Showtime for blooms that spell Blighty
This year has been a good one (so far) for roses. Ideal temperatures and rainfall have been responsible for a superb show.
People love roses; so much so that there could now well be a significant surge in their popularity. If that’s the case, it’s best to know how to plant them.
Give them a warm, sunny spot, preferably where there are no cold winds. Excavate a hole that’s bigger than the root ball, and then throw in plenty of wellrotted manure.
Newly-planted roses also need plenty of water to help them establish themselves. So water them thoroughly at planting time and then water at least once a week. You can occasionally add a liquid fertiliser.
To make the watering chore a little easier, and to make sure that moisture gets to the roots, when planting, place an empty, bottomless plastic water bottle in the hole so that it sits next to the roots. Leave the top of the bottle protruding from the soil; when it’s time to water, pour straight into the bottle and all the water will get to where it’s needed the most.
Roses also need regular care and attention. Gardeners need to keep a watch for greenfly and other pests – spray with a systemic insecticide or, if you prefer to keep the environment chemical-free, hose off aphids by using soapy water. They’ll be back, but at least it gives the plant a bit of a breathing space.
Dead-head regularly to encourage more blooms and then prune to the next outward-facing bud. Pruning depends on your rose; most appreciate severe pruning in late March and perhaps a light goingover pre-winter, but there’s no real hardand-fast rule.
Roses are still probably the nation’s most popular flower – they’re relatively easy to grow, provide superb flowers and fragrance, live for years without too much care and attention, are relatively cheap and come in thousands of varieties with names to suit all occasions.