Caring for Roses from Spring to Fall: Tips for Beginners and Not Only

Freeing from winter captivity

So, let’s start the new season. We gradually free the roses from their winter shelter. Gradually, because there is no need to rush. First, we make vents at the ends of the shelters so that the roses can get some fresh air, the soil dries out, and excess moisture goes away. 

The beginning of spring. There is still snow in the garden. We open the ends of the shelters. Photo by the author

Then – certainly in cloudy weather or in the evening – we remove the covering material and untie our captives, who for six months (it’s scary to think!) lay in a bound and bent state. 

Roses half-year lay in a bent position. Photo by the author

Since the roots of the plants have not yet started working properly, their stems can be dried out by the wind and the bright spring sun. Therefore, we return the lutrasil to its place: we throw it back in 1 layer, pressing it down with bricks here and there. And only when the ground has completely thawed, and buds ready to bloom appear on the branches, this will be a sign that it is time to finally uncover our prisoners. 

We remove the cover in cloudy weather after the threat of frost has passed.. Photo by the author

Spring-cleaning

We do a general cleaning of the rose garden – we collect and remove last year’s leaves and other plant debris, weed out perennial weeds: they are especially pliable in the spring. At this stage, strictly before the leaves bloom, it is not a bad idea to treat the rose garden with copper-containing preparations: Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride (“Hom”). This will be a good disease prevention.

We are doing a general cleaning of the rose garden. Photo by the author

In autumn we do not cut off the leaves of roses. I believe that they feed the roots until the very end. In addition, during such a procedure the delicate skin of the shoots is easily damaged. During the winter the leaves fall off by themselves, in the spring they are easy to remove – this is especially important if there are many roses. As for the threat of spreading diseases, this is not confirmed by practice. If you properly prepare roses before covering and spray them with a solution of iron sulfate, there is no rot.

Trimming

The next stage will be spring pruning of roses. First of all, we remove shoots affected by infectious burn, do rejuvenating and formative pruning. You can read more about this in the Semidachnaya Academy of Pruning, Lesson No. 7. Pruning roses. It should be especially emphasized that the timing of all activities is determined not by the calendar (spring can be early or late), but by the phenological phase. Roses themselves will tell the rose grower the order of actions, you just need to understand their “language”.

Sanitary pruning of roses. We remove shoots affected by infectious burn. Photo by the author

All removed branches are immediately burned to prevent the spread of diseases and infection of other bushes.

We burn the removed branches. Photo by the author

In our market, which unites large online stores, you can choose new roses for your plot. Look in the Roses section, as well as the subsections Floribunda roses, Park roses, Climbing roses, etc.

Diet

So, the roses have woken up, are cut and are waiting for our further actions. Very often, a novice rose grower, trying to responsibly approach their cultivation in his garden, begins to feed his favorites without any system according to the principle “the more, the better.” One feeding follows another, root feeding alternates with foliar feeding. 

Frankly, I am not a supporter of intensive feeding of roses. In the wild, this plant grows in rather Spartan conditions, which do not prevent it from blooming well. It has been noted that our over-fertilized roses bloom worse and do not overwinter well. The loose branches of overfed bushes do not lignify well, which negatively affects their preparation for winter. In addition, the juicy young shoots that grow after abundant feeding become a favorite delicacy of aphids. In the fall, such branches that have not had time to bloom have to be removed.

Young red shoots will have to be removed in the fall. Photo by the author

Ideally, there should be only 4 basic root dressings.

• First is carried out after pruning. A complex fertilizer with a predominance of nitrogen is given, which stimulates the formation of young shoots (especially after radical rejuvenating pruning) and ensures the restoration of strength after a long winter. At this stage, roses most of all need nitrogen (ammonium or calcium nitrate, but not urea!) and microelements. Organic fertilizer can be added to the mineral fertilizer after a week. To do this, prepare an infusion of grass or manure in a concentration of 1:3. Keep for a week, then dilute 1 liter of the infusion with water in a 10-liter bucket. 

• The second top dressing is timed to coincide with the budding phase, it provides the rose with additional strength for flowering. As soon as the rose has released buds, it is time to feed again. Here, mainly potassium is needed with the addition of ash, which will make the flowers brighter. It will be enough, following the instructions, to give “Fertik-summer” and 1 glass of ash per bucket of water.

The second feeding is carried out at the budding stage. Photo by the author

• The third top dressing is carried out with special fertilizers for roses with a set of all the necessary substances. We prepare a “cocktail” strictly according to the instructions, with the addition of humates immediately after the first wave of flowering, so that the tired rose can regain strength and grow new flowering shoots. During this period, the “Lignohumate” product is very effective, which, in addition to humates, also includes a complex of microelements. A 50 mg bag is designed for 100 liters of water. It will be appropriate to give this fertilizer to peonies, phloxes, and daylilies at the same time: their phenological phase allows it.

Top dressing at this time concerns roses with repeated flowering. And roses of single flowering (those that have completed their annual cycle) can not be fed at this time. They will receive everything they need later, already in preparation for winter. 

The rose is preparing for its second flowering. Photo by the author

• The fourth (last) top dressing is given at the end of August. The combination of potassium and phosphorus, which strengthen the stems and roots and help roses survive the harsh winter, is of decisive importance at this time. The recipe for this top dressing: 2 tablespoons of superphosphate or monopotassium phosphate + 1 tablespoon of ammonium sulfate + 1 teaspoon of potassium magnesium sulfate + 1 glass of ash per bucket of water. The prepared solution is used as follows: 1 liter per medium-sized rose and 2 liters for more powerful specimens of climbers and climbing roses, the latter will not hurt 3 liters. Each gardener finds measuring containers for himself. For example, I have a liter ladle with a long handle for these purposes, which is very convenient for both measuring and watering. If there are few roses, then 1 bucket of liquid fertilizers will be enough. If the rose garden is large, then you will need moreоlarger container (for example, a barrel). 

It is convenient to have suitable measuring containers for fertilizers

All fertilizers are necessarily given in liquid form (they are absorbed faster this way) on damp soil – after rain or good deep watering. It is possible (and it is definitely easier) to simply scatter dry fertilizers in the near-trunk circle of roses – but when will they work? It must rain endlessly for the granules to dissolve and the nutrients to penetrate the soil horizon of the roots. Watering in this case does not help either. In addition, the doses of these fertilizers will be higher than in solution, and they will heavily salt the soil. 

Important! First-year roses planted in spring do not need to be fed; they will get all the necessary nutrition from a well-filled planting hole. 

You can also choose famous English roses in our market. Section English Rose Seedlings.

Irrigation requirements

There are some nuances here too. Beginning rose growers who do not yet have their own experience usually try to follow the recommendations contained in other rose growing manuals. However, the advice from them is not always justified. They write about the need for regular and fairly frequent watering of roses, almost once every 1 days.

It should be recalled that in its natural habitats, roses grow quietly even with a lack of precipitation. Thanks to their long roots, they are able to extract water from fairly deep soil horizons. In addition, in the process of evolution, roses have developed protective mechanisms in case of prolonged drought. 

The glossy foliage prevents strong evaporation of moisture, and the thorns are an evolutionary mechanism necessary for the life of the rose in an arid climate. Photo by the author 

Many varieties have a glossy waxy coating on the leaf blade, which prevents transpiration. And the thorns are nothing more than protection against moisture evaporation. Therefore, roses do not need to be watered every now and then. 

In addition, it is almost impossible to wet the entire soil horizon where the roots are located. And by watering little by little, we somehow stimulate the formation of new roots at a shallow depth, which leads to their freezing and the death of the plant in winter. Therefore, roses should be watered frequently only in hot, dry summers in the event of a long absence of precipitation. Otherwise, rain will be enough for them. Watching the roses, you will notice yourself when they need moisture: the leaves on the bush will turn yellow and fall off. 

For watering, you should not use cold well or chlorinated tap water, but rather water that has been left to settle in barrels. Pour strictly under the root, not from above, otherwise you cannot avoid diseases. 

For watering, you need to use water that has been left to settle in barrels.

If you have a large collection of roses, you won’t be able to water them properly with watering cans. After all, for full watering, each adult rose bush will require at least a couple of buckets of water. In order not to wash away the roots of the plants, it is best to get a special submersible barrel pump that produces a soft stream. 

A small clarification: all of the above applies to mature plants. Roses, too. first year of planting need to water often enough for successful formation of the root system.

Pest and disease control

There are plenty of people who want to profit at our expense in the garden. And the rose is a favorite object of harassment for aphids, cockchafers, rose beetles, rose sawflies, leaf rollers, weevils, spider mites and all sorts of other evil spirits. Here you can’t relax, you need to be on the alert and at the first signs of intervention give an immediate rebuff. A rose grower’s garden first aid kit should always contain preparations for combating a wide range of pests (Aktara, Fitoverm, Baktofit, Intavir). 

Left: The rose beetle is hiding and waiting for its moment. Right: Rose leaves damaged by the rose beetle. Photo by the author

In the spring, after the main agricultural activities, it is better to do preventive spraying with one of these preparations. When aphids appear, they can be washed off with a strong stream of cold water from a hose. It has been noted that they are unable to climb back onto the bush. If they persist, use heavy artillery in the form of contact or systemic insecticides. 

Aphids are carried around the garden by ants, who feast on their sweet secretions, so they must also be fought uncompromisingly. And protect ladybugs – our helpers who feed on aphids. 

The market now offers eco-friendly options for pest control, including tobacco, tar and mustard soap. If you are not a big fan of chemicals, stock up on these easy-to-use bottles of liquid products. At the first signs of a pest infestation, the product can be easily poured into a hand sprayer in the required concentration and immediately applied to the plants.

Ants bring aphids to young rose shoots

Prevention should also be carried out against diseases, primarily against black spot and powdery mildew. However, by planting disease-resistant varieties and observing all necessary agricultural practices (removing and burning fallen diseased leaves, moderate feeding, proper watering at the root, not on the leaves, weeding), you will reduce the risk of diseases to a minimum. Your roses will glow with health and shine with beauty all season long.

Signs of disease. Threat of black spot. Photo by the author

In spring and early summer, it is recommended to treat the rose garden with a solution of “Fitosporin”. If diseases do occur, fungicides should be used – “Topaz”, “Skor”, “Profit”, etc. Regular weekly spraying with a weak infusion of mullein (1:20) is effective.

My garden delights with lush flowering. Photo by the author

These are the basics of rose care. I admit that someone does it differently, but, as we know, practice is the criterion of truth, and my successful many years of experience in maintaining a rose garden gives me grounds to share it with other rose lovers.

A person who is passionate about roses can read endlessly. Our website has many publications dedicated to these wonderful plants. Here are some of them: