"Roses are a favorite in so many gardens. But let's face it, those gorgeous flowers are sometimes accompanied by various rose diseases and pests. Is there an alternative to regular pesticide applications to keep these beauties producing the blossoms we so covet? Definitley, but it takes starting with the right rose and just a little attention throughout the season." via www.rose.org
I have a beautiful healthy rose bush (for once) in my yard, but I always get asked about caring for roses so that they look their best. My best advice - pick the right rose for the place you want to put it. You need 6 hours of full sun, good air circulation, a hardy disease resistant variety, and one inch of water per week. Pick up any fallen leaves or flower petals off the ground, try to water only the ground around it (not the leaves) and watch for any signs of disease. The quicker you treat the problem, the better.
What Kind of Lettuce is That?
I planted a mixed variety of lettuce in my garden this year and as I watched it grow I wondered exactly what kinds of lettuce it was. One of the plants in the row didn’t look like a type of lettuce, so I wasn’t sure if I should pull them out because they were weeds or leave them because they were some type that I didn’t recognize. I decided to find out – after all, I didn’t want to eat it and find out its poisonous or something! The package said “Mesclun”, which I knew meant “mixed”. I dug out the seed packet and in fine print it listed quite a few types. I looked for pictures of them on the internet just to be sure. This is what I found.
Mesclun means "mixed" in Provencal and is traditionally composed of several varieties of wild-harvested, young greens. Most mesclun sold today is cultivated--planted as beds of mixed lettuce seeds harvested when the leaves reach the desired size of 3 to 6 inches). Look for mixes that contain young, sweet leaves from a variety of tender lettuces, maybe a bit of curly endive for texture, some peppery watercress or arugula for bite, and maybe a few herbs. Some farms and markets sell special "spicy" mixtures that have more arugula, watercress, mezzula, and mustard leaves.
