I was hoping it would open today, but I guess you’re supposed to get a bud for VD anyways:).
The seedling started out purple but quickly greened.
The first bloom is DARK red, almost black. Appears to be darker on the inside than the reverse.
Knockout x (Black Ice?)
…I’ll post a real pic when it opens in a day or two.
Very beautiful Jon! It will be interesting to see how this one develops.
Jim Sproul
Sure beats my first flower of the season on Dr. Huey! LOL! No joke, it is the first one to open a new flower on a plant which had stopped flowering. All the others are continuations from last year.
Thanks y’all! I’ve never had any luck with Dr. Huey- I’ve played with it just a few times. You must live somewhere warm Kim. All my outside roses this morning had a thick layer of ice on them and we’re supposed to get a few inches of snow tonight. I’m looking forward to March! I don’t expect this seedling to be a finished product but it’s most definitely something I’m looking forward to carry on.
Yes, Jon, the roses grow on a west facing hillside in the Santa Monica Mountains, facing Malibu (over the mountains) between Pacific Palisades and the San Fernando Valley. It’s offically “The Valley”, but has sufficient elements of both coastal and inland valley climates to grow hibiscus and other “tropicals” as well as xerophytes but without Giant White Fly. It’s an odd combination, but a whole lot better than a few miles east toward the Sepulveda Pass where it’s often a continuation of the “perma fog”. Huey begins early and goes for an extended time. Banksias can flower for up to several months instead of the few weeks the perform just a few miles north. Mildew is the bane this time of the year, however black spot is rearing its head now we’ve had many inches of rain and started experiencing summer heat. It was in the low 80s here today. Not that far away, it was nearly 90! Thank Heavens it’s still “winter”!
Hi Jon, thats a great looking bud for Valentines Day, I really like the color. And I like the coloring of the leaves on your little seedling in the first pic. It looks like a really healthy seedling. Do you have these outside in a heated greenhouse? I am thinking of putting my seedlings in my unheated greenhouse outside for I am running out of room in the house under the lights. The temperature can get up to 75 degrees in there during the day but at night is when I am worried for the temps get down to about 25 or below.
hehehe my gf and I love watching the faces of the guys buying flowers on V Day. They all look so clueless and helpless lol. I noticed that a lot of stores had a lot of left over material and that the first thing gone were the small decorated minis. I guess the economy is harnessing capitalist love, too.
I did say I would post a picture when it opened.
I believe it to be near impossible to get anything but singles from KO…
I have another seedling about to bloom that may be more of what I’m looking for.
Flirtatious x (KO x Flirtatious)
It looks to be yellow and double, now if it just has some disease resistance… this is kinda the path I plan on taking with the red KO seedling above.
Jeanie, I would LOVE a greenhouse. As is I have a “grow room” upstairs in a spare room with a kiddie pool and lights. I only use it during the winter months when I can use the extra heat. I half expect to be raided one day (knock on wood)…
I love your last picture. Its cool how you can see your seedlings and the light bulb. If you get raided you won’t be the first person. Last year my neighbor called on me. Came to the door half a sleep and wearing only my socks and boxers.
Jon don’t feel alone, helicopters are always making fly-bys above my house too! If I am outside I just wave.
I just love your red dark seedling, it could still develop more petals as it matures. Your seedlings look so bushy and healthy. Do you prune them or give them fertilizer? This year my seedlings are tall sticks with just a few leaves lined sparsely on the stems.
You just might get a striped bloom from that Flirtatious x (KO x Flirtatious) seedling, be sure and share a pic with us when it blooms.
I attribute part of my success to the dirt I use from my yard. I have some pretty decent topsoil (just not much yard). I mix equal parts of river sand and peat to it and voila. I hear of people having problems with damping off but I don’t seem to have that problem using the above mix.
The very first flower from the KO x Flirtatious dad showed some subtle striping but subsequent flowers did not (which shows you should photograph the first blooms)… the mature plant also has small foliage which might be a remnant of Moore’s miniature background. This one does not appear to have any peach/apricot- so we’ll see if it shows some stripes. I don’t think it will even though the propensity should be there.
I’m sorry but I feel compelled to show off some more first blooms.
Mardi Gras seedling.
The Flirtatious seedling still hasn’t opened yet but I’ve come to the conclusion that it is going to be a mini-flora.
Hi Jon, Don’t be sorry…I believe everyone enjoys seeing pics of new seedlings. They are both very nice, I really like the color on the first one.
This was waiting for me when I got home tonight.
Oh yeah! That’s sharp. I think Fara would like it because of the speckles. What’s the parentage?
Jon, I really like the color on the ‘Mardi Gras’ seedling.
Jim Sproul
It’s strongly fragrant (which I don’t remember Mardi Gras being- and also helpmefind confirms).
Hi Jon, parentage is Gemini X Neptune. I just noticed on your Flirtatious seedling that it has red edging on the petals…very nice.
“Gemini X Neptune”
I can see that. Neat that you’re working with a Zary rose also. Besides Flirtatious, another Zary rose that I just love is Bella’roma. I’ve tried for years to get some offspring from it- to no avail, “maybe next time”.
very pastel