Winter is the best time to select your roses and then plant ready for spring flowering. Whether you choose a standard, floribunda, hybrid tea, ground cover or climbing rose you will include an essential element that provides your garden with character and beauty.
Add cow manure and compost to your soil to create a rich environment for your roses and cultivate well to promote good soil structure and aeration. For the best result a full sun location is essential, it will encourage profuse flowering and reduce pests and diseases.
During the growing season fertilise regularly with a complete fertiliser or specific rose food according to the instructions.
As your Roses grow be aware of the potential for pest and diseases attack. Aphids, Scale and Mites can be treated with pest oil or white oil if done on a regular basis, while fungal disease such as powdery mildew and black spot require fungicides which are readily available at nurseries and hardware stores.
Pruning should take place in late winter. Remove central stems and stems crossing over each other creating an open vase shape and reduce the length of all growth by approximately a third, also remove any dead dying or diseased growth. Climbing and weeping roses can be pruned after their main flowering in spring.
Remove any suckers from below the ground or graft point (an obvious join with the rootstock). Also, remove any dead leaves fallen to the ground as they may still contain disease that can spread to new growth.
Finally, take your time to smell the roses!
Thank you for reading.
If you require any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us or leave a comment below.
Words and Photographs by Michelle Byrne.
Garden Maintenance Manager & Expert Horticulturalist.
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