Roses

AUTUMN

Easter is early this year and if the right activities have taken place early in February, we should see a good display of colour at this time. With hot weather continuing through March, the provision of plenty of water throughout the month will be essential. Attention to Blackspot and aphid control will also be most important.

April can be considered to be the beginning of the ‘Rose Year’. It is when we make a number of important decisions. The first is which roses, as a result of poor performance, we are going to replace. Then there is the decision as to the replacement, the same variety or a new one. Catalogues need to be obtained and looked at in depth to make the decision. With about 5000 varieties available that choice can be difficult.

Never just dig out the one to be discarded and plant the new one in the same place. Often the old plant will have been suffering from the non-specific disease of rose sickness. Dig out at least a barrow load of the soil, removing all the old roots. Then replace with a similar quantity of new soil that has not supported the growth of roses in the last two years. ‘Vege Mix’ from a local supplier is a good choice with some Seamungus mixed in, plus some garden lime.

Do not be in a hurry to begin pruning before June. Just trim off the dead heads but leave cutting back further until mid-June. Early pruning can encourage new shoots which may be damaged by frost