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A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 10:30 am
I'm asking this on behalf of my sister, who has got a big plot of land and wants to plant lots of flowers there. She's recently thought about roses, but there's one issue though; how does one keep the grass in the rose bushes from overgrowing? I tried to help her out and cut the grass when it wasn't in bloom, but the thorns made it really hard. We recently saw some beautiful gardens with roses, where the grass was neatly trimmed, so I think it ought to be possible to do it in her garden too. So, does anyone have any good tips on technique, tools and roses? 
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 10:33 am
(This post was last modified: August 4, 2012 at 10:35 am by The Grand Nudger.)
Well. Heavy mulching (but that won't help the grass). Defined border edges (beds under the roses, turf outside the beds) or you could scrape the surface, lay down a weed barrier, and then sod over it with a slow growing and resilient grass. You might mow the majority and take scissors or a weed eater to the area directly underneath the bushes as well (buy thick leather gloves that cover the majority of the forearm).
How much blood are you willing to spill....there's a reason that roses are red...hehehehehe
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 10:35 am
Thanks Rhythm! At least that should help if she indeed plans to plant new roses. The old bush (it came with the house and has been there for decades) might not ever be easy to take care of, in that case.. 
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 10:36 am
(This post was last modified: August 4, 2012 at 10:39 am by The Grand Nudger.)
Np, also, you could look to trim the bush back to make the base more accessible. (I have a couple of rose bushes, but I don't have a problem with grass because of the ivy that chokes the ground (and walls...and everything else) around them. So, maybe looking at establishing a ground cover other than grass beneath is something to look into as well? Summer is the flower nerd...maybe if we say her name three times while staring into a mirror...
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 10:45 am
(August 4, 2012 at 10:36 am)Rhythm Wrote: Summer is the flower nerd...maybe if we say her name three times while staring into a mirror...
Yeah, and I was hoping to get Whateverist's attention too 
I did trim the bush (whoo, that sounded dirty ) quite heavily and that made it a little bit easier, but the thorns were my biggest problem. I had a hard time getting close to the tufts of grass that I wanted to remove, because it stung me right through my clothes and I guess that I didn't have the adequate tools accessible.
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 11:02 am
(This post was last modified: August 4, 2012 at 11:04 am by The Grand Nudger.)
Long gloves, long blade, problem solved.
(consider a clear plastic faceguard as well - you know the type, adjustable headband, used to keep liquids out of the eyes.)
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Ditto all of Rhythm's ideas. I grow a bunch of roses as well as lots of cacti. Between the two I've been cut up much more by the roses than the cacti. Usually it happens when I'm weeding between plants, come to a rose and decide to try to go in unprotected. You'd think I'd learn. I do have a pair of gauntlet gloves I use when pruning the climbers and larger shrub roses and they work great. When I'm not rushing, I use a large slip joint pliers to weed around roses and cacti. Some people use tongs but I have some pretty tough weeds that get in there and I find the pliers work better.
Many of my gardening friends are surprised I grow as many as I do. But show me another plant that has as showy a flower over as long a bloom time in so many colors and shapes while also possessing (at least in some) outstanding scent. But give me one with disease resistant foliage. Some are really hopeless so I mercy kill them and try something else. Edit ruthlessly. If you don't like it, it doesn't belong in your garden.
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Thank you both for the advice, I'll make sure to pass it forward to my sister
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 5:52 pm
(This post was last modified: August 4, 2012 at 5:53 pm by jonb.)
Gardening is dirt and pain.
![[Image: gardeners-hands.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=commtechroom222.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fgardeners-hands.jpg)
If you think roses are bad try hawthornes.
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RE: A question to our resident gardeners
August 4, 2012 at 6:00 pm
(August 4, 2012 at 12:39 pm)whateverist Wrote: Ditto all of Rhythm's ideas. I grow a bunch of roses as well as lots of cacti. Between the two I've been cut up much more by the roses than the cacti. Usually it happens when I'm weeding between plants, come to a rose and decide to try to go in unprotected. You'd think I'd learn. I do have a pair of gauntlet gloves I use when pruning the climbers and larger shrub roses and they work great. When I'm not rushing, I use a large slip joint pliers to weed around roses and cacti. Some people use tongs but I have some pretty tough weeds that get in there and I find the pliers work better.
Many of my gardening friends are surprised I grow as many as I do. But show me another plant that has as showy a flower over as long a bloom time in so many colors and shapes while also possessing (at least in some) outstanding scent. But give me one with disease resistant foliage. Some are really hopeless so I mercy kill them and try something else. Edit ruthlessly. If you don't like it, it doesn't belong in your garden.
Don't even get me started on my neighbors disease ridden gardens. Every time I care to look something is dying from this or that, literally rotting away. Every time I care to notice....the wind is blowing over their garden....and into mine.... One night, I'm going to mist rubbing alcohol all over my neighbors lawns, and finish the job they started.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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