National EarthKind™ Rose Trial, Centerville, Texas

Leon County Master Gardeners Jeff Miller, Mary Foucheux, Maranne Gage, Brenda Sevell prepare ground for rose’s. Contributed photo Do you grow roses? Many home gardeners don’t because they’ve been disappointed in the roses they have tried to grow. Several years ago a program that came to be called EarthKind™ was started in Texas. Rose growers were asked to name their most hardy roses. Over 100 different cultivars were picked for the first tests. The chosen roses were planted in several different locations around the state. The soil was cultivated and the plants were mulched. Except for supplemental water the first year, the plants were given no care. They were never pruned, never fertilized or sprayed with any chemical, and never deadheaded. At the end of the trial there were 11 varieties that were chosen as the best and given the EarthKind™ designation. These roses and several other cultivars added since that first test have been proven to grow and bloom well all over the state of Texas with minimal water, chemicals, and care. The stipulations are that the plants are “own root” (not grafted), are planted in soil amended with compost, in a location with 8 hours of sun, and the soil is kept mulched with 3-4” of organic mulch.

Leon County Master Gardeners Cheryl Loftin and Judy Johnson rake out the mulch for rose beds. Contributed photo Growers around the nation saw the results of the EarthKind™ trials and asked that the research be extended to a national test. Thirty cultivars are currently being tested nationally. The trials are not exactly like the first Texas trials. Three of each cultivar chosen to be tested are planted in compost amended soil. Like the original test, the soil is kept mulched throughout the trial period. The soil moisture is checked regularly and the plants are watered if the soil gets dry one inch below the soil surface.

In 2009 the Leon County Master Gardeners decided to participate in the National Rose Trials. An area located in the Centerville City Park was secured for the location. It was the former location of the old Centerville Water Tower. This week the ground was cleared and cultivated. The trial area was laid out and in October 90 roses will be planted according to the research guidelines by a group of master gardeners and local residents. After watering the plants the whole trial bed will be spread with 3-4” of wood chips.

In March of 2010 evaluations will start. The plants are rated by a team of master gardeners monthly on the appearance of the foliage, evidence of insect or disease damage, blossoms, and growth habit. Monthly evaluating will continue through the 2011 growing season. It is expected that not all the plants will survive. At the end of the study the best plants will be donated for use in demonstration EarthKind gardens around Leon County.

You are welcome to visit the trial gardens. Just remember “PLEASE DON’T PICK THE FLOWERS”.