How do I care for my Roses in the Autumn?
Rewarding our Roses with some TLC
Roses delight us every year with such a gorgeous display for many months and that is why I feel they deserve a little effort from us in the Autumn to give them the best foundation for the Winter months and I have no doubt they will repay the favour next season.
- How do I care for my Roses in the Autumn?
Removing any diseased leaves whether they be on the plant or on the ground is helpful at this time of year as it will reduce the chance of potential re-infection on new growth. Top Tip – Make sure that you destroy this foliage and don’t add it to your home compost.
- How can I prevent Blackspot and Mildew?
Blackspot and mildew are a real nuisance, they are not deadly, but they really do spoil the appearance of the plant. Giving your roses a blast of Sulphur Rose spray before they lose their leaves for winter is a great idea.
Not only is our Sulphur Rose Spray a superb aid in preventing blackspot and mildew, but it is also totally natural and environmentally friendly and will not harm any of our cherished pets and wildlife. Each spray bottle contains 1 litre of ready mixed treatment so you’re ready to get squirting as soon as you receive your delivery. You also receive a 250g carton containing enough granular powder to make a further 112 litres. Simply make up another batch by mixing the powder with water as directed to refill your spray bottle over and over again. Buy Sulphur Rose Spray and Refill Here
- Should I prune my Roses in Autumn? How do I prune my Roses?
Now it’s time for a little tidy up of those blooms and stems. Flower heads that are now looking a little sad and worn out can be snipped off or even just remove the petals to leave the hips to ripen.
Take a step back and have a good look at your shrub, look for any dead or damaged stems and snip these off along with stems that have started to cross over each other as this will help to improve air circulation in and around each branch.
There may also be some stems that have been a little over eager with their growth so reduce the height of these to prevent wind-rock which could unsettle the roots. We have the perfect tool now available for trimming those unruly shoots, with sharp slender blades, these garden snips will help to make clean and precise cuts. Check out our Garden Snips here
Top Tip – When pruning the stems, try to snip just above an outward facing bud. An outward facing bud is a growing point that faces away from the plant rather than facing in amongst the plant. The new stem will grow from this bud away from the centre of the plant making for a more open plant shape.
Snips and secateurs must be sharp for a great cut which avoids snags promoting quick healing of stems to avoid disease getting in. Keep your blades clean which guards against disease being spread between plants too.
With regards to standard Roses (single tall stem with growth all at the top like a lolly pop), simply thin out the stems to make sure they are not overcrowded and reduce the height of any over enthusiastic shoots to improve the shape of the plant and reduce the chances of them bending or snapping in the wind.
- When should I plant my Rose?
Autumn is a good time to relocate a shrub or plant a new one, bare root roses are fantastic and should be available from November, I will keep you posted. Planting or moving shrubs now will give them plenty of time to find their feet and settle before the Winter really sets in.
My final thought today – it was my daughters birthday earlier in the week and she decided to do a Jungle Parc course including zip lines and all sorts (I was surprised when she suggested this as she is scared of heights but to be fair, she nailed it, slowly!)
Enjoy your weekend everyone and if you get the chance, send me any photos of your P2G purchases loving life in their new homes.
Lins.