEN Rule: FOR ALL WHO GROW ROSES IN POTS: THE FASTER THE DRAINAGE, THE BETTER ARE THE RESULTS.
FORMULA NO 1: FOR ROOT, STEM AND FOLIAGE FORMATION
Superphosphate 160 gms
Potassium sulphate 80 gms
Sodium nitrate 30 gms
Ammonium sulphate 50 gms
Magnesium sulphate 20 gms
Iron sulphate 15 gms
Grind the above chemicals and mix them well.
FORMULA NO Z: FOR FORMATION OF MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BUDS, COLOUR AND QUALITY OF THE BLOOM.
Superphosphate 160 gms
Potassium nitrate 80 gms
Potassium phosphate 5 gms
Ammonium sulphate 40 gms
Magnesium sulphate 15 gms
Iron sulphate 10 gms
Grind the above chemicals and mix them well.
After around 12 days of pruning, you can start administering about 1/4tsp (level) of Formula No 1 once a week. In case your pots have good drainage which is possible only if they have no soil but just cowdung manure, bone and sterameal, you can put 1/2tsp instead of 1/4, once a week.
Around 35 days from the date of pruning, you can stop using Formula No 1, and commence with Formula No 2. (The quantity to be administered the same way as Formula No. 2.). Once the first flush of flowering is over, stop the use of all chemical fertilizers. Instead, give all your pots a good dressing of bone and sterameal and of course 2-3 handfuls of cowdung manure.
Resume your use of chemical fertilizers once again from the 7th of February till the end of March. (Applicable for north India only) Pruning and its use should be ceased once the buds show the slightest trace of colour.
The following formula has produced excellent results:
Galdi grow 1 gm
Urea 1 gm
Paras 2 ml
Magnesium sulphate a pinch
Water 1000 ml
Mix the above chemicals in 1 litre of water and spray early in the morning.
FERTILIZERS:
- NITROGEN: Most Indian soils are deficient in nitrogen and respond well to application of nitrogenous fertilizers. These days urea is most commonly used as the source of nitrogen. After planting/pruning, when the new growth has started, a pinch of nitrogenous fertilizer will act as a tonic and gives an impetus to growth. Half a tablespoon full of 'urea' is sprinkled in a circle about 20 cm from the base of stem, worked well into the soil and given good watering.
- SUPER-PHOSPHATE: Helps in the production of more and better flowers. It is applied in small dose when the flower buds first appear.
- POTASH: The third of the major element required by the plants. This is available in sufficient quantities in Indian soils. However, in combination with nitrogen and phosphorus, potash yields useful results.
The quantity of the fertilizer to be used will depend on the source, the size and vigour of the plant, fertility of the soil etc.
The important point to remember is the imperative need of using balanced fertilizer ratio of N:P:K. i.e. 1:1:2: and/or 1:1:3. Nowadays, the balanced dose is usually indicated on the packet.
FOLIAR FERTILIZER:
Remember: Watering of the plants is a must before and after the application of fertilizers.
Some of the commonly recommended formulations are:
- Urea: 1.25 g per litre of water
- Pottasium Dihydrogen Phosphate: 1.25 g
- Ammonium phosphate: 1.25 g per litre of water
- Potassium nitrate: 1.25 g
In areas, where trace element deficiencies are suspected, it will be worthwhile to supplement the major nutrient spray with a spray mixture of trace element.
One such mixture for correcting deficiencies of micronutrient is Manganese sulphate:
- Manganese Sulphate: 15 g
- Magnesium Sulphate: 20 g
- Chelated iron: 10 g
- Borax: 5g
Use 2 g of this mixture per litre of water.
A few points to be kept in mind with foliar feeding are
- Concentration to be kept low lest leaf injury takes place;
- proper stage of leaves to absorb nutrient - tender leaves not suitable;
- fully wet the foliage on both sides;
- spray with good sprayer with fine nozzle in the morning, when there is no strong breeze, on a day with clear sky.
Foliar fertilizer (urea) could also be mixed with pesticides sprays.
SOIL
Loamy friable acidic soils with a pH range of 5 to 6 and having a lot of humus or organic matter (2 to 4% in the surface of the soil) and a perfect drainage are considered to be the best.
WATER
Roses need normal water. Water logging is harmful. The general rule about watering is to keep the soil moist but not wet.
MAJOR INSECTS AND THEIR CONTROL
RED SCALE
This is the most serious pest of roses. Mostly noticeable from April to November. Regular vigil controls the attack at the first sight. Spraying with systemic and powerful insecticide like fenitrothion is helpful. Use of thimate or tamic granules in the soil is also useful.
THRIPS
These insects are difficult to see. Flower buds do not open properly and show some brown or black markings on petals. Spray 0.1% rogor/metasystOx.
CHAFFER BEETLES
Usually appear in July-August and eat away the leaves particularly during. Dust 10 per cent DDT, BHC, gamaxine or spray 0.1% melathion or rogor.
APHIDS
Aphids attack mostly young buds, tender shoots, peduncle and flowers etc. Dust with 0.2% pyrethrum (trade name pyrodust) or spray with any insecticide.
SPIDER MITES
Make a silky webbing on the underside of leaves ultimately drying them up. Spray 0.1% Mit 505 or Decofol.
DIGGER WASP
Tamic is applied in the soil around the plant and is taken up by the plant through roots.
WHITE ANTS (TERMITES)
Treat the soil with a mixture of BHC and DDT (1:1) at the rate of 30 g/ pit. Aidrine is equally effective.
MAJOR DISEASES AND THEIR CONTROL
DIE-BACK
The disease appears shortly after the monsoon and continues till the end of December. All partially diseased twigs must be cut and sprayed with 0.1% bavistin or captaf.
POWDERY MILDEW
The disease appears when there is a sudden change of temperature in early summer. It is better to have a preventive spray in February. Spray 0.1% bavistin/Karathane. Dusting with sulphur is also a good remedy.
BLACK SPOT
Black spot with fringed margins can be seen on both upper and lower sides of leaf. The disease appears during monsoon and may continue till the end of March. The diseased leaves should be collected and burnt. Spray 0.1% captaf/Ferbam bavistin/Dithane (Hexa-ferb)Z-78/Dithane M-45.
Note: Do not use any one insecticide or fungicide for a long period otherwise insects or fungi become immune to a particular insecticide or fungicide.