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How to take care of Garden Roses

Most garden lovers will tell you that there is nothing better than having a wide variety of Roses filling your garden environment. Modern roses have been a popular choice for many years now, and their origins continue to grow. Some of the more inspiring roses such as; Hybrid Tea, Polyantha, Floribunda, and Grandifloria are often the most popular due to their vibrant and wonderful colours and in some cases fresh and summery scent’s which spread across our gardens and make them feel our own.

So, you’ve planted your roses whether it be for summer or winter months, how do you ensure they stay in tip top condition? Here is a helpful breakdown of how to maintain your roses.

Pruning

Before pruning roses, you must be made aware that newer and older varieties of roses compare very differently. Older roses will require less frequent pruning (generally only once a year) removing old spinally canes will ensure that the roses have room for new growth within the summer months. Canes that guide rose buds should not be removed, as they will grow throughout the summer.

Modern garden roses however should be pruned more regularly due to their ancestry. Roses that are planted during cold winter months should be pruned at least twice a week to ensure their buds form correctly, unlike the older varieties – canes should be reduced to between 8 and 12 inches in height during spring. Any diseased or weathered stems should be cut off at an angle; this is to ensure the rose can grow back healthily, and more importantly, to reduce the risk of disease. 

Deadheading

Deadheading is the act of removing/cutting away discoloured, withered or dead flowers. Prior to summer months it is important that deadheading is performed on a weekly basis, to ensure that the plant has the best possible chance of growing healthily through summer time. When deadheading, you should remove flowers from the first 5-leaflet leaf from the shrub.  Again the flower should be cut back at an angle to ensure the plant grows back efficiently.

Pests and diseases

Pests in particular act as a nuisance around the garden, and for roses it is no different. Typical insects such as Aphids and ants can suck sap from the rose, therefore weakening the stem. To help prevent these pests from killing your roses a fungicidal spray is the most effective way of preventing rose disease. However use of the spray should in some cases be mineralised due to Ladybugs predatory of Aphids, these types of bugs should be encouraged onto the flowers.