In the Garden: Tips for Growing Roses
Posted by Unknown in Advise and Tips, Gardening, Rose on Monday, 13 May 2013
Today’s column answers some common questions about rose care. Proper care can extend the life of these exceptional flowering plants for many years.
Q. Is April the proper time to begin rose pruning?
A. Yes, for most roses. An exception are heirloom roses and some climbers that produce flowers on old wood produced last year. Delay pruning those types until after they flower. Pruning in April will remove all the flower buds.
Modern roses (hybrid tea, floribunda and grandiflora) should be pruned back in mid-April. First, remove dead, diseased or injured canes. Blackened canes due to freezing temperatures should be cut back to 8 to 12 inches above ground level.
This should be where the cane is green, indicating it is alive. Cut at a 45 degree angle slightly above the outward facing bud. This produces a new cane that will grow outward and not inward. An outward growing cane will have more space in which to grow and remain more healthy and productive.
Remove all other canes that are smaller than 1/4-inch in diameter. Cut them back to the base of the plant. New growth from these pruned canes grows fast in May and produces flowers in June and beyond.
The popular knockout shrub roses are easy to prune. Simply cut all canes down to a level of 6 to 12 inches. New cane growth will be abundant and produce flowers for June color. Knockout roses are disease-resistant and don’t require spraying.
Q. How deep should a rose be planted?
A. The hole should be deep and wide enough so roots can spread out. For a modern rose, the bud union should be 1 inch below soil surface. Fill hole with loamy soil and water so soil settles. Add more soil if necessary. Don’t fertilize a newly planted rose. Wait until after the first flowering period in June.
A shrub rose grows on its own roots and isn’t grafted (budded). Plant so the region between and main stem and roots is at ground level.
Q. How should a rose be fertilized?
A. A rose is a heavy feeder and needs feeding several times during the growing season. For an established rose, scatter fertilizer (5-10-10, 12-12-12 or special rose food), in a band on soil surface around base of plant. Gently scratch fertilizer into soil and lightly water it into soil. Make first feeding on May 1 followed with other feedings on June 15 and Aug. 15. Do not feed after the August feeding.
Gardening observations
As a veteran rose grower told me many years ago, “experience is like manure, it’s only good when spread around.” Below are a few wise observations gained from many years of backyard gardening.
• Mulch: Feed through the mulch around a plant. A good light organic mulch layer is loose and porous. It permits nutrients and water to flow through readily.
• Reliable formula: In preparing soil for a rose bed or most any type of bed, mix together one-third each of topsoil, builder’s sand (coarse) and organic matter.
A choice mixture has a “friendly feel.” You should be able to work your fingers into a bed without a trowel. Regardless of soil mixture, do not walk or stand in a rose bed. Standing for more than a few minutes causes soil depression, leading to less air/water entering the root zone.
• Rose purchases: Like anything else, you get what you pay for. A top-quality rose will have the grade listed on the label. Buy only a No. 1 grade. It should have no less than three thick, healthy canes.
Lastly, June is prized as the peak month for rose blooming. But for me, there is no better conclusion to a growing season than in September/October with a few gorgeous roses to savor. Such a fall scene makes life a precious blessing!
Richard Poffenbaugh is a retired biology teacher and active home gardener since 1960. He is a member of the Mansfield Men’s Garden Club and was editor of the club newsletter (The Greenhorn) for 21 years. He resides in Ontario with his wife, Barbara. Call him at 419-529-2966.
