JUNE AND JULY are the best time for planting bare-root roses.
Having prepared the garden bed well in advance, dig over the soil once more. Collect your new roses from the nursery, keep the plants in a cold place until ready to plant. Before planting remove the wrapping and place the roots into a bucket of water for at least 1 to 2 hours to be sure the roots are very wet. Meanwhile dig the holes. Place the roots onto a mound of crumbly soil at the base of the hole. Do not apply fertiliser at this time. The plant is dormant and cannot take up the fertiliser so is of no immediate benefit, also the fertiliser may burn the roots if fresh. If soil was well prepared earlier no more fertiliser is necessary. Back fill with soil and press firmly in, follow with a thorough watering-in to remove any air pockets in the soil.
Cut back the branches by half to encourage basal shoots. This is very important.
When planting Stems (or Standards) position the stakes in the bed first and plant the rose touching the stake. To prevent sunburn on the young stem next summer, let the stake take direct sun (usually west) with the rose stem on the shaded side. Tie with stocking or tape or something strong but soft.
JULY is work month with pruning in most districts. Frost areas wait until August.
Much is written in magazines on correct methods of pruning but there is no wrong way. It is better to have a go than not at all. Mistakes are not fatal for the plant, it will recover very quickly, and you will learn with experience.
Pruning may look complicated so consider one of these three methods of rose pruning which will all give good flowering results next spring.
Cluster Flowering or floribunda roses are better if not cut too hard. By leaving more branches to produce more flowers the display will be more spectacular.
Stems (or Standards) are pruned lighter than bushes for the flower display is paramount in this group. Remove 1/3rd to ½ of the growth all over in a ‘topary ball’ manner. Leave many branches, don’t thin out too much (will not matter if branches cross over), don’t open up the centre of plant as will leave a ‘hole’ in the ball. Most varieties available have cluster flowers so look stunning when pruned this way.
Shrubs (including the Austin roses) need only a minimal pruning. Thin out the oldest branches, lightly trim all over the bush removing 1/3rd off the height.
Teas, Bourbon, China, Hybrid Perpetual, are all pruned very lightly (similar to shrubs) and not as for modern roses. If possible attend pruning classes.
Climbers and pillar roses do not need much pruning for their first 4 or 5 years. Use every long cane they produce to fill the space needed. Tie branches in place on a frame, supporting wires, or lattice. Remove finished flowers. Later years remove the oldest canes down at ground level and replace the space with a younger cane. Remember flowers are produced on mature branches from the previous year’s growth, so do not cut a climber back like a bush or the result will be no flowers for another year.
It is also quite usual for a newly planted climber NOT to flower in the first 12 to 18 months. Flowers are only produced off mature branches from the previous seasonal growth.
Spring flowering ramblers (banksia, laevigata, Albertine, etc) and species roses, gallicas, albas, damasks, etc. only flower in spring so do not prune until after they have flowered in November or December. Give a light trim over rather than a heavy prune. Removing oldest branches if becoming too tangled.
After pruning spray plants thoroughly with Copper Oxychloride, or Bordeau Mixture, or White Oil, or Pest Oil or ‘Eco-rose’ to clean up any remaining spores of Blackspot, Mildew or Rust. Do this before any leaf growth appears.
Rake up most of the old leaves, don’t worry if some remain, as mulch will cover these.
AUGUST is fertilising and mulching.
Later in the month apply Neutrog ‘Sudden Impact for Roses’ at 100 grams per mature bush (less for small roses). There is no doubt this fertiliser is the very best you can use.
Follow by mulching the rose beds before new shoots are too well advanced. Use lucerne hay, pea or bean straw, Johnson’s Mulch, woodchip, green-waste, bark, or woodchip. Any organic material can be used as mulch as they all do the same thing - keep the roots cool in summer and conserve water.
SEPTEMBER. Pruning must be well finished by now with new growth emerging on every rose. Fertilising must also be done by this month. Highly recommended is Neutrog’s ‘Sudden Impact for Roses’ as this has all the requirements roses need for healthy growth. Only use as directed on the container as it is very concentrated. I believe other plants such as hydrangeas, vegetables, citrus, and fruit trees will benefit from ‘Sudden Impact’ in very alkaline soils. Try it and give a report to our Editor on your experiences.
Following fertilising, cover the beds with mulch. Now water restrictions are in place mulching is essential in every region of South Australia.
Check your watering systems are working and dripper lines are not blocked.
Watch for early signs of aphids - squirt them off with water jet, or spray with Pest-oil (not white oil as can burn new leaves) or soap solution, or eco-oil. Milk spray is effective also as coats the insects with cream suffocating them. Recipe is 1 part full cream milk to 10 parts water, sprayed the insects every 7 days until colony is reduced.
Ladybirds and their nymphs are beginning to show up to feast on aphids. The nymph is black with two orange or yellow stripes, and about 1cm (about ½ inch) long - nothing like a Ladybird – but huge feeders. The parasitic wasp is busy laying her egg into aphids so don’t use insecticides or they will be wiped out also.
OCTOBER. Now all roses are in full growth with buds well developed showing promise of a glorious display. Watch for signs of fungal problems which occur with warm sunny days and dewy nights during early October. This is the reason why overhead watering is not such a good idea as too much humidity builds up amongst the foliage. Yellow and orange roses are often the first to show ‘blackspot’ and very fragrant dark red roses first with signs of ‘mildew’. During the heat of summer, particularly when nights are warm, the foliage dries out quickly so fungal diseases almost disappear, but can re-occur in April /May.
If you only have a few roses spray with milk once each week. Recipe is 1 part full cream milk to 8 or 10 parts water, sprayed on the foliage every 7 days. Try the milk spray as it is more of a preventable spray not a cure. For longer protection ‘Triforine’ or ‘Mancozeb Plus’ or Eco-rose are usual fungicides. Don’t use ‘Mancozeb’ just before your spring show as leaves spray residue on the bushes. Also don’t keep any spray left-over as it is useless after a few hours standing.
Pick flowers for the Rose Show in the cool of the day. Take a bucket of water into the garden and plunge the stems up to their necks in the water for several hours or overnight to condition well. When placing into the vases or bowls re-cut the stems to be sure they take up more water. Mist-spray the flowers with water during the show to refresh the blooms. Good luck.
NOVEMBER and DECEMBER roses will still be flowering if you keep up with regular removal of finished booms. When cutting off the old flowers, always take with a length of stem as if picking a bunch of roses, then the next breakaway shoots will follow lower down the branches. This keeps the bushes tidy and less ‘leggy’.
Watering may be once a week from now on, but it must be a slow deep soak to reach the deep roots. Adjust you water timer to be 3 hours in most soil types, or sandy soils twice a week for 1½ hours. Assuming we are still having water restrictions the roses can cope with this. Young new plants may need mid week watering if very hot temperatures.
With all potted plants watering is a daily job. Place a saucer under the pots in summer to retain the water as they are drying out rapidly now. Pots can heat up to 10 degrees or more than the day temperatures, so an idea is to place the growing pot into a decorative pot or a larger sized pot to offer some insulation for the roots. Or place all your pots into a cluster so they give each other some protection from radiating heat off the path or paving. Mulch your pots as well as garden beds.
This is also a reminder time to watch for ‘two-spotted mite’ (or ‘red-spider mite’). They thrive in hot, dry, dusty situations – rose borders along a gravel path or paving, on the patio or verandah. Symptoms are leaves look speckled, dry, limp, finally dropping off. Fine webbing can be seen amongst the leaves and stems which indicates it is a really bad situation. Don’t use any insecticide as the mites build up immunity with each hatching, just change the conditions of this dry area with water. Squirt water through the foliage and the mulch, reducing the dry atmosphere around the plants. May need to do this 2 or 3 days straight to knock off the population of mites. No you will not increase ‘blackspot’ as it is too dry and hot.
All roses which flower only in the spring like Yellow or White Banksia, Albertine, Laevigata, and groups like the gallicas, damasks, albas, etc, these can be pruned after flowering, mostly in December.
Spring is a delightful time in the rose garden. Take photos of your display and keep a ‘brag’ book to enjoy later.
JANUARY and FEBRUARY is always hot and dry (unless you live in Queensland).
Watering is now critical - ONCE A WEEK SLOW AND DEEP for the 3 hours allowed, or 1½ hours mid week and same on weekends. Restrictions allow drip irrigation which is the most efficient. If soil is allowed to dry out too much, roses will stop flowering and leaves become crisp and sunburnt. Even the stems can be sunburnt which kills this area of the branch. Sandy soils need water twice a week in summer.
Late February prepare for the Autumn display by trimming bushes, this is NOT a prune. Just cut off finished flowers with short stems, water the rose beds thoroughly, scatter ‘Sudden Impact for Roses’ (as per instructions), and water again to dissolve the fertiliser. If thick mulch prevents the fertiliser reaching the soil, squirt the garden hose into the mulch to disperse the fertiliser. If on drip irrigation scatter the fertiliser along the dripper line where there is moisture.
Do not remove the decorative hips (seed pods) of species roses (eg. moyesii, rugosa) and many spring flowering climbers (eg Wedding Day) as they will produce autumn colour in the garden.
MARCH can still have some hot days, but new growth is developing for a glorious Autumn display and of course the Autumn Rose Show. May need to spray once or twice with a fungal spray later in March to keep blackspot, mildew or rust away. ‘Triforine’ is systemic and will give protection for 10 to 14 days, but don’t use too often as will be less effective each time used. Alternate use of ‘Mancozeb Plus’ or ‘EcoRose’ will be more effective.
Watch for early aphids on new shoots. Squirt the colony off with garden hose until predators build up in the garden.
Climbers are producing their long canes, tie them in a temporary position until winter when they are mature and can be tied into their permanent position.
Think about new roses, send away for new season catalogues and plan where to plant them. Prepare the soil for new plants by digging in fertiliser and any compost, turn the soil once or twice to let the sun ‘sweeten’ the soil.
If removing old roses and wish to plant in the same spot, it is essential to remove as much old root as possible, then scatter fertiliser or animal manure, any compost, Neutrog ‘Seamungas’, or new soil. If buying in soil ask for composted soil or mushroom compost. It should look black and smell fresh. If you ask for garden loam you will get 80% sand and 20% soil which will not add any nutrients to your soil. Be sure to dig everything well into the soil, planting can follow in about 6 weeks time.
APRIL is the best of Autumn flowering. The summer trim - cutting off spent flowers and seed-pods, and fertilising should be finished, but watering is still once a week a slow deep soak until April rains – we hope – then reduce watering to 10 days or 2 weeks. There is no point in pushing the roses as they will freewheel in through Autumn.
There has been very little black spot or mildew, but lots of sunburnt leaves, which will soon be replaced in the autumn regrowth. As the nights cool down, together with warm sunny days fungal problems begin to show. Try the milk spray to begin with (1 part milk to 10 parts water), or Mancozeb, or Eco-rose, or Triforine (this does not leave a residue on the leaves for Rose Show specimens).
Aphids are already around so squirt off the colony with a jet of water, may need to be done two or three times to reduce their numbers before the ladybirds and parasitic wasps become active. Or use soapy water, or eco-oil, or Pest Oil (NOT white oil this is for winter spraying when plants are dormant).
Hopefully autumn rains have fallen so a good time to prepare any new rose beds. Scatter fertiliser, Neutrog’s ‘Seamungus’, any compost or leaf mulch over the soil, dig over roughly and let lie for 6 weeks before planting. Don’t dig the holes yet. If very heavy clay add gypsum, if very sandy soil add plenty of compost material into the area. Order any new roses you are planning to grow.
If replacing old roses remove as much of the old root as possible plus at least two buckets of soil per bush. Known as Rose Sick Soil it is the old roots rotting down, which cause plants to not thrive for several months. This soil can be used in other parts of the garden, but use fresh soil to fill the hole. Add some fertiliser and any compost or leaf mulch, dig through and wait 6 weeks before planting back into that region.
When picking for the Autumn Rose Shows pick roses in the cool of the morning or evening taking a bucket of water with you to place the blooms into as you go. Give a good drink for a few hours and they will keep longer. When placing into the vases or bowls re-cut the stems to be sure they take up more water. Mist-spray the flowers with water during the show to refresh the blooms.
‘Lorraine Lee’ and ‘Nancy Hayward’ roses flower in winter so must be pruned early in April or around Easter, which is an easier time to remember.
MAY will still have many lovely blooms. Foliage is changing colour to autumn tints, the hips (seed-pods) are colouring up well, particularly the species and shrubs. Don’t remove these, as they will stay on the bush well into winter to add a touch of colour in the garden. Also you can gather these hips in July and try to raise some new roses by seed.
JUNE. Depending on your area and how cold the weather, plants are going dormant, leaves are dropping, with only occasional flowers. Planting time for new roses is upon us. Delay pruning until July in most areas, unless you are off to Queensland for the winter, then just give a light prune before you go.
ROSES and CURRENT WATER RESTRICTIONS
Roses have proved they are one of the hardiest plants in our gardens. They have cast off their ‘English rose’ image and can survive, even with lack of water.
It will be very, very hard to keep up with the water regulations as presently allowed, but keen gardeners will do their utmost to keep precious plants alive. The following water-wise tips can help you get through.
Reduced water to just keep roses alive. They may not flower as freely in summer but go into a semi-dormant state during the hottest months. Mature plants don’t usually die if water is reduced, but newly planted roses do need some water to get through their first summer. A very deep mulch is essential on all soils.
Best to water slowly and deeply by drip irrigation if allowed, every 14 days give 4 to 6 hours drip, or if regulations only allow 2 to 3 hours each time do the best you can. Attach a water-timer to the tap and water at night.
If drippers not allowed, give at least one bucket of water (or watering can) every 14 days.
New roses give ½ bucket water (or watering can) each week for first summer.
Sandy soils add a ‘water-wetter’ additive to the bucket/watering can if dry soils repel the water and runs off.
Build up a mound around the rose to create a moat over the root area, enough to hold a bucket of water. Fill this with mulch.
Mulch at least 10cm deep (4 inches) to retain moisture and keep the roots cool. Lucerne hay, Pea straw or Bean straw are best as will also improve soils. Wood-chip, bark, leaf mulch, green-waste or anything similar.
Mulch up to the rose rootstock, even bury the ‘bud union’ with mulch for extra sun protection. It is a myth that the rootstock will rot – it is too hot and dry.
Be aware of extreme hot weather forecast. Water the day before to allow plants to take up good reserves before the on-coming heat.
Mulch pots too. Move pots away from hot paved areas. Water daily. Place the growing pot into a larger one to offer more insulation against heat.
Don’t over fertilise. Use ‘Sudden Impact for Roses’ in September or October, and November.
This information is provided as a guide only. Factors of different climatic conditions and soil types can also effect rose growth.
Roses that don't thrive, are stunted or struggling.
· If a new plant is slow to start, form a mound of light soil, old leaves, compost or potting soil to cover the bud union of the plant by about 10-15cm (6 inches). This will help to draw new shoots from the bud union.
· Planted into an old rose bed. After the removal of old roses the bed should be rested for 9 to 12 months, or, exchange half-barrow of soil with fresh soil from elsewhere in the garden - for each new plant.
· Sandy soil. Add plenty of organic material, and water more often. Check water is penetrating the sand, if not, use water wetting agent, eg Saturaid.
· Too close to robbing tree or shrub roots, or closely surrounded by lawn.
· Cold draughty position - provide windbreaks.
· Barren soil, lacking nutrients and organic matter. Improve the soil with any organic mulch (lucerne hay, Pea-straw, grass, seaweed, leaves, old animal manure, mushroom compost) and fertilize with 'Sudden Impact for Roses'. Earthworms will work the soil for you.
· Nematodes (eelworms). Most prevalent in sandy soil; have soil tested and possibly chemically treated. Seek professional advice.
· Waterlogging (rare in SA). Raise the soil level in order to shed water, divert flood water or install underground drainage.
· A stunted plant, even if several years old, may still be satisfactorily transplanted in winter. Prune and remove all leaves, then plant as for a new plant.
Established Roses that die back. 'Dieback' is not a disease in itself but a symptom of several possible causes:
· Most rose varieties, especially yellow and bronze colours, produce a certain number of 'dieback' branches as a normal habit of growth.
· Severe mildew, blackspot or rust diseases can cause leaf drop exposing the branches to possible sunburn. Control with 'Triforine' or 'Mancozeb Plus' if severe. Milk spray is also worth using.
· Sunburn. Can 'ring bark' the branch, cut back below the affected area. Mulch well over the bud-union for protection. Watch the trunk of standards from radiating heat off paving or fence. Place the stake on the hottest side to cast shadow on the stem.
· Check if ties have choked the branch, particularly climbers and standards.
Roses with unhealthy leaves. Leaves can tell the experienced grower a tremendous lot about the health of a plant. It is normal for a few lower and inner leaves to constantly be turning yellow or brown and dropping, especially following long spell of hot weather.
Random patterns:
· Mildew - white powder on buds and young leaves. Spray with milk - 1 part milk to 10 parts water.
· Black spot - random black blotches with yellow over remainder of leaf. Spray with fungicide.
· Rust - rusty pustules or specks underneath the leaf, green spots on the topside. Spray Triforine.
· Sunburn - dry brown edges to leaves. Will not recover. Keep up with deep watering.
· Normal aging and dormancy.
More or less symmetrical patterns:
· Nutrient problems - bronzing, yellowing, veining and dead margins on tips all suggest feed problems. Apply 'Sudden Impact for Roses', may take two weeks to correct. For a quick fix but short term apply a liquid fertiliser every 7 days. Or seek expert advice.
· Yellowing with green veins - lime induced chlorosis found in alkaline soils, a form of nutrient deficiency. Have soil tested to identify the pH of soil. If over pH 8 apply Iron Chelate or liquid fertiliser regularly, for long term soil improvement add organic mulch and ½ cup sulphur scattered around each plant, water in well. Apply sulphur every three months for one year. If improvement in leaf colouring, may only need to apply once a year. Keep up the organic mulch.
· Mosaic virus - no cure but practically harmless. Does not reduce flowering nor spread to other roses. Mostly found on very old garden roses, more obvious when plants are heat stressed in summer.
· Yellowing or chlorosis - certain weed poisons. Water heavily and hope!
· Salinity - leaves of russet-brown with dead edges, and shiny salt deposit on the surface. Avoid overhead watering, use drip irrigation. Dogs repeatedly 'lifting their leg' on a plant can have the same effect. Bore water with high salt content can be a problem in country areas. If only available water flood irrigate the roses deeply, and water only to keep the plants alive until autumn rains. Mulch very deeply.
Gnarled leaves:
· Damage by aphids while the shoot was forming, resembles peach 'curl leaf', will grow out of it.
· Thin grotesque shapes - hormone weedicide damage, eg. glyphosate.
Flowering
· Coarse, split or balled blooms: Excessive fertilizing, hard pruning, unsuitable variety.
· Small blooms or few petals: Unthrifty soil, pruned too light or no pruning, unsuitable variety, hormone weedicide if linked with distorted leaf growth.
· Lack of blooms or 'blind' shoots: caterpillar or early aphid damage, excess nitrogen, or deficiency of potassium fertilizer, or too shady. Some seasons 'blind shoots' appear for no apparent reason, very frustrating. Trim off the tip of the stem and new flowering shoots will follow.
· Damaged blooms - thrip, caterpillar, grey mould (botrytis), possums, earwigs.
Climbers that won't flower.
· Usually caused by pruning a vigorous climber back to a smaller size, thus cutting off the potential flowering shoots. Allow it to grow to its full size by extending the climbing trellis.
· 'Sported' climbers which derive from bush varieties sometimes take a year or two to start into climbing growth. They must be given regular water and fertiliser to bring them into maximum growth initially.
· All 'natural' climbers eg 'Pierre de Ronsard', 'Blossomtime', 'Altissimo' must climb unless they are grossly stunted.
It is quite usual for newly planted climbers not to flower for 12 to 18 months. They must produce strong canes in their first summer and autumn. Flowers follow in spring. Do not prune climbers for 3 or 4 years.
Maureen Ross
CULTURAL NOTES
for Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn
and some Problem Solving Tips
Roses and Current Water Restrictions