Wednesday, June 1, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Miniature roses deserve major attention
By Kym Pokorny
Correspondent
CORVALLIS, Ore. —
Small in stature but large on
looks, miniature roses can
make a major presence in the
garden.
“They make wonder-
ful landscape plants,” said
Kathrine Johnson, an Oregon
State University Extension
Service master gardener since
1998. “They flower big-time
all season long.”
Often wrapped in foil and
sold as gifts, miniature roses
grew a reputation as house-
plants. In fact, she said, these
diminutive plants require six
hours of full sun and good air
circulation, so indoor living
doesn’t agree with them.
“Don’t think minia-
ture roses are tender,” said
Don’t think miniature
roses are tender.
— Kathrine Johnson
Johnson, past president of
the Portland Rose Society.
“They’re a hardy rose and can
live in temperatures as low as
10 degrees. You just mulch
them well like any other type
of rose.”
Though most often falling
in the 12 to 24 inch-range,
miniature roses grow as small
as 6 inches and as tall as 4
feet. Climbers reach up to 5
feet. A better way to recog-
nize them is by the tiny flow-
ers and proportionately small
foliage. The blooms mimic
the hybrid tea, floribunda
and grandiflora flowers of
standard roses and come in
single, semi-double, double
and clustered blossoms. The
colors are just as vast.
“They are literally just a
smaller size of your normal
roses,” Johnson said.
Their size makes minis
ideal for containers, a desir-
able characteristic for patios
and balconies. But the tiny-
flowered plants shine in the
ground, where they easily
take a main role at the front of
a flower bed, edging a walk-
way or at at the base of taller
plants.
When it comes to caring
for miniature roses, Johnson
Let kids
explore in
the garden
photo provided
Miniature roses have a major presence in a garden.
recommends the following
regimen:
• Site them in as much sun
as possible. Just like standard-
size roses, they’ll languish in
less than six hours.
• Feed approximately
every four weeks during the
growing season, discontinu-
ing about two months before
the average first frost date.
Use a water-soluble or liquid
fertilizer.
• Water frequently since
their roots don’t grow as
19
deep.
• Prune in late February by
taking out any dead, diseased
or damaged canes. Cut the
rest back by half. If you have
a lot of plants you can just use
hedge shears.
• Mulch in winter with
leaves or compost.
The OSU Extension
Service provides a variety of
gardening information on its
website at http://extension.
oregonstate.edu/community/
gardening.
CORVALLIS, Ore. —
When grubby little hands
grip your pant leg as you
head for the garden, put them
in the soil and they may dig
up a lifetime of learning and
pleasure.
“One of the keys to get-
ting kids interested in garden-
ing is to get them engaged,”
said Joy Jones, Oregon
State University Extension
Service master gardener
coordinator in Tillamook
County.
“Let them explore what
catches their attention, espe-
cially small children.”
Stimulating a child’s
imagination can be as simple
as filling a dishpan with dirt,
passing them a hand lens and
letting them delve into the
world that lives underground,
she said.
If it’s gross, so much the
better.
“They love that,” she said
with a laugh.
When teaching kids about
gardening, Jones watches
them blossom.
BANR ENTERPRISES, LLC
CONSULT | CONSTRUCT | COMPLETE
CLEARING • EARTHWORK • GRADING • UTILITIES • ROCK WALLS
ON-SITE SCREENING TO REMOVE ROCK & WOOD DEBRIS
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACTOR
We listen. We build what you want on time
and on budget. Quality: Start to fi nish.
SISTERS 541-549-6977
TUALATIN 503-692-5305
WWW.BANR.NET
SCOTT@BANR.NET | CCB: 165122
BANR
BANR Enterprises, LLC is a locally owned and
operated company with over 25 years of experience in
the construction industry. The range of expertise they
provide allows customers to come to them with a chal-
lenge and know that together they will find a solution.
BANR responds promptly to inquiries and gets the
job done right — and right on time. That’s why they
receive the majority of their work from repeat custom-
ers and referrals — clients who know they will receive
exceptional service, reliability and product.
BANR has built long-term relationships with sub-
contractors who are like part of the company. It’s all
about the people doing the work — and the people
they’re doing the work for.
BANR’s owners are native Oregonians who have
set down roots in Sisters, which will become their
headquarters, giving folks in Sisters a local company
that has statewide reach — and hometown values.
SPA CLEANING
& MAINTENANCE
With an artist’s eye
and a craftsman’s skill...
Tool & Garden Sheds • Custom Decks & Stains
Home Repair/Maintenance • Moulding & Trim Work
541-771 • 5778
Serving the Sisters area with integrity, service and quality.
541-410-1023 | www.aquaclearspas.com
Licensed, Bonded, Insured • CCB# 177412