Seasonal Rose Care Tasks

 

Roses, like everything else in the garden, have noticed the shortened days and cooler, longer nights. The changing weather is their cue that winter is coming, and it’s time to shut down for the season. Here’s what needs to be done to prepare them for the season ahead.   

Keep watering. Roses are most likely to experience die back during the winter from temperature fluctuations, dry winds and lack of moisture. Deep watering now prepares roses for that first hard frost. As winter sets in, it’s important to continue watering, just not as frequently.

Plan to water every four to five weeks on a day when temperatures are above 40°F. Water around midday.  The goal is to deep water the roots.   

Stop deadheading. While many roses are still blooming, it is important to stop removing spent blooms.

Let your roses transition naturally into dormancy by allowing them to form rose hips from these late season blooms.   

Stop fertilizing. Feeding your roses at this time of the season will encourage new, tender growth that will quickly die back at first frost.   

Do continue to remove any diseased or damaged canes.  Cut them off and dispose of them.  

Do continue to prune off diseased leaves from the bush. Avoid pulling leaves off as this can create small tears along the cane and provide an entry point for diseases and insects, so clip instead.  

Do keep the area under the rose bush clean. Rake up and discard all leaves and debris in the area under the rose bush. This will help prevent blackspot, mildew, and other diseases from wintering over in any litter on the ground so removing this material will reduce problems next spring.  

In mid to late November, cut back hybrid tea rose canes at 2.5 to 3 feet to reduce wind and snow damage.  This is also the time to apply a natural mulch.  

Whether your roses are grafted or own root, they will benefit from applying a natural mulch to the bed.  This serves to keep the ground cold and stable and helps prevent damage to the rose bush as the ground freezes and thaws, only to freeze again during our typical winter season. Adding mulch will also help retain moisture. 

Cedar Mulch and Gorilla Hair are good choices for mulching your roses.  A three-to-four-inch layer of mulch should be applied to the entire area under the rose canopy, with seven-to-eight inches added to the central part of the bush. This will protect the bud graft as well as the roots.  A rose collar will help hold the mulch around the graft. 

Once the mulch is in place, dust the area with sulfur. Sulfur will help control disease and insects trying to winter over.   

 If you have climbing roses in the garden, secure the canes to the trellis and wrap them in burlap to prevent winter winds from drying out and damaging the canes, then apply an organic mulch. Wait until spring to prune climbing roses. 

The Flower Bin Diagnostic Center is open year-round. We’ll be glad to answer any gardening questions you might have. 

 

 

Now’s the Time to Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs

 

After a long winter season, the first spring flowers are something to celebrate and among the earliest spring bloomers are crocus, followed soon after by tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. Each of these brings vibrant colors and delightful scents to your garden, often before other plants have started to wake up.  

These early bloomers have one thing in common: they grow from bulbs and to enjoy their colorful flowers in the spring, you need to know the best practices for planting and caring for them.  

Tulips, daffodils, crocus and hyacinths are known as hardy bulbs. You may also hear them referred to as autumn planting bulbs. They’re different from tender bulbs such as dahlias and gladiolus. Hardy bulbs stay in the ground year-round. In addition, hardy, spring blooming bulbs require a period of cool temperatures to establish roots before the ground freezes, making fall the right time to plant. 

Start the planting process by choosing bulbs that are firm and light tan in color. Save the tag or mark the bag so you will remember the variety. Observe the bloom time as noted on the box.  

If you want a succession of spring colors, choose some from varieties that are marked early, mid and late blooming. Actual bloom time is dependent on where you plant your bulbs and how deep you plant them. Bulbs planted near a fence or foundation are going to bloom sooner because the reflected heat warms the soil up.  

 

Hint. If your bulbs are coming up too early or you want to slow the bloom time, add 2" to 3" of mulch to the bed.  

Where you plant your bulbs is important. Bulbs need at least 6 hours of sunlight to bloom properly. A dedicated bed makes a stunning sight in the spring.  

In addition to an exclusive bed or two, you could plant along borders or in a normally shady spot such as near a shrub or amongst perennials. Crocus and early season tulips will have bloomed before the perennials and shrubs begin to leaf out in the spring. An alternative would be to plant bulbs in pots and move the containers to the sunniest spot in your garden.  

As with anything you plant, better soil equals better results, so take time to add amendments to the ground where your bulbs will be planted.  For the best results, choose soil amendments that are produced locally, such as organic Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost or Cow and Compost.  You can use a spade or garden fork to prepare the ground.   

To help your bulbs establish strong roots, add some bone meal to the ground before you place your bulbs, so the roots will grow into the fertilizer.

Augers and bulb planters are handy tools to have when you're planting your bulbs, especially around existing perennials and shrubs. Bulb planters work best when you’re using them in amended soil.  

Once the site is prepared, place the bulb in the ground with the pointed side up, roots down. With smaller bulbs it may be difficult to tell which side goes up. 

One side will generally be flatter than the other. Place the flat side down. As a rule, plant the bulbs three times their height. A 2" tall bulb should be buried 6" deep. Cover the bulbs and mark the spot where they are planted. Water the site thoroughly. Check on your bulbs through the winter and water as necessary.  

 

For the best results, plant bulbs in groups. Clustering bulbs will bring color and interest to the spring garden and make it easier for early foragers.    

In addition to crocus, daffodils, tulips and hyacinths don’t overlook specialty bulbs such as dwarf iris and Dutch iris, allium and muscari. Planted now, these hardy bulbs will bring color to your spring garden for many seasons to come.