CARING FOR YOUR ROSES

Be sure to buy your roses from specialist growers or reputable garden centres.  Avoid cheap alternatives, they’ll only let you down!  Buy quality.  Don’t go home with a dud!!

 

If possible try to visit your local nursery during the summer to view the roses in full bloom.  It makes selection so much easier.  Modern roses are superior to roses grown 40 - 50 years ago, requiring less attention, being more vigorous, healthy, floriferous and generally easier to maintain.  You wouldn’t buy a 1960’s Ford Anglia today when you could buy a new model Focus, would you?!

 

Treat roses as you would look after yourself: a well looked after rose is usually a healthy rose.  When it’s hungry, feed it.  When it’s thirsty, water it.  Even if you don’t want to spray your roses, they should be easy maintained if you avoid disease prone varieties.

 

We, together with The British Rose Trade, recommend “Uncle Tom’s Rose Tonic”.  This product revitalises growth and encourages flowering. 

It also builds up resistance and prevents disease.  It can be applied by knapsack sprayer or watering can, and is available from

http://www.naturalgardensolutions.com/products.php#rosetonic/

 

MONTHLY CHECKLIST

 

Use this as a guide to what should be done and when.

 

Jan   Leave                                                 Jul     Dead Head

 

Feb   Leave alone                                       Aug    3rd Uncle Tom’s

 

Mar   Pruning by 17th                                 Sep     Leave alone

 

Apr    Leave alone                                      Oct      Commence planting

 

May   1st Uncle Tom’s                                Nov     Trim / Winter prune

 

Jun    2nd Uncle Tom’s                               Dec     Mulch with manure

 

PREPARATION BEFORE PLANTING

 

In ideal circumstances we would recommend that the ground should be prepared some three months before planting.  Dig in a 5cm layer of well rotted farmyard manure and allow it to “dilute” into the surrounding soil.  We do not advise that the manure be placed in the hole whilst planting.  If you don’t have time to wait for the manure to “cool-off”, place a 5cm layer around your plants after planting, but keeping the manure away from direct contact with the rose tree.  Protect with a 5cm layer of forest bark as a mulch.

 

After receiving your roses, the planting is to be delayed for less than 10 days, leave the package unopened, in an unheated, frost-proof place, like a shed or a garage.

If planting is to be delayed for more than 10 days, “heel-in” the roses by digging a shallow V-shaped trench and spread the plants in a single line against one side.  Cover the roots and lower part of stems with soil.

 

PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS

 

1. Dig a hole large enough to take all the roots (about 35 x 35 x 35cm);

2. Fork in the base of the hole to loosen soil;

3. Place the rose in the hole, fold in long roots around the base of the hole;

4. Replace about half the soil and tread firmly in, ensuring there are no air pockets around the roots;

5. Replace the remaining soil and tread firmly in, with the branches just above soil level when fully planted.

 

DEADHEADING

 

Should be done when the bloom is past its best, by cutting through the branch about 15cm below the flower for Hybrid Teas or remove just the flower for Floribundas.  If there is a cluster, then remove it 10cm below the lowest point of the cluster.

 

PRUNING / CUTTING BACK

 

1. Remove the dead wood;

2. Remove weak growth;

3. Cut remaining growth to leave no more than 10cm from point of growth the previous season (Hybrid Tea & Floribunda) / 5cm for Patio.  Shrub roses’ unwanted growth should be trimmed back as and when necessary.

4. In November / December the plants should only be trimmed back lightly to tidy up the plants. 

5. During December, remove debris and dead leaves and mulch with manure or leaf mould.

dickson roses I 2010 – new introductions I Company history I contact us I GOLD STANDARD ROSES I

terms of sale  I RELATED LINKS I AWARD WINNING ROSES I tHE breeding process I Charity Roses I

ROSE naming opportunities i caring for your roses I

2010 rose catalogue : HYBRID TEA I FLORIBUNDa 1 (A-n) I FLORIBUNDa 2 (o-Z) I PATIO I SHRUB / GROUNDCOVER I

DICKSON NURSERIES LTD NEW ROSES FROM THE WORLD'S OLDEST ROSE BREEDING COMPANY!

dickson roses I 2010 – new introductions I Company history I contact us I GOLD STANDARD ROSES I

terms of sale  I RELATED LINKS I AWARD WINNING ROSES I tHE breeding process I Charity Roses I

ROSE naming opportunities i caring for your roses I

2010 rose catalogue : HYBRID TEA I FLORIBUNDa 1 (A-n) I FLORIBUNDa 2 (o-Z) I PATIO I SHRUB / GROUNDCOVER I