The key to unlocking heavenly roses...
Few plants compare to roses in their full summer glory. It doesn’t matter whether they are climbers, ramblers, old-fashioned varieties, patio, hybrid tea or ground-covering types – roses are natural showstoppers for their exuberant colours, shape, and, in many cases, heady perfume.
Yet they need your attention to look their best. Without proper pruning, sustenance and vigilance to nip out potential problems, roses can perform so poorly that they will barely warrant a second glance.
Crucially, pruning helps to control their size and shape – and ensures that plants remain healthy. Work is best carried out between late winter and early spring, so there’s just enough time if you crack on.
Start by removing dead, damaged, diseased and dying growth.
To prune bush, English and shrub roses, the aim is to lower the height of plants by about a third, pruning just above an outward-facing bud.
To do this, use a 45-degree cut, slanted away from the bud to prevent moisture running into it.
Roses are notorious for producing underground shoots – known as suckers – that are more vigorous, and less ornamental, than the rest of the plant.
Remove these by twisting them away from the roots by hand, but try to avoid cutting as this will stimulate the growth of more suckers.
Aphids can be the bane of rose-lovers. They are attracted to the soft, sappy growth, so check plants regularly and remove any bugs on sight.
If shoots are infested, spray the pests with soapy water. If you ignore them, these sap-suckers will lead to a loss of vigour and distorted stems.
To ensure they thrive, water roses regularly, especially, of course, during dry periods. Roses are also hungry plants, so give them a boost by spreading specialist rose fertiliser or granular slow-release feed over the ground.