When shoud you start preparing your rose garden for the onset of spring
and summer? Well, if you live in an area where you can start seeing the
promise of spring in late March or early April, then you're an "early
spring" rose gardener. However, if you live where March and April still
brings icy rain and snow, then just keep waiting out old man winter
until your turn at spring arrives and then follow the tips in this
article.
Early spring is a time of great activity in the rose garden as you
prepare for the beautiful buds that will be sprouting almost any day.
Here's a summary of what needs to be done in order to prepare your roses
for the tough growing season that lies ahead.
If you covered your roses with dirt or mulch, your first step is to
gently remove the protective materials so you can introduce your dormant
bushes to the warming spring sun and rains that lie ahead.
Before beginning your spring pruning activities, cut back any dead and
damaged canes that did not survive the winter. Be sure to clear away
any debris and residue from around the bushes as well.
Prepare the soil to nurture your plants by adding some organic
compounds. You can either buy pre-packaged organics from your favorite
garden supplier, or you can mix up your own recipe using
composted
manure or mushroom compost, or any of the usual meal blends which can
include alfalfa, cottonseed, fish or blood meal. See below for some
suggestions.
Work your soil with a spade or hoe if it has become too compacted during
the winter or if you notice standing water after watering your plants.
Roses require well-drained soil to thrive.
After soil preparation is done you can plant any new additions to your garden including container grown roses.
Next it is time to begin your fungicide spraying regiment either
immediately or, if you prefer to wait, approximately 14 days after you
complete your pruning. Opinions on the best time differ. The choice is
yours.
Remember to rotate through different fun gicides during the year to prevent any fungi from becoming immune to any one product.
Don't use any pesticides unless you see evidence of damage, but remember
to keep a sharp eye out for aphids which are as much a sign of spring
as April showers are. Hit them with a blast of water to remove them, or
apply insecticide in a mister to the affected areas.
Imagine how hungry you'd be if you just woke up from a long winter
hibernation! Well, your Roses are hungry too. The best way to coax them
from dormancy to budding is to feed them now and every other week
through the remainder of the growing season. Water well after feeding!
Feed with a fertilizer balanced for Nitrogen (N), Phosphates (P2O5) and
Potash (K2O). Nitrogen stimulates the growth of leaves and canes and
increases the size of the bush. Phosphate stimulates the growth of
roots, canes and stems and speeds up flowering. Potash stimulates the
production of top quality blooms and improves the drought and disease
resistance of the plant. A good balanced fertilizer with these elements
is 10-10-10.
Another popular spring fertilizer is Osmocote which is a controlled
release fertilizer that releases nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
depending on soil temperature. The 18-6-12 (8 to 9 month term)
formulation is recommended for this area. Osmocote is also available
with trace elements added in a product with the name of Sierra 17-6-10
Plus Minors Controlled Release Fertilizer.
There! Your rose garden is ready for spring, but remember your work is
far from over. If spring is near then summer can't be far behind.
No comments:
Post a Comment