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| Month by Month Guide Rose Care |
JANUARY: Catalogs are still coming in. Get your order in early to purchase those new and unusual roses. Plan to read a few good books on roses, check out your local library and purchase your favorites in bookstores or over the internet. Be sure to water your roses if the winter is dry. Water once a month if it does not snow. FEBRUARY: This is another catalogue looking month, but sometimes we have a break in the weather the latter part of the month and if the ground is not too soggy and muddy, dormant bareroot roses may be planted. The earlier they get into the ground the better. If there is snow, it may be heaped up on the rose bushes as it is nature’s best mulch. It also gives some of the needed water. Water if there is no snow. Garden tools should be made ready if this has not been done. Be sure clippers are in good sharpened condition. MARCH: This is called the "windy month", but the latter part is usually our best planting time for dormant bushes. It is too early to prune. Pruning stimulates growth and this should be delayed as long as possible, wait until the weather is settled. APRIL: This is usually our best month for pruning. Look for the forsythia blooming in your neighborhood, this is usually the time to start your pruning. Look over the bushes, cut out any deadwood, crossing canes and those smaller than a lead pencil. Seal all pruning cuts with Elmer’s Glue. Look for an outward facing bud and cut at a 45°angle ¼" above the bud or bud eye. Prune for an open center and leave 3-5 canes. Prune high or low, to make the bush do what you want. Prune to 6-10" for large but fewer blossoms. For more but smaller blooms, prune the canes to 18" in height. Apply first fertilizer if the leaves have started to grow. Water your roses well before fertilizing if the soil is dry. Now is the time to put on alfalfa meal one or two cups per plant. It’s time to start foliar feeding if you want the biggest and most colorful blooms, start when the leaves are well formed and continue every 2-3 weeks until July 1st. MAY: Now is a good time to plant your roses purchased in containers. Good dormant stock may still be planted, but hopefully planting should be over. Fertilize newly planted container roses with a liquid fertilizer ONLY for the first season. You may prune a second time to eliminate unhealthy canes. Use the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to control pests and diseases. Contact a Consulting Rosarian if you need assistance. Give water as needed. Shows will be upcoming, so be sure to disbud early on hybrid teas, and perhaps the grandifloras, to be shown as single specimens. JUNE: This is Rose Show Month, and roses will be out in all their glory, in gardens as well at the shows. When the bloom is on, fertilizer should be put on for the second time. The first fertilizer was applied in April or May depending on the growth. Roses cannot take up materials until the pumping power is there in the leaves. Never forget deep watering, and the removal of dead bloom, or your roses may go to seed and stop producing. Deadhead by cutting back to a five leaflet. JULY: This is the beginning of the hot weather so water is very important. Continue with IPM and spray for insects or disease if necessary. Keep off the dead bloom. Apply next fertilizer. AUGUST: More heat, so a good mulch will save on the water bill and help keep the roots cool. Apply the last application of fertilizer around August 15th. Mildew will probably be the greatest problem this month, so have your plans formulated to deal with it. SEPTEMBER: This should be a good rose month. No more fertilizer on roses, but water is still important. Leave the last bloom on the bushes as this helps them to harden off for the winter. Usually there is a bloom in October, and if so, leave on the rose hips. An application of Treble Superphosphate will help get the roses into cold weather. OCTOBER: This month should end the blooming month for roses. Get beds ready for the spring arrival of new roses. If the cold weather comes and the ground is frozen over, hill up the bushes. You may use leaves (oak are best), compost, straw, or soil pep. Soil may be used but it must be brought in from another area of the garden. This will help keep the bushes cold. Warning do not do this too early, the ground must be frozen. If we have an Indian Summer make sure to keep your roses watered to avoid damage that may not show up until next year. NOVEMBER: Rose beds will surely be frozen by this time, if not hilled up in October, you may do so now. If roses come in the fall, dig a trench and cover them up. Mark your spot so you can locate them in the spring. Extra long canes can be shortened at this time to prevent whipping in the winter winds. If you have trouble with broken canes because of heavy winter snowfall, bushes may be tied with twine to prevent breakage. DECEMBER: Give rose bush certificates for Christmas. Winter evenings would be a good time to bring tools in, clean them, oil them, and sharpen, so they will be ready when there is work to do. When snow comes, heap it on the rose bushes. If there is no snow, water your roses once a month |