| Many of us think of a beautiful garden as an | | | | too wet and certainly not too dry. Both extremes |
| almost unattainable goal, and certainly, a rose | | | | are detrimental to the health of your whole |
| garden seems even more intimidating. Rose | | | | garden. When watering your rose plants, it is |
| gardening has earned a reputation as being very | | | | essential to water only around the base of the |
| difficult, a task only the most ambitious gardener | | | | plant. Introducing water to the leaves and stems |
| with plenty of time on her hands would undertake. | | | | of the plants invites both rust and fungal diseases |
| In reality, however, rose gardening just takes a | | | | to your plants. The roses will enjoy a good root |
| little planning, a bit of maintenance and some | | | | soaking when the weather conditions require it, |
| patience. | | | | saturating the soil to a depth of six to eight |
| As with any garden, a rose garden should be | | | | inches, rather than simply spraying the plants. |
| cleaned regularly. Keeping fallen leaves and other | | | | Careful feeding of your rose bushes will keep |
| garden debris away from the roots of the plants | | | | them looking their best throughout their flowering |
| will enable you to water the plants directly at the | | | | season and will keep the plants healthy during the |
| roots as well as keep fungus and other problems | | | | dormant period. Your local garden center will have |
| at bay. | | | | many choices for fertilizer for your roses, and |
| Mulch is a wonderful ally to rose gardens. It | | | | you should carefully follow the instructions for the |
| weeds away and helps to keep the moisture level | | | | product you have chosen in measuring the |
| of your plants consistent. For this benefit, add | | | | fertilizer according to your type of rose. In |
| mulch to your regular care shortly before the first | | | | general, you should feed your roses in early |
| bloom appears. In winter, careful mulching will | | | | spring, as soon as you can see buds beginning to |
| protect your roses from a dangerous cycle of | | | | swell. Feed again after the plants have produced a |
| freezing and thawing, causing the plant to shift | | | | full bloom. Another feeding should follow in late |
| underground, damaging the root system. By | | | | summer for most climates. If you have a long |
| reinforcing the plant with several inches of soil and | | | | growing season, a fourth feeding in early October |
| covering that soil with mulch, you will protect the | | | | will hold your plants through the winter. |
| plant's root system from the harsh conditions of | | | | Following just a few simple guidelines will enable |
| winter and you will see a healthy plant emerge in | | | | you to grow a beautiful rose garden that will add |
| the spring. | | | | so much to your home landscape. Your effort will |
| One of the most important tasks in any garden is | | | | pay off with blooming, healthy plants that will be |
| watering. It is always important to maintain | | | | sure to impress your friends and neighbors. |
| adequate moisture content for your plants, not | | | | |