Once the standard in traditional cottage gardens, the moss rose gradually fell into oblivion and could only be admired as an image on old porcelain. It is now being rediscovered and is finding more and more fans. It grows as a large shrub with heights of up to 180 cm. The moss rose blooms once and develops brightly colored, medium-sized, double flowers.
Characteristics
- Genus: Mutation of the centifolia
- Botanical name: Rosa centifolia var. muscosa
- German name: Moosrose, Moosröschen
- Growth: falling, overhanging shoots
- Height: 150-180 cm
- Leaf: gray-green, slightly shiny
- Flower: medium-sized, double, various shades of pink
- Flowering period: June to August
- Scent: intense with a slightly spicy note
- Lime tolerance: lime tolerant
- Use: farm and natural gardens, as a solitary or background plant
Location
Rosa centifolia var. Muscosa is one of the oldest rose varieties for a reason; they are very robust and not very susceptible to disease. The right location is of particular importance. It should be airy and sunny with several hours of sun a day. A place in the blazing midday sun should be avoided. An airy location is important so that the leaves can dry off quickly. As a result, space under larger deciduous trees is rather unsuitable. A planting area that is unprotected from heavy rain increases the susceptibility to fungal diseases such as star soot and powdery mildew. The right location can also make maintenance a lot easier.
floor
When it comes to the condition of the soil, moss roses should not be planted where roses but also apples, pears, plums or cherries have been planted in recent years. Otherwise it can lead to soil fatigue. Even the best care is of no use here. The plants grow worse, have weak budding and flower formation is severely decimated. The main cause should be harmful pathogens or root-damaging bacteria. Roses do not thrive there even after more than ten years.
- Mix rose-tired soil with fresh soil, not enough
- Complete, large-scale replacement required
- To a depth of at least 80 cm
- Look for a location with unpolluted soil
- Making contaminated soil fit for the long term
- To do this, spread compost and algae lime
- The soil is thus supplied with trace elements
- Then a green manure z. B. sow with yellow mustard and marigolds
- Provides soil with humus and displaces nematodes
The soil at the new location should be rich in nutrients and humus, moderately dry to moderately moist and neutral to slightly acidic. Gravelly to clayey soils are very good. Difficulty is improved with sand and light with a good portion of compost or well-seasoned manure.
planting
Careful preparation of the subsoil is required before planting. It is loosened to a depth of about 50 cm and freed from root weeds such as ground grass and couch grass and other root residues.
- Then dig a planting hole
- About twice as deep and wide as the ball of the foot
- Because of tap roots, more deep than wide
- Mix excavated earth with well-rotted compost or humus
- Water the bare-root mossherb balls for 12 to 24 hours
- Container goods until no more air bubbles rise
- In the next step, shorten the rose shoots to 20 cm
- Trim the roots too
- Loosen the balls of container plants by pulling them gently
Then the moss rose can be planted and watered. Planting time for a bare-root Rosa centifolia var. Muscosa is in autumn and spring, but preferably in autumn. Container plants can be planted all year round, provided the soil is frost-free.
Care instructions
This moss rose is the perfect specimen plant, but also comes into its own in borders. Due to their compact growth and a height of approx. 150 cm, it is even suitable as a hedge or container plant. Like any other plant, the moss rose needs appropriate care for healthy and vigorous growth and an inexhaustible abundance of flowers.
to water
The water requirement of these plants is rather moderate, although they need a little more water in summer than in spring and autumn. Depending on the weather, once or twice a week is sufficient, maybe more often in summer. Specimens in the pot need a little more water depending on their location. The substrate dries out faster here due to the smaller volume.
The best time of day to water is in the morning. You should make sure to always pour on the ground and not over the leaves. The damp leaves could be attacked by powdery mildew. Hence is
irrigation with a garden sprinkler is also not recommended.Tip: Depending on the fertility of the soil and the water supply, weeds can settle in the area around the rose and represent serious competition. Therefore, regular weeding should be part of the care.
Fertilize
Another important part of maintenance is fertilization. The moss rose is fertilized in three stages. The first fertilization takes place in March in the form of a light dose of compost. The second follows in May and the last at the end of June, but no later than the end of July, both times with a special rose fertilizer. At a later point in time there should be no more fertilization so that the plants can come to rest. To ensure this, the nitrogen content in the soil must decrease. If this does not happen, the roses will still be active at the end of the year, which can lead to damage during the first strong night frosts.
Tip: Moss roses in pots can be supplied with a liquid fertilizer every 14 days from April up to and including July.
Cut
- Cut the moss rose every two to three years at most
- Best time in spring
- Cut rather cautiously
- Cut off sick, frozen and dead shoots close to the ground
- Cut thin shoots out of the middle
- Provides better ventilation inside the plant
- Shorten new shoots by a third in autumn
- Formation of new buds in the same year
There should be enough older shoots because this rose blooms on perennial wood. Ultimately, about the same number of old, previous and new shoots should remain on the rose. You should always cut just above an outward-facing eye and at a slight angle.
Overwinter
The importance of winter protection for moss roses is often underestimated. They are considered to be conditionally hardy and are grateful for appropriate protection. To protect the roots, pile up the soil around the rose and wrap the upper parts with a special rose fleece, sackcloth or jute. Moss florets need a little more protection in their pots. The earth can freeze through quickly here. The water absorption would come to a standstill and the plant would dry up. To prevent this, the bucket is wrapped in jute, coconut mats or bubble wrap and the bale is also covered with brushwood or dry leaves. To protect against frost on the ground, it is placed on feet or on styrofoam and then in front of a protective wall. Don't forget to water on frost-free days. However, excess water must be able to run off at any time.
Transplanting
There can be many reasons for transplanting a moss rose. The right time is particularly important here. It is between the beginning of November and the end of February, under no circumstances during the growing season. If the rose is still leafy, it will lose water through the leaves and its shoots can dry out.
- The older the plant, the more careful it is
- Leave at least 50-70 cm of the main branches
- Cut the side shoots back to about 10 cm
- Remove dead bodies directly at the base
- If necessary, remove some of the main branches
- This reduces the evaporation area after the shoot
- Then cut out a generously sized root ball with the spade
- Spade shouldn't act as a lever
- Cut roots as deep as possible
- Rose should be lifted out of the earth without resistance
- Plant again at the new location
- Pile up with humus until mid-March
- Or cover the base with fir twigs and leaves
Tip: Moss roses in the bucket should be at the latest
be repotted in fresh substrate every four to five years. Roots and shoots are shortened accordingly.Multiplication
There are different ways to propagate the moss rose:
About cuttings
The required cuttings are cut between the end of June and the beginning of August from annual, well-wooded, at best just withered shoots. They should be about the length of a pencil and have about five eyes. The cuttings can be planted directly in a sheltered place in the garden or in pots with slightly sandy garden soil.
When planting in a pot, make sure that the respective planter is about 30-40 cm deep. In addition, good water drainage must be guaranteed. To accelerate the rooting process, large disposable glasses or translucent plastic bags can be placed over the cuttings. The substrate should not dry out during this time. In the spring of the following year, the rose cuttings can then be planted in their final location.
By sowing
- First fill a flat seed tray with potting soil
- Distribute the seeds evenly on top
- Cover about an inch thick with soil
- Moisten the substrate and keep it moist until germination
- Put the seed tray in a cool place over the winter
- If the first seedlings can be seen, place the whole thing lighter and warmer
- Avoid direct sunlight
As soon as the young plants have four to six leaves, they can be separated into small pots with nutrient-rich soil. They are planted in the garden or pots after the Ice Saints at the earliest, when no more frost is to be expected. In the first few days, depending on the weather, you water them daily. From the second week onwards, watering can be done less frequently.
Tip: It can sometimes take several months for the seeds to germinate. So if they don't germinate quickly, don't worry.
Diseases
Powdery mildew
Under optimal conditions, the moss rose 'Rosa centifolia var. Muscosa 'little susceptible to disease. However, an infestation with powdery mildew cannot be completely ruled out. It shows itself as a white, floury coating on leaves, stems and buds. Growth disorders and deformities follow. Suitable fungicides are suitable for effective control. Good site conditions are particularly important as a preventive measure. You can also work with self-made vegetable broths.
Star soot
Black-and-brown leaf spots of different sizes are expressed as black-and-brown spots. This is followed by yellowing of the leaves and premature leaf loss. As soon as the first symptoms appear, countermeasures should be started. The trade also offers approved fungicides for this purpose, which usually require repeated treatment.
Rose rust
Rose rust occurs in spring and causes bright orange-brown pustules on the undersides of the leaves and yellowish spots on the tops. Here, too, the cause is unfavorable site conditions. Appropriate fungicides are again available for control.
Pests
The most common pests on roses are aphids. They like to settle on rose bushes in spring or summer. An infestation can usually be reduced with a strong jet of water. For further control, a self-made soapy solution can be used for spraying. The whole thing has to be repeated several times until no more lice can be seen.