Sarah Robertson | Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2007 10:00 pm
Thick rose canes cover the arbor in our courtyard, their sturdy structure barely visible beneath a blanket of lush foliage and unfurling blossoms.
The middle of May is a heady time for rose lovers. Plants are at their peak, throwing out lusty growth at an amazing rate, while insects and disease have yet to gain a stranglehold. Heck, even non-gardeners are probably feeling a twinge of rose-lust!
I've grown roses all of my life, but rarely followed any system of organized rose care - and the results showed. Years of neglect and a reluctance to use harsh chemicals left me with increasingly ratty-looking specimens.
A more organized approach was in order. I first described my month-by-month rose care routine back in November of 1997. It struck a chord with many readers and continues to be my most-requested column to this day.
The following timeline is easy to follow and doesn't take that much effort, believe me. But faithful care does help plants remain healthy and relatively disease-free.
How often you choose to deal with your roses depends, of course, on your own temperament and schedule.
Here are a few specifics to get you going. Good luck!
JANUARY: Keep an eye out for diseased foliage littering the ground or hanging off branches. Make a point of raking (or gently stripping) and then trashing the remains. Do not compost.
Apply a slow-release organic fertilizer and dig in carefully around the drip line of each bush. January may seem early, but fertilizing just before the end of the dormant period is quite helpful. Use an organic mixture that breaks down slowly but steadily.
Work 1/2 cup of granular Epsom salts into the soil at the base of your roses in mid- to late January, before bud break. Epsom salts are a fine source of hydrated magnesium sulfate which is lacking in our weathered, low pH, soil. Studies have shown that two half-cup applications of granular Epsom salts per season - the first in late winter, before rose buds break and the second in autumn before leaves drop - results in thicker stalks, flowers that are larger and self-supporting and improved overall health.
If you miss the autumn and late winter doses, go ahead and dig in the Epsom salts whenever you remember.
FEBRUARY: Nothing until late in the month or whenever it's clear that no additional cold snaps are expected. Then I prune hybrid tea roses down to between one and three feet in height.
Climbing roses, whether hybrid tea or historic, typically require only maintenance pruning to remove crossed, thin or diseased branches. But it's always a good idea to look up the particular cultivar to check for any pruning idiosyncrasies.
Container roses can look pretty dismal in late winter, but a good pruning can set things straight. It also doesn't hurt to revive the soil with compost, worm castings, bloodmeal and minerals. Be prepared to replace the soil of container roses every other year for best results.
MARCH: Toss a couple shovelfuls of aged manure around the base of each plant, followed by one-half cup of alfalfa meal or pellets. Work lightly into the soil. Follow with a three-inch mulch of hemlock bark to conserve moisture.
By month's end start spraying roses. Monthly applications through autumn is my (rarely achieved) goal, but schedules change according to location, elevation and microclimate. A handheld, 1- or 2-gallon pump sprayer makes this job so efficient, you can easily treat four dozen roses in 30 minutes.
I prefer "least toxic" fungicides and insecticides. They work well when used regularly and the residue isn't toxic to fish, pets or kids.
APRIL: Once leaves are fully open and growing, try a foliar Epsom salts spray (one tablespoon per gallon of water per foot of height). Apply in the evening when the foliage is out of direct sunlight. Banana peels, chopped into pieces, can be dug into the top couple of inches at this time and then covered with a light mulch. Roses love them!
MAY: Just before the first flush of blooms open, apply another foliar Epsom salts spray. Continue spraying for fungal disease every month and begin checking plants for signs of insect infestation. Aphids are a fact of life and can often be controlled with water (just squirt 'em; use your fingers to smash while rinsing).
JUNE: Enjoy those lush bouquets!
JULY: Apply another dose of fertilizer at soil level and water in well. Experiment with monthly applications (through September) of a foliar spray containing fish emulsion (scant 1/4 C. liquid fish fertilizer to one-and-a-half gallons of water). Many rose growers say it helps plants thrive during hot, dry summer weather.
AUGUST: Spider mites can be a problem when the weather heats up. Webs with tiny red specks (the mites) can be seen on the undersides of leaves. Spray entire bush with cold water. Done regularly, this really works wonders. Don't be afraid to prune whippy, too-long branches.
SEPTEMBER: Don't forget to water! Roses are still actively growing and with any luck should continue looking terrific for another two months. Late September is a good time to apply that second half-cup application of granular Epsom salts. Work lightly into the soil at the base of your plants.
OCTOBER: Remove every single leaf that shows signs of fungal infection both on the ground and on the plant. This makes a HUGE difference when done religiously every fall. Lightly prune back thin, scraggly branches. Need to move plants around? Now's the time.
NOVEMBER: Mulch to prevent frost heave, if necessary. Tie up whippy canes on climbing roses, but don't feel you have to get them into their exact positions until next spring. Anchoring them now helps ward off wind damage.
DECEMBER: Check plants against mole and rodent damage. Push gently against the base - does the rose feel loose? Reseat, adding more soil if necessary. Remove any foliage left on plants, especially those cultivars that are prone to foliar disease. It really, really helps reduce the likelihood of problems next season.