Roses are beautiful garden flowers but need care at this time of the year to ensure that you get the best from them. It is well worth doing a few simple jobs to improve and lengthen the display of their beautiful blooms.
Pests and diseases
How you control pests or diseases depends on whether or not you are trying to be organic. If you are not bothered about organic philosophy then you are free to use systemic insecticide and fungicides to control all the problems that can affect rose bushes. These chemicals, readily available from your garden center will effectively control common pests such as greenfly and diseases such as mildew or black spot. You can even buy combined rose specific chemicals which will do both jobs for you. These sprays may have to be repeated as no product will last all season.
Organic
If you are gardening organically then the options are fewer. Cut off any diseased leaves (mildew or black spot) and burn them. Any leaves that have fallen to the ground should be picked up and burned also - if left they will spread the disease. Some pests such as greenfly can be washed off with water. It is possible today to buy specialist bugs from organic suppliers that will eat the harmful bugs that damage plants. This is specialized and can be an expensive option so make sure you get expert advice.
Feeding
It is good practice to feed your roses. Rose fertilizer can be bought from the garden center or liquid fertilizer made organically by soaking organic rotted waste in water. Producing lots of blooms requires lots of energy and feeding is essential to ensure a long flowering season.
Weeds
Weed around the plants by hand. Many people use a hoe to clear weeds from around rose bushes. This can harm the plants as the roots are near to the surface and can be easily damaged. If the roots near the surface are damaged then this is where suckers will start to grow.
Suckers
If suckers start to grow from the base of the rose it is important that they are removed immediately as they will seriously weaken the plant. You have to understand that the cultivated rose variety that we prize so much is grafted onto a wild rose stock. If suckers grow this is the wild rose root stock trying to take over. The earth around the sucker should be pulled back and the sucker pulled out from as close to the root as possible . The sold should then be replaced and firmed down.
Following these simple tips should produce an abundance of rose blooms for a long growing season.
