Marion couple doesn’t let winter slow their roses down

MARION - From tiny flowers that hug the ground to towering bushes with huge, round blossoms, the roses in Peg and John Slusher's garden come in all shades of yellow, pink and red. The varieties have names like moonstone, royal occasion, double delight, glowing amber and dancing flame.

The Marion couple have been growing roses since 1987, exhibited them around the country and served as rose judges at events like the Iowa State Fair.

'It's just something the two of us can do together,” Peg, 67, says. 'Where some people join a country club or have a boat, we just enjoy this.”

Over the years, they have perfected a precise technique to keep the plants alive through harsh winters. Last year, when many local gardeners lost their rose bushes to the frigid temperatures, the Slushers didn't lose a single plant.

Their method centers around covering the plants with Styrofoam insulation to protect them from the cold. Peg's father constructed wooden frames to slot double layers of Styrofoam sheets around their 4 foot by 18 foot flower beds.

'We have more insulation around these roses than some people have in their homes,” John, 70, says. 'It keeps the wind out and keeps the temperature pretty good.”

Before covering the beds, Peg cuts each bush to about 2 feet. She removes every leaf from the stalks. Any greenery left on the plant could lead to disease spreading through the rose bed over the winter, she says. She then ties the stems together with twine, places the frames around them and puts in the insulation.

Pruning back each bush shouldn't be done until after a heavy frost. Pruning encourages new growth, so gardeners should wait until the plant goes dormant for the winter, Peg says. She also recommends uncovering the top of the insulation on the first warm day of spring, so the plants can begin to grow upward. The rest of the insulation should remain until after the risk of frost has passed.

'It's exciting every spring when we uncover the plants and see the new growth,” Peg says.

Both she and John retired from careers at Rockwell Collins. The couple's two rose beds are much smaller than the garden they grew at their former home on Boyson Road. That yard boasted about 150 rose bushes. After John started using a wheelchair, they decided they needed to downsize to a smaller home. When they moved, they transplanted about 50 of their bushes.

'We've enjoyed growing the roses, and we've had pretty good success,” John says.

They've been cultivating some of these roses for 20 years or more, John says. The flower's age can be read in the plant's height and the size of the their bases. The couple grow a combination of miniature roses and hybrid teas. The name 'miniature” can be deceptive - many are as tall as Peg. At the more sizable garden at their old house, her 5' 4” stature allowed her to disappear into the rose beds, which could reach heights of seven feet. The Slushers started all their plants in 3 ½ inch pots.

'With our care, they're really growing and developing,” John says. 'We're willing to put in the effort to keep them alive over the winter.”

The Slushers don't use any fertilizer, though John sprays the plants with fungicide about once a week. Peg does most of the pruning, and John comes out to water and spray.

The work is worth it, Peg says.

'I just love the beauty of them,” she says. 'We come out at night and sit on the patio and just look at the roses.”

FYI: Meet the gardeners

What: Peg and John Slusher will exhibit roses alongside other gardeners today at the 42nd Annual Flower Show, organized by the Good Earth Garden Club.

Where: Noelridge Greenhouse, 4900 Council Street NE

When: 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., today

More information: Anyone is welcome to enter this judged competition. There are separate categories for adults and children, with categories ranging from floral design and flower photos to onions and zucchini. Exhibits will be accepted from 6:30 to 11 a.m. before the show. Call Helen Venneman, (319) 393-8964, for details on rules and categories.

Cost: Free