Pat Munts: Remember a mom whose love is growing
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. It’s always a challenge for non-gardeners to buy a gift for a gardening mother, especially if she tosses around plant names you can’t even pronounce. So don’t try.
Instead, take her on a nursery tour to all her favorite places. Spokane and Coeur d’Alene have lots of great independent garden centers that are full of interesting and unique plants this time of year. Make a day of it and stop for lunch somewhere or bring a picnic and enjoy being outdoors. Be prepared to schlep lots of pots, big and small, as well as interesting garden art pieces. You are helping with the bill, right?
One of my favorite memories of Mother’s Day was when our daughter was little and my husband was still traveling a lot. Time to myself was a precious commodity. They got up early and fixed me breakfast and then turned me loose in the yard to play for the entire day. It was a joy to have the entire day and I relished the chance to plant and prune things slowly. So, give your mom the same gift and greet her with your grubbies on and tools in hand to be at her beck and call for the day. Icing on cake might be a truck load of compost decorated with a great big pink bow. Of course you will unload it and put it wherever she tells you to.
Most mothers love roses for their special day. Here are some tips for picking out that special plant and then helping her plant it. At this point in the year most nurseries will be offering containerized plants. The advantage here is that the roots won’t dry out and have a chance to start growing. Pick a plant that has strong canes evenly spaced around the plant base. Emerging leaves should be dark green and well-shaped.
Which type of rose do you pick? Hybrid tea roses are the most popular. Starting in mid-June, they will begin producing fragrant flowers in nearly every color (except black and blue) held on long stems perfect for cutting. Some other types to consider are shrub and grandiflora roses which are hardier than tea roses and don’t take as much care. Grandifloras are repeat bloomers so they will bloom through the summer while shrub roses will bloom once in June. Both will need a little more room in the garden than a tea rose but take less care.
Roses like a well-drain soil rich in organic matter. Dig the hole twice the diameter of the root mass. If the rose is bareroot, build up a cone in the center of the hole and center the root on it. If the rose is in a container, gently slide the plant out of the pot and place it in the hole. Back fill the hole with native soil making sure the graft point is about two inches below the ground level. This protects it from winter kill. Fertilize lightly and water the plant in its well.