Fraser Valley Rose Farm

There are quite a few advantages to adding a mulch of wood chips to the garden if you can find a convenient (or especially free!) local supply. I have heard a few concerns raised about their use, and I wanted to quickly outline them here: 00:00 Intro 00:31 Pests 01:12 Nitrogen Lock Up 02:34 Soil Acidity/pH 03:28 Delay of Soil Warming 04:17 Fungal Growth Some of these can be overcome with some by adjusting which plants you apply it to or the manner of use. In my situation, I'm confident the advantages far outweigh any concerns! If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credit: Field of blueberries by University of Delaware Carvel REC CC BY 2.0

One easy plant to propagate by leaf cuttings is African violet (saintpaulia). In this video I'll show you the easy method to get started, and I'll also briefly discuss why this method may not be the right choice for "pinwheel" or other chimera saintpaulias. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Exhibition african violets by 阿橋 HQ CC BY-SA 2.0 Chimera statue by Carole Raddato CC BY-SA 2.0 Laburnocytisus by Simon Garbutt CC BY-SA 3.0

Let’s look at some small trees for your garden: dwarf and small conifers, mainly evergreen, in all sorts of shapes, colors and textures! Here I visit Burkland Gardens in Mt. Vernon WA, nursery specializing in dwarf and unusual conifers. This video is part 1 of 2. Here’s a link to the rest of the tour: https://youtu.be/yKvBK3sxgWo Many thanks to Gil for sharing his time and expertise. For viewers looking for more information of the kinds of plants on this tour, here are links to Burkland Gardens on YouTube and their business web page: https://www.youtube.com/@burklandgardens643 https://www.burklandgardens.com If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Gold Tipped Picea by Mark Bolin CC BY-SA 2.0 Abies Ice Breaker by laurent houmeau CC BY-SA 2.0 Witches Broom on Jack Pine by Elia Sagor CC BY-SA 2.0

Let’s look at some small trees for your garden: dwarf and small conifers, mainly evergreen, in all sorts of shapes, colors and textures! Here I visit Burkland Gardens in Mt. Vernon WA, a nursery specializing in dwarf and unusual conifers. This video is part 2 of 2. Here’s a link to the rest of the tour: https://youtu.be/-YDxLlKIXPo Many thanks to Gil for sharing his time and expertise. For viewers looking for more information of the kinds of plants on this tour, here are links to Burkland Gardens on YouTube and their business web page: https://www.youtube.com/@burklandgardens643 https://www.burklandgardens.com If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Gold Tipped Picea by Mark Bolin CC BY-SA 2.0 Abies Ice Breaker by laurent houmeau CC BY-SA 2.0 Witches Broom on Jack Pine by Elia Sagor CC BY-SA 2.0

Have you ever wondered about buying (or selling) cuttings or scion wood by mail order? In this interview style video, I'll talk to Mark from Dingdong's Garden @dingdongsgarden - they've been selling stems for hobbyist growers who want to try out propagation, and collect some fun an interesting varieties along the way! Thanks to Mark and Dingdong for taking the time to discuss and for providing the footage to go along with the conversation. You can check out their current offerings at www.dingdongsgarden.com If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/

Scrape a little extra skin or bark from the base of your cuttings? It's sometimes called "scoring" and it's a common bit of plant propagation advice. As with so many methods, the answer of whether you should give it a try comes down to the variety, and your willingness to experiment. I find that most shrubs and perennials root fairly easily with basic techniques, and without scoring. If I get good results without the extra handling, why change it up? Because there are likely difficult-to-root varieties where this method will make the difference between success and failure. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/

With winter approaching, my woody plants are well on their way to dormancy, and that opens the window for hardwood cuttings. While I find them slower and less certain than summer cuttings, some shrubs and trees are particularly suited for this kind of propagation. I'll give you six examples and a list of others to try. In the meanwhile, here's a refresher on the technique and placement. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Spirea by Peter Stenzil CC BY-ND 2.0 Limelight hydrangea by Delaware Master Gardeners CC BY 2.0

We're building supports and planting climbing roses to build more impactful, dramatic features for the garden. In this video I'll take you through some of my selections for climbers, with some focus on the structures we're highlighting (or hiding!). If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Pale Pink Climber by Acabashi CC BY-SA 4.0 Compassion by MM CC BY-SA 3.0 Crepuscule by 阿橋 HQ CC BY-SA 2.0 John Davis by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Constance SPry by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Baltimore Belle by Nadiatalent CC BY-SA 4.0 Lady of Shalott by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Rosanna by Salicyna CC BY-SA 4.0 Etoile de Hollande by Salicyna CC BY-SA 4.0 Rosarium Uetersen by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Geschwinds Orden by Wilrooij CC BY-SA 4.0 Narrow Water by Epibase CC BY-SA 3.0 Buff Beauty by Leonora (Ellie) Enking CC BY-SA 2.0 Leverkusen by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz CC BY-SA 4.0 Don Juan by Chic Bee CC BY 2.0 Bleu Magenta by Momoly CC BY-ND 2.0 Royal Sunset by Ryan Somma CC BY-SA 2.0 Madame Alfred Carriere by Anna Reg CC BY-SA 3.0

I'm talking to Josh, a rose enthusiast who has taken on the challenge of saving a neglected public rose garden in Bend, Oregon. Planted in 1948, the garden once had hundreds of roses on display, but over time they've become weedy & overgrown. With a little annual care, I'm sure they can once again become the focal point of Bend's scenic Pioneer park on the banks of the Deschutes river. In this video we'll discuss some of the next steps in pruning the "lanky" roses to encourage fresh branching, and I'll answer some general questions about roses. Many thanks to Josh for taking the time and effort to arrange this video call, and for collecting video we could share on YouTube. My hope is that the discussion can provide encouragement to anyone who is in the midst of their own "garden rescue" whether private or public. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/

The potted mums that are commonly sold as fall decor are bred from perennial chrysanthemum varieties. While the focus of current breeding is not really on making a hardy perennial, they're often hardy to zones 5 or 6 when well-established in the garden. If you care to try, your best chance at "saving" garden mums from one season to the next is one of two methods: 1. Plant the mums out in the garden fairly early after purchase - the more time they have for rooting, the better. In my example, I'm starting late, so I've trimmed the flowers. That'll serve (I hope) to allow more light down to the foliage, and redirect the plant's energy from flowering to rooting. 2. Propagate by cuttings. Again, this is likely better earlier in the year - on mums you've already overwintered. I'll show in this video, however, that it's possible to root cutting even from flowering stems. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/

In this interview style video, I'll present a conversation with Larry and Martha from the Growing Our Retirement YouTube channel. Here are the links to their channel and website: https://www.youtube.com/@Growing-Our-Retirement https://growingourretirement.com/ The topic for discussion is how each of us has developed a plant business to provide activity and income for retirement. Those who have watched my videos on backyard nursery in the past will know this: I wouldn't suggest the plant business is either easy or a sure money maker. It's not just a matter of sinking your retirement money into plants and expecting a quick return. I hope you'll see from the discussion that it pays to do a lot of research and to understand your own abilities & risk tolerance levels. Thanks so much to Larry and Martha for participating in the video! If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Norway spruce (Picea abies) by Famartin CC BY-SA 4.0 Norway spruce cones by Ryan Hodnett CC BY-SA 4.0 Arborvitae (Thjua occidentalis) by David J. Stang CC BY-SA 4.0 Schip laurel by H. Zell CC BY-SA 3.0 Schip laurel by Fancy DB CC BY-SA 4.0 Emerald ash borer poster by Fungus Guy CC BY-SA 3.0 Plant growing field by Chrisdlink CC BY-SA 4.0

This Asian bug is spreading across North America, South America and Europe - feeding on a wide range of garden fruits, veggie and ornamental crops. It's the brown marmorated stink bug. Note that there are native stink bugs that are far less concerning. Look for the white bands on the antennae to ID the Asian species. The fight against rapidly spreading invasive pests can seem a little hopeless: since most of their natural enemies have been left at home. But that's not the whole story. Biologists have found that the Samurai wasp (I couldn't make this stuff up!) has valiantly followed its enemy and is establishing across its new range. Additionally, under close observation, scientists have found that some native predators are well-suited to feeding on on the new stink bug to our continent. Green lacewings, assassin bugs, spiders, birds, and even pill bugs have a role to play. Mark down another point for biological diversity in the garden! Here's the fact sheet I referenced in the video: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/animals-and-crops/plant-health/insects-and-plant-diseases/tree-fruits/brown-marmorated-stink-bug If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug by Chris Hedstrom CC NY-SA 2.0 DEED by Gilles San Martin CC BY-SA 2.0 by Judy Gallagher CC BY-SA 2.0 By Yerpo CC BY-SA 3.0 Laying eggs by Eggs hatching by David R. Lance CC BY 3.0 Samurai wasp by OSU CC BY-SA 2.0 Green lacewing by Judy Gallagher CC BY 2.0 US distribution map by Jofre Espigule Pons CC BY-SA 4.0

Lisa and I are enjoying the challenge of building our own backyard nursery business. I have no difficulty encouraging others to take the leap into horticulture - growing and selling plants! It does, however, make sense to give a little extra consideration to the question: How big a business do we want this to be? And further: Is there a plan in place for succession or a clean exit? I've seen so many plant growers and sellers struggle with this - building up large and fast, only much later to wonder how to conclude or ensure the continuation of the business. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Butchart Gardens by Robthepiper CC BY-SA 3.0

If you're in a cold-winter climate, should you prune your rose in the fall? Usually my answer is to wait. The early spring (or after first bloom for once-bloomers) is usually a better time to address the size, shape and health of your rose with structural pruning. By then, you'll be able to see what damage has been done by winter cold. However, if your roses have an unruly streak, they may have sent up some stems that are vulnerable to damage from winter wind or snow. In this video, I'll show you some examples of preventive pruning to protect roses from winter damage. I should say a couple more things I didn't have time to address in the video. 1) of course if you're in a climate with no serious cold, it makes no sense to wait until spring, and you're more likely to tackle your structural pruning in the coolest part of the year. 2) if you're in a climate much colder than mine, you may also be offering some winter protection to your roses in the form of wrapping/covering/mounding with soil. It's still a good idea to time this protection carefully and let your roses see some cold beforehand. A touch of cold can help settle them into dormancy, which makes them more likely to survive the conditions inside the protective layer. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/

The shelves of your local grow store may be stocked with dozens of high-priced (mainly liquid) plant supplements, each with their own claims. Should you trust them? Of course not. Pssst... they're after your money! Their whole job is to put something into a bottle, market the heck out of it, and sell it for many times what it cost them to produce. How many times? Who knows... the product contents, claims and results are as non-specific as possible. Sorry to say it, but the responsibility and blame falls on the buyer. It's your job to ask the questions that matter, and demand satisfactory evidence before opening your wallet. Vague claims and a lack of independent evidence should mean you won't purchase, full stop. That's the only power the consumer has to convince these supplement makers to offer specific, reality-based claims and back them up with research. I mentioned that even within the humic acid industry, there's concern about the false claims. Here's a link to one of those suppliers: https://youtu.be/qxlotcSrSWQ?si=vu6_KyASO2JNxyLL&t=27 Note that even though he acknowledges the problems, it's still his business to promote the benefits of humic acid. I'm not judging, I just always consider the source. The products profiled in this video, the the sections discussing/showing their packaging, website, claims and even commercials are offered here under what I'll be happy to defend as fair use. One of the better outcomes user-generated video platforms like YouTube is open criticism of business practices. If they don't like it, it's completely within their power to fully specify and prove their marketing claims. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/

Hardy plants in pots are more vulnerable to the wet, cold and windy weather of winter. In this video, I'll go through 5 techniques to better protect your container plants over the winter season. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/

We've been running a plant business as a side-hustle for a number of years now, but it was only last year (2022) that we opened the farm with regular hours as a sort of retail nursery. It's true that we don't look the part of a true garden center. Customers who are accustomed to big parking lots, retail displays, nursery staff and cashiers may look at us as unfinished: a work in progress. And they'd be right! We haven't gone ahead and built the more familiar "from the ground up" version of a retail garden center. Partly that would be from a reluctance to sink big money into the effort. Instead, we're trying to bootstrap our reputation from local plant sales, garden clubs and social media - and the result is a less formal shopping experience. We're adding more plants as we can propagate them (with some bought in for additional assortment) and we're now working on the bones of our display gardens. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photos: International Test Garden by Another Believer CC BY-SA 3.0 Salvia bulleyana by Mikeschgardener CC BY-SA 4.0

If you're planning a rose in memory of a loved one, it's tempting make your choice based on the rose's marketing name. If the deceased was named Beverly, you're in luck with a well-behaved and strong performing garden rose - but usually the choices don't match up quite so neatly. In this video, I'll offer just a few quick points of advice for choosing a planting a rose as a memorial. If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/ Photo credits: Dorothy Perkins by Vivian Evans CC BY-SA 2.0 Irish Eyes by Conall CC BY 2.0 Memoire by Salicyne CC BY-SA 4.0 Fellowship by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0 Belinda’s Dream by Inga Munsinger Cotton CC BY 2.0 Julia Child by T. Kiya CC BY-SA 2.0

This is the more condensed video to answer the question of how you should feed (fertilize) roses - in pots vs. in the ground. While you can get satisfactory results with a wide range of fertilizers, the horticultural literature and research appears to be pointing away from the high phosphorus formulations that are commonly marketed as "rose food". For the detailed discussion video (how I reached these conclusions) here's the link: https://youtu.be/axVxXLrIhyo If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out: Send a tip: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm Have a look at our Amazon shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fraservalleyrosefarm Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleyRoseFarm/ Leave a review of our farm on Google: https://g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review For shareable articles on roses and gardening: https://www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/articles-on-roses-and-gardening/