Essential Spring Rose Care Tips
Spring is such an exciting time in the rose garden and for most rose-lovers, it’s one of the best seasons of the year. It’s that time when all those new fresh, reddish-purplish leaves appear on rose bushes. The warmer weather and the longer days encourage lovely new growth. Since it’s the beginning of a new season for roses, you need to ensure that they are off to a great start, so that they can reward you with beautiful blooms throughout the summer months.
It’s the perfect time to start fertilising and we recommend that you give every rose bush 30 grams of Atlantic Flower and Fruit every month from now until the end of May. Sprinkle the fertiliser around the drip line of the bush. Never put it near the stem of the rose bush. Water well after fertilising. Until the summer rains set in, you need to water the bushes very well; at least 3 times a week with about 10 litres of water per bush. Water around the drip line of your bush, counting to 20, slowly. Roses like a good, deep watering.
As roses thrive in a cool and moist environment, we recommend that you put mulch around your bushes. Mulch prevents the evaporation of water, and organic mulches also serve as a slow-release fertiliser. An added benefit is that mulch helps to prevent the growth of weeds. We suggest using organic mulch, as options such as stones, gravel or plastic tend to heat the soil. Instead use any of the following: coarse compost, lucerne cuttings, peanut shells, leaf mulch. We don’t recommend wood chips, as they attract ants.
You may also notice new shoots, called water shoots or basal shoots growing from the bottom of your bush. These are the new stems of your bush. They are very soft when they start growing, hence the name, water shoots. When they are about knee high, finger prune about 2 to 3 centimetres off the top of these new branches. This will encourage the stems to harden. The new water shoots, if left, can be damaged by strong winds, so encouraging them to harden is helpful. You can also do ‘corrective pruning’ at this time. Look at the new shoots and if they are crossing over another shoot, cut them off. The red-purplish leaves show you that the roots are healthy. They will start going green when the flower buds start showing at the tips and then it is time to finger prune.
What is Finger Pruning? Simply use your thumb and your index finger to nip off the bud. Why do we finger prune? The green leaves then increase in size, the roots of the plant strengthen and the buds that you don’t remove grow bigger. When finger pruning, only remove a few buds from the plant. This will ensure that instead of only having 1 large flush, the flowering cycle changes and the bush will have extended periods of flowering.
Once those reddish leaves start growing, it is also the time to prevent your bushes from an attack of aphids and thrips. Drench around the rose bush (this means to pour the mix around the drip line of the bush). Use Koinor (read the instructions and mix recommended on the box). NEVER spray rose plants with Koinor. Applying the Koinor drench will last for about 4 to 5 months.
Once you have fertilised, mulched, drenched, finger pinched and WATERED, you will be rewarded with your first flush in a few weeks.
Article supplied by Gail Birss – Chairperson – Midlands Rose Society
The Midlands Rose Society (MRS) is the largest in South Africa, with over 200 members from the Pietermaritzburg area, across KwaZulu-Natal, and even as far as Cape Town and Gauteng. The Society’s main aim is to share ideas, to help one other and to give tips on how to grow beautiful roses. To join the Midlands Rose Society contact Gail at : midlandsrosesociety@gmail.com
