The Rose Year
January |
February |
March |
April |
| Dormant Spray Start your rose diary Watch for wind rock Clean and sharpen tools - secateures, loppers, saw |
Get some good gloves (goat skin preferred) Prune when forsythia blooms |
Remove bud union protection Start anti-fungal spray program (be sure to wear protective clothing) Span worm (easy to hand pick) Fertilize (2 C. Alfalfa, 1/4 C. Magnesium Sulphate “Epsom Salts”) |
Refine pruning Start watering - don’t let the plants get stressed, especially those in containers Switch to 15/30/15 fertilizer (Plant Prod or Miracle Gro) Control aphids and span worm - squish and pick (if you are going to use a systemic insecticide, spray once at the first sight of aphids) |
May |
June |
July |
August |
| Disbud Hybrid Teas if you want long stems or exhibition blooms Water and fertilize Cultivate (shallow) |
Continue anti-fungal spray (every 10 days) Water copiously Cut flowers: Re-cut stem under water, and condition (with 2 T. sugar, 1 T. lemon juice, 1/2 T. bleach) Visit Rose Shows - start deciding on new roses to order this fall |
Water mornings and fertilize Summer prune - cut back to 5 leaflet leaf Photograph Dry blooms for winter in silica gel |
Last fertilizer - low-nitrogen winter formula Remove any leaves with mildew, black spot or rust and destroy |
September |
October |
November |
December |
| Start leaving hips on bushes. Cutting spent blooms will encourage soft new growth, which is prone to early frost damage. Study catalogues and order new plants for fall planting |
Keep beds clean, so disease and insects don’t overwinter. Top dress beds with mulch if desired. Plants can be moved if they are dormant. Otherwise wait ‘til November. Check that plants are firm in the soil. Tie back climbers to protect against wind damage. |
Plant new roses and move others. Dig a 15” x 15” hole. To new soil, add compost, wet peat moss, alfalfa, pearlite and bone meal. Cut back bushes to 3 feet to prevent wind rock Provide frost protection for the bud union with a mulch. |
Remove every leaf from bush and ground Provide extra protection for potted plants Dormant spray |