Six ways to win with roses
ROSES add colour, scent and elegance to our gardens, but ignore plants and they’ll become overgrown, sickly and shy to flower. Ensure they remain strong, healthy and free-flowering by giving them some regular attention.
Here are my six top tips to get the best out of these much loved shrubs this summer.
1 Give them a good drink...
Watering is crucial during hot, dry spells to prevent flowers and sappy shoots drooping. Ideally, soak the soil first thing in the morning or in the evening, allowing plants to take up moisture before it evaporates in the sun. In general, established roses will need watering once a week, while newly planted ones, and those that are in pots, may need watering every day.
2 ... and feed regularly
Roses are hungry plants that respond well to regular feeding. There are loads of specific rose fertilisers available but the go-to product with commercial growers is Uncle Tom’s Rose Tonic.
High in potassium and phosphorous, it promotes strong, healthy growth rather than lush, lanky shoots prone to disease. The foliar feed can be sprayed every seven to 14 days during the growing season.
3 Don’t forget to dead-head
Some roses provide a single flush of flowers, but many have the potential to produce blooms all summer until the first frosts of autumn. Known as repeatflowering varieties, they need regular dead-heading to encourage new buds, maintain an attractive shape and to keep plants tidy.
Use secateurs to remove the entire flowering head, cutting the stem just above the first leaf with five leaflets.
4 Twist off unwanted suckers
Suckers are vertical shoots that grow from the root system of roses. Unfortunately, they don’t have the desirable attributes as the rest of the plant and will hinder its growth. Check around the base of plants on a weekly basis. If you spot any suckers, trace the shoot back to below the surface and twist off by hand – don’t cut off at ground level with secateurs as this will stimulate the growth of more pesky shoots.
5 Watch out for Black Spot
Black Spot is a common fungal disease that results in dark patches developing on leaves and stems. The foliage will then turn yellow and drop prematurely – in the worst cases, roses can lose most of their foliage. As a result, badly affected plants will be less vigorous and their flowering display second-rate.
It’s difficult to completely cure infected plants, but damage from the disease can be limited by clearing up leaves and spraying plants with a suitable fungicide. 6 Get rid of aphids
Aphids are drawn to the shoot tips, fresh leaves and buds of roses. Their sap sucking can lead to a loss of vigour, distorted stems and wilting, while the sticky substance they excrete on to leaves will eventually become coated with sooty mould fungus.
The pests reproduce rapidly, but if spotted early enough they are easy to control by rubbing off with your fingers.
Alternatively, spray with an organic pesticide.