Next week, St. Patrick's Day falls on Monday, which coincides with the seminal week of rose pruning.
Notwithstanding the many micro-climates that exist across our region, which may provide some shelter or be colder than the average, rose pruning is traditionally done during St. Pat's Day week.
The higher up the Shore you live, the later you have to prune to allow for colder temperatures at higher elevations. Lower elevation gardens below the Upper Levels Highway and down near the ocean could have already started pruning roses.
There is so much more to growing roses beyond pruning, such as soil culture, mulching, pest and disease prevention, companion plants and most importantly selecting the proper rose for your garden.
When it comes to growing roses, soil health is one of the most important factors to be managed to grow the best roses. Roses like deep soil - the deeper the better. Rose roots can dig deep down into the soil as far as one metre (three feet) in good conditions.
Deep soil affords better water-holding capacity, which lessens drought stress and reduces water consumption. Deep soil also provides access to a larger capacity of nutrients, which reduces the need to feed.
The generally perceived notion that roses are heavy feeders is somewhat true, but that does not mean roses should be fertilized continually throughout the season with synthetic fertilizers. Deep soil, proper mulching and good watering practises can grow a rose as healthy as one that has been chemically fertilized, and usually with fewer pest and disease problems.
If you have shallow soil, then build up and raise the bed to attain greater depth. To build soil for roses, start with any topsoil available on the market and amend the topsoil with a healthy dose of animal manure. The topsoil will provide a base and the manure will microbially inoculate the topsoil to provide good growth.
Be sure to mulch all rose beds after planting to keep the rose roots cool and moist and to realize the many other benefits of mulch.
If you absolutely must fertilize, then fertilize in late May or early June as growth gets into full swing. Do not fertilize too early in the season or your fertilizer will be leached into the ocean, which creates aquatic dead zones.
If you have applied manure or compost, then no chemical fertilizer is needed.
If you must for some logical reason fertilize, use a low-strength, all-purpose, granular, slow-release fertilizer that contains micronutrients. Do not follow bag rates, instead apply half of whatever the bag recommends per square foot. Using large doses of chemical fertilizer on roses will see them grow soft tissue that is predisposed to pest and disease attack.
To prevent pest and disease attack on roses, the most effective method is to prevent attack before it happens.
Roses will only bloom if they are grown in full sun - at least six or seven hours per day.
Deep, healthy soil is a must, if the soil has poor drainage, low fertility, no mulch or any other barrier to healthy growth, then the roses will look pitiful regardless of any fertilizer you apply and pests and disease will invade.
Despite your best efforts, pest and disease infestation may occur. When it comes to diseases, I follow one simple rule: if the rose is predisposed to any sort of disease, be it rust, mildew or black spots, then the rose should be destroyed. There are far too many good roses on the market to have to live with some disease-ridden problem.
When it comes to pests on roses, don't panic if you see a bug, it may be beneficial or transient. In addition, a few insects are fodder for the goose so to speak, meaning a few aphids will attract predatory insects that will live in the garden and provide ongoing control.
Pests that are more severe require absolutely accurate identification before any action can be taken, otherwise proper control is not possible. And the lie of chemical control is not worth the financial cost or environmental damage. Many organic options exist.
The good growing practises I have mentioned are complemented by proper rose selection before planting. Of the many roses available from wild roses to shrub types, climbers, landscape, patio and of course hybrid teas, the best performing roses I have ever grown would have to be Meilland roses or the David Austin roses (davidaustinroses.com).
Austin's roses are by far the most disease-resistant, floriferous and they have fragrance to die for. Some of his plants have petal counts as high as 90 per flower.
Regardless of the rose you grow, use the sound organic growing practises I have outlined to attain the best display and longevity.
Todd Major is a journeyman horticulturist, garden designer and builder, teacher and organic advocate. For advice contact him at [email protected].
