I learn. . .

. . .just at my own pace.

My rose garden has been looking worse as each day passes. Large chunks of leaves have been turning yellow and the flowers have not been opening. I had watered them every day since planting. A website suggested that over watered roses would turn yellow, so last week I stopped watering.

The rose tree got much worse last week. I cut back the yellow and the next day more of it turned yellow. It looks like crap.

After cutting grass on Monday night, I went over with a small shovel and removed the top layer of clay to reveal the soil I had placed around the tree. BONE DRY.

When I dug the holes for the roses, I filled it in with planting soil and then covered the top with clay dirt to blend it with the rest of the area. Every night I watered it that first week, the water ran straight over the clay without soaking in. At the time, I didn't realize that was the case.

I scraped the clay off with my hands and formed a dam around each rose bush. Then I flooded each pit three times with the hose. After the third time I checked and saw that I had not removed enough of the clay. I dug my hands into the orange mud and scraped more clay away from the good dirt. I was covered to my elbows in red dirt. I worked the garden until dark Monday evening.

When I got home Tuesday afternoon I got out of the car and walked straight to the garden. I feel stupid for watching my plants die last week. Thankfully, they already were looking much better Tuesday evening. I flooded the pits that I had created, twice more.

It only took me a week to figure out that yellow and brown leaves and dead flowers was the roses' way of saying, "I'M STARVING!" It's a good thing I learned it when I did.