| Caring for roses after planting is part of good | | | | especially when they are flowering; some experts |
| garden maintenance and will keep your roses | | | | even suggest placing banana peels around the |
| beautiful and blooming for years. Rose lovers find | | | | base of stems. The pH should be kept around 6.0 |
| this a pleasure rather than a necessary task. Each | | | | - 6.5, so you may need to check this periodically. |
| rose variety has its own set of maintenance rules | | | | Water for Roses: |
| regarding watering and pruning etc, yet all roses | | | | Knowing the right amount of watering is |
| will benefit from the same care. | | | | important, if roses are watered insufficiently they |
| Five Important Points on How to Take Care of | | | | will die and if they are watered too much their |
| Roses | | | | roots will get shallow and unable to absorb |
| 1. How much water do roses need?a. Roses need | | | | nutrients. Deep watering is paramount to healthy |
| a lot of water but you should be careful to avoid | | | | roses as shallow watering will encourage fungal |
| over watering as this can affect the roots leaving | | | | growth, yet their leaves should be kept dry in |
| them too shallow and unable to absorb nutrients. | | | | order to prevent disease. |
| Water deeply three times a week and sprinkle | | | | Best Time for Pruning Roses: |
| every day. | | | | Rose pruning is best done in early spring when |
| 2. How much sunlight do roses need?a. Roses | | | | budding starts as these buds are the beginnings |
| need the maximum amount of sunlight, at least 6 | | | | of new branches. Soak you pruning shears in a |
| hours per day. Partial sunlight may be sufficient | | | | solution containing equal parts water and bleach |
| for certain varieties though. | | | | which will protect your roses from diseases and |
| 3. What type of soil do roses need?a. roses need | | | | from insects. Start by cutting off the damaged |
| high doses of nutrients and it is good to treat | | | | branches and then cut all other healthy branches |
| roses with a nitrogen rich fertilizer especially at | | | | except for five. Each branch should be about the |
| the beginning of their life. | | | | thickness of a pencil. |
| 4. What about weed control?a. controlling weeds is | | | | Cut off about one third of the branch, cut above |
| important for healthy roses as they slow down | | | | the outward facing buds as this will allow for |
| growth and rob the rose of essential nutrients, | | | | better circulation and a better shaped bud. Your |
| starving them. | | | | shears should be very sharp as you don't want to |
| 5. What about pruning?a. Pruning needs to be done | | | | rip or crush the stems. Deadheading is necessary |
| once a year at the end of winter during their | | | | if you want to encourage new blooms, yet if you |
| dormant period. | | | | allow dead blooms to fall off they will create |
| Soil: | | | | natural mulch around the base of the rose. |
| The first step to rose care is in the quality soil | | | | Mulching Roses: |
| they are planted in and if your soil is not as | | | | Mulching is necessary and will go a long way to |
| healthy as you would like, you will need to feed | | | | keeping your maintenance down, it will also mean |
| your roses. Soil should be acidic and should be well | | | | less watering, wetting and diseases. Organic |
| drained. There are special rose foods that will | | | | mulches such as wood chips and even grass |
| supply the acidity roses love at the same time | | | | cuttings are best. During winter mulching is |
| they will nurture the plant and provide it with | | | | especially important as it helps protect your roses |
| nutrients. Ideally it is best to spread the rose feed | | | | by keeping the roots warm. This type of mulching |
| before planting, but even well established roses | | | | can take the form of a few extra inches of soil |
| benefit from feeding twice during the summer. | | | | at the base. Plastic cones during winter are not |
| Remember to water well after each feeding. | | | | first choice as they a liable to trap too much heat |
| Good drainage can be achieved too and the | | | | when it thaws. |
| easiest way to do this is to aerate the soil before | | | | Roses are a labor of love, giving them a healthy |
| each feeding. It also helps to place small stones on | | | | environment to grow in, lashing them with |
| the surface of the soil as they will work | | | | attention and grooming and feeding them |
| themselves into the soil around the roots and help | | | | correctly will ensure that your roses thrive and |
| maintain air circulation. | | | | continue blooming years down the line. |
| The soil around roses should be rich in potassium | | | | |