Julia Child/Soul Mate has arrived

Well nearly. The nursery has just rung to say the Swanes pair came in this afternoon, and are awaiting collection.

Let the Games begin.

Betsy is this the one they were calling "soft sell". From memory it is in a pot or similar and relative small numbers released.
If it is not to much trouble could you keep some records of it. I am also to receive one which records will be kept and returned to Swanes for further evaluation. My growing conditions will be different to yours so a comparrison will be interesting.

Yes,. this is the one we talked about on a long and separate thread , roseman.

Per your instructions, I will log all I do witth these two

Also also: I will record how each plant goes. The two plants may be really different.

My two Firefighters were thus. One thrived in awful conditions, and one was , well, just awful. Was it you who blamed the bad graft?

That is my opinion, might not have been me but I agree. Two things come into play, the rootstock and the union between it and the bud. They are a two way street, so to speak.
If it is not to much trouble weather conditions will also play an important part to this.

Betsy, any movement with your 'Soul Mate" since it has been in the ground.

Roseman, the 2 SMs (I soooo want to call them Julia Child) are still at the nursery, awaiting collection this weekend.

When they get home with me, they are going into large pots, about 20" diameter, not into the ground, so my notes will be based on container cultivation. This variety is a recommended one for pots, so it's an appropriate situation for these two.

While I have you on the phone, so to speak: I think you'll want to know something about the potting mix. I plan on using abot 25l of Brunnings Premium mix in each pot, with some additional BB. Soome Seasol, too. to start the roots going well.Maybe an extra dash of potash, too. Maybe I should throw one of my Famous Basa Fertiliser Fillets into the bottom of the pot?

You tell me what you want. Maybe two different mixes for the two pots as a control? The only thing I don't have at hand is cow manure.

Just as a side note:

My clouded crystal ball tells me that JC/SM will live up to the hype about being a clean and genrously flowering no-spray rose.Too many rave reviews on that score to ignore, in so many different gardens around the world.

Where this rose will win or lose (for me at least) will rest on the allure or otherwise of its sweet licorice scent. Will we like it, or not? Purely subjective results here. Apparently it's a very distinct fragrance, unwavering, so it could be a love-or-hate-it situation. Also, how fast does that rich buttercup yellow fade?

Prediction: this rose will be a solid bloom performer with no health issues, but will I/you care? We shall see.

@ bety....with newly potted roses leave out the BB and Potash till it is well established, but TWO basal fillets might be a goer......

No the same potting mix is just fine. I have heard about fish being added to the ground prior to planting, I might try it as I was given about 10 yellow belly(freshwater fish). As for the Seasol, I would place the roses in a bucket overnight in it and then once they are in thier pots use it to finally water them in. As for the BB and Pot I sit on the fence, if they were to placed in the ground I might think about incorparating it like the 'Basa' fillets. The B shop premiun mix is good we have used it in the past and it has other goodies in it from memory.
There is no reason why you can't call it "Julia Child" it is it's registration name.

I always soak my bareroots in Seasol for 48 hours in fact, but the JCs will come already potted, so that step is eliminated (unless you think I should resoak?). Will do all the rest as you suggest. The trick now is keeping everything well watered. WHERE IS OUR RAIN? 40 days and 40 nights, virtually nothing.

Betsy, as it is in a pot, I would soak it in the pot as it is in a larger container.
I am adding this bit I just found on another forum about something totally different Betsy,
Julia Child! Always in bloom and hardly a spot anywhere ever.

Roseman, is that supposed to be a hotlink? It doesn't appear to work

No Betsy, it was on GW about the cost of water and ths was part of the thread.

Aha!

Well, we shall soon find out for ourselves, eh, roseman? Is anyone else on the RTA board trialling this?

I am if finbarr remembers

Just had an email from Swanes that mine is leaving Sydney by Aus Post Friday. I will keep everyone up to date.

Excellent news, and good timing. I pick mine up from Wyee Nursery this weekend. I expect you may have the pick of the litter, roseman (would Swane's send anything but the best of the best to such an influential roseperson? Not if I were the Marketing Director ), but will be interesting to compare the three as we go.

Will be very interested to see how these roses go , keep us posted guys !!!

I tried Swanes Dural and couldn't get one.

Bruce, they called it a "Soft Release" prior to it's proper release in 2013. I think they want feedback on how it grows.

Regards David.

Mine left Sydney Friday by Aus Post.
Delivered to Kelso(Bathurst) mail exchange over weekend
Arrived Mudgee early this morning.
Note in letter box, parcel at PO,
I will pick it up tomorrow.

Whatch this space.

I am soo interested in Julia Child !!!!!!!

Continueing on with this space, JC/SM arrived home at luchtime with Carole, here are 4 photos of it's arrival.
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The above photo is how it came in the mail, the one below is what was inside the box.

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The 2 shots below are the front and back of the pot.

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Over the weekend it will be planted with lots of care

Dave Julia Childs structure trait is very strong , if you like those Old Fashion type blooms, I would cross it with some D Austin pollen, Gold Bunny would give you something of interest as well. Looking at all of it 1st generation offspring, it looks like it would be hard to pull the bloom form up. Oh Dr AJ Verhage would add to its wavy petals and would be very good and it a yellow.

warren

Interesting. Mine have small leaves also - the smallest leaves of all my new roses, except for Young lycidas, whose first leaves are positively teensy (lots of 'em, but itty bitty things)

I've got one cane on one, two on the other.

What a boring report. Thouight you'd want to know

Roseman, mine came with their names handwritten on plastic slips (the local nursery must have taken any tags off when they potted them from Swane/s bareroots. Could you give me the official rose porn screed on the swing tags?