Rose Care

By Author: Jean Vernon1
Total Articles: 30
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An English garden just wouldn't be the same without a rose bush or two. But some gardeners choose not to grow these quintessential garden flowers believing that they are too high maintenance or too prone to disease.

Some rose varieties do indeed succumb to problems more readily than others, but by choosing your roses with care, and caring for the roses you have chosen you can have a fantastic display of summer flowers without heavy demands on you time and money.

There are a few simple rules to follow depending on whether you are choosing new roses, planting new roses or caring for existing rose plants.

Choosing

[] Choose roses known for their disease resistance; it avoids the need for pesticides.

[] If fragrance is important to you make sure the variety you choose has a strong perfume before you buy it.

Planting

[] Prepare the soil really well with lots of well-rotted manure or garden compost. Plant deeply with the bud union about 3-4inches/7-10cm below ground level; this encourages rooting from the base of the stems and creates a solid plant that will not suffer from windrock.

[] ...
... Add rootgrow to the root system as you plant. This provided naturally occurring fungi and other supportive additives to the soil around your plant roots and enhances growth.

[] Mulch generously to keep moisture in the ground; it also helps to keep the soil healthy.

After Care

[] Give your roses plenty of space in the first year or two and don't let neighbouring plants overwhelm them. Roses don't like to be too overcrowded to start with; they need to form a framework.

[] Feed them well when they are working hard. Choose a dedicated rose food for best results. If the soil starts to dry out they will respond very well to a watering can full of water.

[] Keep a watch on new rose foliage for the telltale signs of black spot. Prune out affected stems and remove blemished leaves. Choose a rose food with added sulphur, it acts as a tonic and is a natural enemy of black spot. Alternatively apply a sulphur tonic twice a year.

[] As your roses come into their summer bloom, prune out dead flowers as soon as they have finished. Cut just behind the immature rose hip at the base of the flower and remove this and all the dead petals. This will prevent your roses from putting essential energy into making seed and will encourage the plants to produce more flowers.

[] Prune roses at the end of the season in November or in February March before the new growth becomes established.

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