Caring for Roses
By eCountryLifestyle Staff Writer
Do you love roses but are afraid to plant them because you don’t know how to care for them? Caring for roses is easy and most anyone can grow them if they just have basic knowledge of rose care.
Pruning
Never prune roses in the winter. Wait until new growth appears in the spring and prune back all of the winter-kill and dead branches. If there are buds or new growth, do not prune it off. Prune to within about two inches of the new growth.
Fertilizer
Fertilize rose bushes twice during the growing season. The first fertilizer should be given in the spring soon after first growth appears. Fertilizer should be given again in mid-season. Never fertilize roses in the fall if you live in a four season climate.
Winter Protection
In the fall, cover rose roots with one foot of compost or straw. You can cover the protective debris with a burlap sack or plastic covering if desired or if temperatures dip five degrees or more below the freezing point.
Thinning Roses
Always cut out straggly shoots or those that grow very long in order to keep your rose bushes in optimum health. Dead-head blooms in order to keep your roses blooming throughout the entire season. To encourage new growth, always trim branches that are dead or diseased.
Cutting Roses
Always cut roses one-inch above a five-leafed cluster and cut them on an angle to promote lasting blooms.
Starting New Rose Bushes
If you have a favorite rose and you want to have more than one of the bushes, start a bush from a graft. It’s easy and very economical to propagate a new rose bush. Here’s how:
- Select a shoot of new growth with a bud.
- Make an angled cut, leaving the bud just above that cut.
- Remove buds and leaves.
- Place the cut piece in water and that comes half way up its length. If you wish you can add a bit of rooting compound to the water, though it isn’t necessary. However, it will speed up the process.
- Place the cutting in an area where the temperature is consistent at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure the new growth has sufficient light.
- Leave the cutting in the water for at least a month and up to six weeks.
- Protect the cutting from direct sunlight by covering it with a piece of cheesecloth or sheer fabric. The new growth can also be set close to a window that has a sheer curtain. Direct sunlight is too harsh for new growth.
- When roots are developed, carefully plant the shoot in a pot with half compost, half sand soil mix.
- Place the pot in the ground in a well shaded spot and water frequently. Do not over water but the roots must have sufficient water to aid growth.
- When the plant is lush and growing well, remove from the pot and transplant into the ground. Soil should be well drained and the location should be well sheltered. Six hours of morning sun is required.
Insects and Roses
There will be times when rose bushes will be attacked by insects. There are a variety of insects that may be found on your roses and they need to be identified in order to prevent damage.
Aphids
Aphids love roses. They are small, greenish-yellow, brown or red insects that are have a slightly pear-shaped body. These insects group to the tips of rose shoots, the underside of leaves and on rosebuds, where they feed on juices. This disfigures leaves and causes poor growth. Rose buds may dry up and die when attacked by aphids.
Spider Mites
Spider mites are oval in shape and can be greenish-yellow or burnt brown. Spider mites attack the underside of rose leaves and suck the plant’s inner juices. This will cause a yellow or white speckling on the top side of the leaves. If a spider mite infection is large, you will notice fine, silky webbing. This will cause your rose bush to die if the spider mites are not eliminated.
Leaf Tiers
Leaf tiers are small green caterpillar type insects that feed in much the same way as slugs. They spin a web and roll a leaf around their body. The best way to get rid of leaf tiers is to remove the infested leaves and burn them. If you live in an area where burning isn’t allowed, kill the leaf tier inside the rolled up leaf by removing it and crushing it before disposing of it.
Japanese Beetles
Japanese beetles are metallic green insects that are approximately 3/8 of an inch in length and have copper-brown wings. They appear on rose blossoms in mid summer. These must be eradicated in order for your roses to survive.
Slugs
You will recognize slug larvae by the tapered bodies and yellowish-green color. Slugs will chew leaves down to their skeleton, giving them a lace effect. Be sure to stay alert for slug larvae and if any appears, treat immediately.
If you keep your roses pruned, fertilized, watered properly, thinned, well protected in the winter and free of insects, you garden will be filled with beautiful blooms year after year.
