Roses at Tasty Tuesday’s Farmers Market

As I have explained before, I attend a small farmer’s market most Tuesdays called Tasty Tuesday.  Tables set up in front of the New Port Richey library sell seasonal fresh produce and sometimes flowers.  This particular morning I was captivated by the mini rose arrangements on display in a farmhouse metal carrier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend is one of the few people I know who successfully grows roses in Florida. Think about. How many of you think roses when you hear the name Florida? Nope I didn’t think so. I know some of you might live in Florida and grow roses. I envy you – it doesn’t work for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is warm nearly all year with much of the year hot and humid.  The roses just tend to burn out. I gave up trying to grow them years ago, but I do love roses.  My friend feeds them continuously to keep them happy and they are growing next to a tree and get 6 to 8 hours of sun.   Roses can live in the sun in Florida but need care. First, you must replace central Florida’s sandy soil with top soil. Second, they need to be planted in the sun gradually if bought from a nursery. Nursery plants are not grown in full sun. So when I buy a plant at Lowe’s that says full sun, I may need to slowly adjust it to the full sun starting with part sun.  Third, you need to watch for mold/fungus disease due to the high humidity and treat when needed. In the summer with our constant rain, they can die from disease. Fourth, you need to use a high-grade rose food and feed consistently.  She suggests a liquid fertilizer.  If you are close to the coast, they don’t like salt in the air or water either.   For the average home garden in central Florida, roses are hard work. Most of my neighbors do not attempt them. In blocks of gardens, I have only see 2 with a small rose bush.  Lots of tropical plants are used which only need protection from the occasional cold weather in January.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So this is the closest I get to having home-grown fragrant roses.  I buy them from my friend.   Yes I envy my friends in cooler climates with the roses and other flowers I can’t grow, but next January I might have a hibiscus flowering while you are in the snow. I can handle that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For information on growing heirloom roses, check HeirloomRoses.com.

 

 

 

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Carol

I was raised in Tennessee but have lived in Florida for many years. Love my small home in the Tampa Bay area and its developing garden. My decorating style is eclectic - some vintage, some cottage, all with a modern flair. Pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Spent many years in social services but am happily retired.

36 thoughts to “Roses at Tasty Tuesday’s Farmers Market”

  1. hi! I am new to blogging so just finding my feet – but love your blog and these photos are so pretty! I am now going to take a look around and follow you on instagram…

    1. Welcome to the bloggy world – loved the photo of the boys today. Thanks for visiting. Follow me on any social media and I will follow you back. Hope to converse with you more in the future.

  2. Hi Carol, that’s really strange as roses grow beautifully here and we are hot and humid, but the best blooms are in winter. I recently aquired a couple of minature rose plants that I have in shade on the balcony. Personally I rarely have luck with anything that flowers apart from cactus, but I’ll take a leaf out ofn your friends book and keep on feeding them.

    xx

    1. I have friends who grow roses here but my thumb is brown in that respect. I watched a lady in the neighborhood plant about 10 rose bushes in full sun in winter 2016-17. She only lives her part-time and went up north in spring. By the end of summer half of them were dead. This year 2 are half alive and looking feeble. She thought she could plant them and leave them. Doesn’t work that way.I’ve been told by my friend whose flowers I shared today that she feeds constantly with a liquid rose fertilizer.

  3. What beautiful roses. I wonder if you see my Mother in Law at that market, that’s where they live! 😀

    1. She lives in New Port Richey? How nice to meet a neighbor-in-law! Let me know if you ever come to visit her.

  4. That is a bit surprising to see and I would also think the hot Florida sun would be too much for rose but these are some beauties. The red and white look so good together and I’m not sure what the little white star shaped flowers are, but I love them.

  5. I suppose roses would be out of place in the tropics. Could be why the roses I transplanted into the hotter parts of the yard are not doing so well. Live and learn, I am today. 🙂

  6. Roses are one of the few flowers that gave me no problems when I live in southern Calif. We have a dry heat, and Florida a humid heat. Wonder if that is the difference? (I don’t know though, because my logic would say, flowers like humidity in heat -anyways, these are beautiful roses in the cute metal container! Many thanks and appreciation for All Season, Carol! Have a lovely week!

  7. The roses are beautiful and that’s a creative way to display them. I guess we have to grow what’s best for our climate. Hibiscus must be satisfying to grow and enjoy. I try and buy a new rose bush every year as I love roses and there were none in the garden when we moved here. My husband also grows them from cuttings. Recent heavy rain showers spoilt some buds that were just beginning to open on one variety, but thankfully most are doing well.

    1. I think England means beautiful gardens because of the climate. Many of us in the US think of an English garden when we say “cottage garden”. I’d love to wander in your roses. Thanks for coming by Linda and I wish you a beautiful week.

  8. Your arrangements are really pretty. I live in NC and I have a rose garden. I know Florida can get pretty darn hot but wondering, have you tried Knockout roses? They are suppose to heat and insect resistent. Not sure about about salt water.

    1. No I haven’t tried that. This morning I had a talk with my friend who grew these roses and she says that I need to adjust my post. I misunderstood her about her roses which get at least 6 to 8 hours of sun a day beside the tree. There are other plants totally under the shade of the tree but not the roses. She said Florida soil is mostly sand and she totally replaced the soil with top soil. She feeds them regularly and treats them for mold due to excessive rain in the summer. They need care but can be grown in Florida. I still think they are not for me. I’m retired now and need plants that are really easy to grow and roses need lots of work. I still love them but I’ll buy hers.

  9. Oh, these roses are so beautiful. We have a small rose garden here, but it is not as lovely as some I have seen. Our soil is not that great for growing them.

  10. I admire her for the extra effort to grow roses in Florida, but I think sometimes we should focus on growing natives in order to support the ‘natural’ environment.

    1. I agree – I have many native plants that can handle central Florida’s extremes with some tropicals. The bees, butterflies, and birds love the natives. I love roses but do not attempt to grow them. It’s lots of work too.

  11. The DESERT ROSE!! We can grow the DESERT ROSE quite successfully in South Florida!!!
    (ok…I know it doesn’t come close…but..hey)

    Thanks for sharing!

    – Lisa

  12. Although I’ve seen many beautiful flowers in Florida, I agree, I don’t immediately think of roses. The roses in your post sure do look pretty though! Thank you so much for sharing, Carol, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Tweeting your post! Look forward to seeing you at the H&S Link party’s 8th birthday celebrations next week!

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