VOA慢速英语2012 Agriculture Report - In the Garden: Growing Roses

 

Agriculture Report - In the Garden: Growing Roses

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Most kinds of rose plants are native to Asia. But roses also grow in other parts of the world including northwest Africa, Europe and the United States.

In nineteen eighty-six, Congress and President Ronald Reagan declared the rose as America's "national floral emblem¹." They proclaimed² it the national flower, in other words. But whatever the name, the choice of the rose did not smell very sweet to supporters of other popular flowers.

Some say roses are difficult to grow. But you have a better chance of success if you start with a few suggestions from experts.

First, choose a place to plant your roses where they can get sunshine for about six hours on bright days.

You can buy roses from a garden center or by mail order. You can buy potted roses, also known as container roses, or bare-root plants. Each kind has its fans.

Some gardeners say potted roses are easier to plant. They say the roots develop better if you start with potted roses. But others point out that bare-root roses come without soil, so they weigh less to transport and that can save money.

The University of Illinois Extension advises getting bare-root roses as close to planting time as you can. If they arrive before you are ready to plant them, make sure the packing material is moist. Keep the plants in a cool, dark place.

You plant the roses while they are dormant³. The resting plants have no leaves but still need water.

When growing roses, the soil should feel moist deep down. Watering should be done in the morning. You can avoid problems like black spot and mildew⁴ that way.

Be careful not to water roses too much. Too much water can cause unhealthy discoloration on the leaves. After heavy rains or too much watering, try temporarily pulling away mulch from around the roots. Doing that will help dry the soil.

Placing mulch around rose plants is normally a good idea. Mulch suppresses⁵ weeds and holds moisture in the soil. You can use mulch made from bark, pine needles, cottonseed or oak⁶ leaves.

If the soil is very dry, you can add peat or compost to help condition it. If aphids, thrips or other insects invade your rose bushes, you may be able to force them off with just a strong spray of water.

And that’s the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. Share your stories about growing roses at www.voanews.cn. I'm Karen Leggett.

1 emblem   

n.象征，标志；徽章

参考例句：

• Her shirt has the company emblem on it.她的衬衫印有公司的标记。
• The eagle was an emblem of strength and courage.鹰是力量和勇气的象征。

2 proclaimed   

v.正式宣布( proclaim的过去式和过去分词 )；显示

参考例句：

• The president proclaimed a state of emergency. 总统宣布了紧急状态。
• The ringing bells proclaimed the birth of the prince. 响亮的钟声宣布王子的诞生。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 dormant   

adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的

参考例句：

• Many animals are in a dormant state during winter.在冬天许多动物都处于睡眠状态。
• This dormant volcano suddenly fired up.这座休眠火山突然爆发了。

4 mildew   

n.发霉；v.（使）发霉

参考例句：

• The interior was dark and smelled of mildew.里面光线很暗，霉味扑鼻。
• Mildew may form in this weather.这种天气有可能发霉。

5 suppresses   

抑制（感情等）( suppress的第三人称单数 )； 压制； 禁止发表； 阻止…的生长（或发展）

参考例句：

• The regime ruthlessly suppresses all dissent. 这个政权残酷压制所有不同意见。
• Hemingway suppresses emtion, Wolfe engulfs the reader in feeling. 海明威感情压抑，沃尔夫却把读者卷进感情的漩涡。

6 oak   

n.栎树，橡树，栎木，橡木

参考例句：

• The chair is of solid oak.这把椅子是纯橡木的。
• The carpenter will floor this room with oak.木匠将用橡木铺设这个房间的地板。