Roses are a real garden favourite, loved all over the world. There’s so much to love about them – the blooms, the scent and the knowledge that there’s a rose for every spot in the garden. As beautiful and majestic as these are, they do need to be well cared for, all year round. With the following tips for caring for roses in autumn, you will help the queen of flowers to get through the rest period more easily and to enchant everyone’s eyes and hearts in full bloom again in summer.
You can arrange rose blossoms beautifully in autumn with autumn leaves and lantern plants
#1 Pick out wilted flowers
From late summer to early fall, many roses bloom late. In order to keep it as long as possible, it is important to trim properly. You need clean pruning shears so that you can cut the faded flower stalk properly.
This encourages the rose to strengthen the stem and gives more energy to the other flowers. It pays to know your rose, however, as some varieties produce beautifully colored small flowers and are really worth keeping for the winter. Not only are they pretty, they also provide a nutritious and healthy source of food for little birds.
Don’t overdo the picking
#2 Proper pruning of roses
However, the main task when caring for roses in autumn is pruning. And while it may seem tedious and complicated at first, it really isn’t if you follow these simple tips.
fall pruning: If your garden is subject to windy conditions, it is advisable to prune the roses early to reduce the damage that wind and weather may cause. It is enough to remove about a third of the height to prevent the rose from breaking.
The main pruning of roses should be done in February or March, when the weather starts to get a little warmer again. This cut will stimulate growth in the coming spring and summer.
To be on the safe side, use gardening gloves
#3 Shrub roses need special care
If your rose is young – less than two years old – pruning should be done so that the plant is cut back to about 30cm from the ground. If the rose in question is more than two years old, then it should be reduced by half and all leaves removed. Look for and cut out dead, diseased, or damaged areas of the plant. Also, where branches cross, one should be removed to reduce the risk of rubbing against each other and becoming damaged or diseased. Diseased clippings should be disposed of in the garden waste rather than on the compost heap to prevent re-infection.
#4 Climbing roses and ground covers
As with shrub roses, young climbing and ground cover roses require less radical pruning. They only need to be pruned back a few inches to encourage new growth. Mature climbing roses, on the other hand, should be pruned more – a few inches from the main stem. It’s also worth mentioning here that you should always use clean, sanitized equipment for cutting. This can really help reduce the risk of cross-infection. Secateurs and pruners should be cleaned with a brush or wire wool and disinfectant. If you do this again after pruning, your tools will be ready for next season.
Climbing roses are also among the most popular varieties in this country
#5 When should you actually plant roses?
Roses can be planted at any time of the year. In fact, fall and winter can be an ideal time, as this increases the flowering power of the plant in the first year. Bare root roses are often available from late autumn and are often a cheaper alternative to potted roses. As long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged, you can plant any rose. To give your new rose the best start, dig a hole twice the size of the plant, sprinkle some fertilizer directly on the plant’s roots to encourage new root growth, and fill with a mixture of soil and compost up. Pour enough water. Once the rose is in the ground, it doesn’t need any further care throughout the winter.
Combine roses with different flower colors
#6 Mulch roses in the fall
Usually, early spring is the best time to apply mulch to the roses. However, if your roses were not previously mulched, or if all of the mulch is gone by fall, it’s probably worth mulching the roses in late fall. Make sure the soil is free of debris such as leaves and apply the mulch in a thick layer of about 5-10cm around the base of the rose.
#7 Take out hardwood cuttings now
Late fall and winter is also the time to take hardwood cuttings from your favorite roses. Propagating cuttings gives you a new one from the mother plant. This is ideal if you have a particularly beautiful or old rose that needs reviving. One or two cuttings should be sufficient in most cases. Hardwood cuttings take a while to get started, although they have good success rates so are worth a try.
Now you are definitely much better armed when it comes to caring for roses in the fall and can do it in a professional way. Have the courage and care for your delicate beauties with lots of love and attention!
Roses are royal flowers that also need the appropriate care
Proper care for roses in the fall brings plenty of blooms in the summer
