ROSES are a gift of nature. There was a time when roses were almost non-existent in Karachi. It is due to persistent efforts of the people that success was ultimately achieved in coming up with some rose plantations in the city. The success not only encouraged the people but also generated a desire for cultivating more and more varieties of roses. To meet the demand, some of the nurseries of Karachi became known for their roses and a substantial portion of their income still depends on the sale of such plants, especially during the winter season.
The performance of rose plants, to a great extent, depends on the quality of soil. Once the flower is planted, nothing could be done to improve the sub-soil. Failing to achieve this goal can be attributed either to poor soil preparation or poor planting. In this regard, the most favourable soil is thought to be medium clay loam, which is a mixture of sand, silt and clay. Adding humus (decomposed organic matter) can further improve the soil.
Now let’s discuss the right method of plantation.
After making new beds, take out the layer of top-soil about 18-24 inches deep. If the sub-soil is heavy, the addition of hydrated lime at the rate of three lbs./Sq. yard would be useful, but this would not be required on light soils, as they are alkaline. Addition of lime would also improve the drainage. Drainage could be made efficient by adding small stones, pieces of brick and pebbles to the bottom of the bed. Add 30-40 per cent farm-yard manure in bulk and fill up the rest of the trench with this mixture. The beds have to be watered moderately and left for two to three weeks before any plantation is done. The planning of a rose garden is so personal that one does not feel like suggesting things. However, I would like to mention a few points which may be of use for planning a garden.
Irrespective of the size of the garden, there must be a provision to conveniently approach all the roses. One must also have an idea about the ultimate requirements of a plant so that proper space provision may be done. To achieve success, one must keep in view the desired effect and colour combination throughout the operation.
It is advisable for the beginners to acquire preliminary information about different varieties of roses, for example, floribundas, hybrid teas, wichurianas, climbers and ramblers etc., so that they may visualize their would-be garden in a better way.
It is a well known fact that Karachi receives all the grafted roses mainly from Lahore. Because of suitable soil and favourable climatic conditions, Lahore is one of the ideal places for the cultivation and grafting of roses. These days, grafting has almost become a profession. The procurement of a good variety of healthy rose plants requires a certain kind of experience. Some useful hints for making successful purchases include:
(1) Though the safest are the plants growing in pots, the choice is generally limited, and therefore, one has to depend mostly on those brought from Lahore.
(2) The plants should be purchased fresh. This would reduce their mortality on the one hand and cut down growth setback on the other.
(3) Try and resist diseases, especially scale insects, mealy bugs and powdery mildew. Plants with any indication of pests or diseases should not be purchased.
The flowering season for roses in Karachi starts in the month of November and continues till the flowers become gradually smaller in the summer. This is also the time for fresh plantation. After the plants are brought home, planting should not be delayed. Before planting, dead wood, damaged branches and roots should be removed. It is preferable that the plant is also pruned about six to eight inches from the graft. Roses should not be planted deep and their roots should remain in the range of about three to 10 inches below the surface.
During the flowering period, the nutritional requirements are acute, and therefore, heavy manuring should preferably be started in the month of October. Well-composed dung manure would be quite suitable in this regard.
Continuous hoeing throughout the season is necessary to control the weeds and to maintain aeration of the soil. Any growth from below the union (graft) must be removed at the earliest if the cultivated variety is to be saved. It has often been observed that due to prolonged neglect or inexperience, the grafted variety dies out and stalk flourishes, forming wild pink flowers.
Apart from the seasonal pruning done in September and October, it is necessary to remove spent shoots as well as the dead and dry branches especially when they are infested with scale insect, mealy bug and mildew. The degree of pruning also depends on the condition of the plant. In case it is a strong grower, fairly long branches should be cut. On the contrary, light pruning rather than hard is generally preferable.
In case the soil does not retain water, the plants have to be irrigated twice or thrice a week. When the soil is heavy and contains moisture retaining humus, watering may be done weekly. Proper drainage is very important for roses. Generally, excessive watering does not harm the plant if there is adequate drainage. The sun is an essential factor for healthy growth, and therefore such a site should be selected where roses may get light at least for four hours a day.
Pests and diseases can be resisted considerably through good cultivation practices and preventive strategies. It has been observed that pests and diseases are the number one enemy of roses in Karachi. Their probable causes are: (a) the humid and hot climate of the city; (b) prevailing unhygienic conditions; (c) and the lack of proper preventive and curative measures. Information on the main pests and diseases and how to control them are briefly given here.
Scale insects constitute small, dirty-white, pin-head type of dots. With time, they grow in number and gradually become somewhat brown and persist, clinging to the basal parts of old branches. Mealy bugs are pure white, cottony in appearance. If proper care is not taken, they also grow rather fast in the hot and humid climate. Since both these pests are prevalent throughout the year, preventive measures on a regular basis are necessary. To control both of them, regular sprays with malathion at intervals of 15 days should be done. To eradicate the different stages of insects, the soil around the roots must also be drenched with malathion.
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease prevalent only in the winter and gradually subsides with the arrival of the summer season. The powdery whitish spots enlarge and cover the leaves and the flower buds and disfigure them due to uneven and stunted growth. The infected buds do not open and ultimately die-out.
ROSES are a gift of nature. There was a time when roses were almost non-existent in Karachi. It is due to persistent efforts of the people that success was ultimately achieved in coming up with some rose plantations in the city. The success not only encouraged the people but also generated a desire for cultivating more and more varieties of roses. To meet the demand, some of the nurseries of Karachi became known for their roses and a substantial portion of their income still depends on the sale of such plants, especially during the winter season.
It is advisable for the beginners to acquire preliminary information about different varieties of roses, for example, floribundas, hybrid teas, wichurianas, climbers and ramblers etc., so that they may visualize their would-be garden in a better way.
Apart from the seasonal pruning done in September and October, it is necessary to remove spent shoots as well as the dead and dry branches especially when they are infested with scale insect, mealy bug and mildew. The degree of pruning also depends on the condition of the plant. In case it is a strong grower, fairly long branches should be cut. On the contrary, light pruning rather than hard is generally preferable.
