One of the many tasks we complete this time of year is the pruning of my rose bushes. Proper pruning improves the health of the plants, prevents disease, and encourages better flowering.
There are different pruning strategies for different times of the year, but overall the goals are the same - to control the plant's shape, to keep the bush fresh and open, and to allow for better air circulation. This week my gardener, Brian O'Kelly, has been busy pruning the rose bushes on the perimeter of my flower garden. I have grown roses for more than 30-years. Many of the rose varieties I've purchased are highly prized for their petal formations and fragrances, so proper maintenance is very important to keeping them healthy and productive.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
During summer, my flower cutting garden is full of roses. Many of the rose cultivars growing at my Bedford, New York farm were transplanted from the gardens at Lily Pond, my former home in East Hampton. I also have various David Austin roses – all highly prized for their lovely petal formations and beautiful fragrances. This photo was taken in mid-June.
Most of the roses in this garden grow along all four sides of my garden fence.
Many of the roses are old fashioned and antique varieties. They include: ‘Alchymist’, ‘Boule de Neige’, ‘Cardinal de Richelieu’, ‘Charles de Mills’, ‘Constance Spry’, ‘Dainty Bess’, ‘Pierre de Ronsard’, ‘Ferdinand Pichard’, Konigin von Danemark’, Louise Odier’, Madame Alfred Carriere’, ‘the Reeve’, ‘Pearlie Mae’, and ‘Sweet Juliet’.
These roses look fuller every year – in part because of regular pruning. We regularly prune all the roses and cut any superfluous branches or shoots for better flowering and good health. A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae. There are more than a hundred species and thousands of cultivars. They come in many different colors, such as pink, peach, white, red, magenta, yellow, copper, vermilion, purple, and apricot.
Here is what they look like just before any of the pruning begins.
Brian starts on one side and works his way around over the course of a few days. In general, pruning is done before the plant breaks dormancy. This will be early in the year in warm climates, and anytime between January and April in cold climates. Every few minutes, he stops to evaluate the work he has done and to make sure he hasn’t missed anything that needs more trimming.
Brian cuts out any of the “three Ds” – dead, damaged, or diseased branches first.
Cutting away the dead wood first helps to see the shape of the plant without distraction.
Dead wood is typically brown in color, so it is very easy to identify.
Live, healthy wood is always bright green.
Rose stems are often armed with sharp prickles – they aren’t thorns at all. Unlike a thorn, a prickle can be easily broken off the plant because it is really a feature of the outer layers rather than part of the wood, like a thorn.
This rose has different sized prickles along its stems – they vary according to variety. And, while most roses have prickles, there are actually some that don’t have any at all.
Here, Brian shows where the cut should be made – always just above a bud eye. The “bud eye” refers to the area on the stem where branching occurs.
This is a rose hip or rosehip, also called rose haw and rose hep. It is the accessory fruit, the seed pod, of the various species of rose plant. It is typically red to orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips remain on the plant after the rose blooms fade. Rose hips are actually edible and many birds enjoy them. They also make great jellies, sauces, syrups, soups and seasoning, and even fruit leather.
Brian also looks at the overall shape of the plants. Here he is working on the top of one of the older climbers. Climbers take some dedicated work, but the end result is always so satisfying.
This is one of the older canes of the plant – quite thick, but still very strong and healthy.
Newer growth is green. This is also from the same rose plant.
And look how long it is, climbing and holding tight to the fence.
With the mild weather we’ve had this year, there are even some leaves on a couple of the branches.
Here one can see how pruning improves the shape of the bush. This one is well shaped in height and width.
Of course, all the cuttings are collected and taken to the pile for chipping.
There are still lots to do, but they’re all looking great. I am so proud of how well we maintain all our roses here at the farm. The basics of rose pruning are not difficult to learn, and the process triggers new buds to push at the base so that new vigorous canes can form. I can’t wait to see them all in bloom again come spring.
Be sure to tune in to The Roku Channel today to see my latest episode when I demonstrate the best ways to collect, store, and sow seeds. You can stream "Martha Gardens" for free on The Roku Channel.
We start sowing seeds indoors soon after the New Year. We sow thousands of seeds - all those wonderful seeds I enjoy purchasing during my travels, and seeds we order from our favorite sources. Many of this year's seeds, seed trays, and other supplies are from Johnny’s Selected Seeds in central Maine - a company I’ve been using for quite some time. Starting from seed isn’t difficult. They can be planted closely together in seed starting trays, and then pulled apart easily when they're ready to move into larger pots or outdoors.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here at my farm, we keep all our seed packets in plastic envelopes, and plastic bins – all are labeled and filed for easy reference. Mason jars with tight-fitting lids, or glass canisters with gasket-type lids also work. Humidity and warmth shorten a seed’s shelf life, so we store the organized seed packets in a greenhouse refrigerator.
Johnny’s Selected Seeds is a privately held, employee-owned organic seed producer. Johnny’s offers hundreds of varieties of organic vegetable, herb, flower, fruit and farm seeds that are known to be strong, dependable growers.
When buying or ordering seeds, be sure to read the hardiness of a plant. And know your hardiness zone, so you can select the right seeds for your area. Here in Bedford, we are zone-6b. It is easy to look it up online. Here, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, writes the seed variety on markers, so he’s ready to place it in the trays after planting the seeds. It’s also helpful to put the date of planting on the back. Ryan determines what order they will be started in trays depending on how long it takes each plant to germinate.
Ryan chooses all the necessary seed starting trays. These can be saved from year to year, so don’t throw them away after the season. Seed starting trays are available in all sizes and formations.
Select the right kind of tray based on the size of the seeds. The containers should be at least two-inches deep and have adequate drainage holes.
It’s best to use a pre-made seed starting mix that contains the proper amounts of vermiculite, perlite and peat moss. Seed starting mixes are available at garden supply stores.
When possible, prepare several trays in an assembly-line fashion, and then drop all the seeds. Doing this saves time and simplifies the process.
Ryan spreads the soil mix across the seed trays completely and evenly, filling all the cells of each tray.
Each of these trays has 128 cells – perfect for planting small individual seeds.
Here is a packet of seeds with its corresponding marker.
This hybrid Kelvin celery is a farmer’s favorite. It performs well under heat and moisture and grows thick and juicy with dark green stalks. I love celery and use it every day in my green juice.
Ryan drops one to three seeds into each cell. It’s always a good idea to keep a record of when seeds are sown, when they germinate, and when they are transplanted. These observations will help organize a schedule for the following year.
These seeds are pelleted. Each seed is coated with a layer of clay to increase its size for easier handling.
Next, Ryan covers the tray with a layer of vermiculite. Vermiculite is a mica-like mineral often used as a soil amendment. It is mined out of the ground, exfoliated, treated with high heat and pressure to force it to expand. The porous surface is great for retaining moisture and nutrients.
Here is a tray marked for herbs. Using his fingers, Ryan makes a hole in each cell, and then drops seeds into each one.
Seeds are small, so be very careful when pouring them out of the packet. These are sage seeds, Salvia officinalis, an aromatic herb of the mint family.
Again, Ryan begins to drop the seeds evenly into each compartment.
Look closely and one can see the seeds in the cell. These seeds will be selectively thinned in a few weeks. The process eliminates the weaker sprout and prevents overcrowding, so seedlings don’t have any competition for soil nutrients or room to mature.
Next, Ryan covers the seeds by leveling the soil and filling the holes back in with the medium.
This tray is also covered with a layer of vermiculate. Fortunately, my greenhouse is large and can accommodate lots of seed starting.
Ryan places the trays in our Urban Cultivator growing system – it has water, temperature and humidity all set-up in this refrigerator like unit. And then it’s back to seeding more trays – there are a lots and lots of seeds to plant. Seeds are usually started about two months before the last frost – we will be planting seeds well into March. Learn more about seed starting on “Martha Gardens” streaming free on The Roku Channel.
It's time for the Friesians and Fell pony to get their teeth checked! A good stable management program must include regular dental visits for the horses.
Once a year, my horses are paid a visit by their lay equine dentist, Brian Stuart. Unlike human teeth, equine teeth are constantly growing, which means their bites are always changing. Because of this, it is very important for a horse’s mouth to be examined for any sharp edges or misaligned molars. The process of correcting these conditions is called floating - filing or rasping an equine’s teeth so that chewing surfaces are smooth and properly contoured for eating. These days, power floating has become a popular method, but I prefer the all-natural, more traditional hand filing process. Yesterday, Brian came to my stable to check on all my horses.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Whenever we see this bucket of tools, we know it’s that time of year again when the lay equine dentist comes to my stable to check on all the horses’ teeth. Yesterday, all my Friesians and Banchunch the Fell pony got their annual dental exams. These are Brian’s tools of the trade. They are called floats. When not being used on a horse, Brian soaks them in a Chlorhexidine solution, an antimicrobial disinfectant. Floats are about 21-inches long. The long handles allow Brian to get to the back molars.
Each float is fitted with a sharp tungsten carbide blade made of chips that are bonded to the base. This is what files each tooth during the floating process. Brian has 10-floats in his bucket. The floats also come in varying angles for use on different teeth. By using these floats, Brian can file sharp enamel points to correct any dental imbalances.
This is an “s” file, a two-sided file used for finishing areas and for polishing the front of the molars section where the horse’s bit sits.
The key to working with horses is to gain their trust, which in turn helps them calm down. Brian spends a few minutes just talking to each horse before he begins working.
Brian has been practicing for more than 30-years. He always works in the horse stalls where they are most relaxed. He starts by checking the front teeth.
Much of Brian’s work is done through feel. He feels for any abnormalities in the mouth. Horses have 42 teeth in all. Of those, 24 are molars and premolars that are constantly growing and being worn away.
Brian uses a float to file any uneven or high edges of the front molars. The process of teeth floating and occlusion adjustment are not painful, but the sound of the rasp may need some getting used to, especially for a horse that is new to dental care. Rinze is very accustomed to Brian and his tools.
Regular dental exams and floating are an important part of a horse’s preventative health care plan, so Brian comes to my stable once or twice a year. Over the years, power floating has become more popular than traditional hand filing, but this manual method is more natural and does not require anesthesia. All that is needed is a knowledgeable practitioner and a trusting relationship between horse and dentist.
After each horse is done, Brian goes over all his findings with my stable manager, Helen Peparo.
And then she logs everything down, so we have records of the horses’ dental health from year to year.
Rufus and Truman “TJ” Junior look on with curiosity – it’s not the donkeys’ dental day yet.
Hylke knows it’s his turn next.
This is a McPherson full mouth speculum. It keeps the horse’s mouth open during the floating process.
Brian places the speculum on Hylke – he doesn’t seem to mind it at all.
After feeling his teeth with his hand, Brian reaches in with a float to assess the back molars and floats those that need it.
Hylke remains still for the entire process. Brian continues to speak softly to keep Hylke relaxed. Fortunately, Hylke has had regular floating at his last stable, so his teeth are in good condition.
Brian is almost done. The speculum is removed and Brian does some finishing touches with the “s” file. Hylke seems to know he gets a c-o-o-k-i-e next.
What a good boy, Hylke. Brian always talks to them after their session so they end positively. All the horses are in good condition – thankfully just some routine work this year.
By the afternoon, all the horses are back in their paddocks enjoying the day’s mild winter weather…
… And of course, eating hay.
It’s comforting to know all the horses, my pony, and the donkeys are doing well here at the farm.
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