A month by month guide to the critical jobs for the enjoyment of your rose garden.
JANUARY: The holidays are finally over and it is time to turn our minds to dreams of Spring in the garden. Catalogs are still coming in, and rose dreams are at their peak. Get your order in early to purchase
those new and unusual roses, because many of the mail order companies have limited quantities of each variety, and there will be an especially
big run on the new varieties.
Plan to read a few good books on roses, check out your local library and purchase your favorites in bookstores or over the internet.
This is a great time to plan which roses you are moving, giving away or 'shovel pruning' in order to make room for the new varieties you will
be buying soon.
If it is a dry winter, be sure to water your roses if the soil becomes dry.
Water at least once a month if it does not snow or rain and it is above freezing temperatures during the days.
FEBRUARY: This is another catalogue looking month, but sometimes we have a break in the weather the
latter part of the month and if the ground is not too soggy and muddy and you are brave, dormant bareroot roses may be planted.
The earlier they get into the ground the better in general. Be careful with this though and keep a close eye on the weather forecast,
because if there is a bad cold snap, you will have to protect them or they may be greatly damaged or even die.
For your established varieties, if there is snow on the ground, it may be heaped up on the rose bushes bases as
it is nature’s best freeze protecting mulch. It also gives some of the needed water. Don't forget to water if there is no snow or rain.
If there is a late February warm snap, this is a great time to clean up leaves, weeds and dead plant material that you missed in the
fall. Throw all of this material on your compost pile. You don't have one? Start one. EVery good gardener MUST have a compost pile. It
is also a good time to walk around your garden with a pencil and paper and list the major tasks that you want to accomplish this season. The
garden is much more bare at this time of year and you can see the structure of things better. This is also the time to plan where your new
roses will actually go, and which ones have to be moved.
Garden tools should be sharpened and oiled, handles sanded and generally made ready. Be sure your secateurs (garden clippers) are in good sharpened condition.
Change the blades if they are old and worn. It pays to buy the best here if you can afford them: Felcos.
MARCH: This is called the "windy month", but the end part of march is usually our best planting time for
dormant bushes. Keep an eye out for frosts though, and protect as needed.
It is too early to prune. Pruning stimulates growth and this should be delayed as long as
possible, wait until the weather is settled or until the plants start to leaf out.
You can also plant your newly arrived bareroot varieties in 3 gallon pots with potting soil and keep them in
a protected place, but still getting direct sun. The great thing about starting your bareroots in pots is that they are more likely to
start easily, and you can move them around if there is bad weather. Don't forget to water them!!! Plant them in the ground when a root ball has formed and they have leafed out. There is
no real hurry to put them in the ground, it can be done anytime during the season. Many people who grow lots of new roses every year use this
as a standard practice.
March is the perfect time for moving dormant garden roses around. As soon as the ground can be worked is the time to do this. When they are still dormant, they will suffer little or no damage from being
moved. Remember that a full sized rose when moved will need to be fully pruned down in order to do well, with less root material than it is used to,
it cannot support a full set of canes and leaves.
APRIL: This is usually our best month for pruning. The old saw is to look for the forsythia blooming in your neighborhood, but this
doesn't work for everybody. The thing to really look for is when the leaf buds on your plant have swollen and erupted,
but are not longer than 1/2 inch or so. If you wait too long to prune after this, you will really be pruning off a lot of new growth, which
will set the vitality of your plant back a bit.
Before you start cutting, take a good look at the overall bush, and make a plan in your head. First cut out any deadwood, any canes crossing and rubbing against each other,
and much of the spindly growth smaller than the diameter of a pencil (Unless the rose is small, and these are the only canes).
Seal all large pruning cuts with Elmer’s Glue (this prevents cane borer wasps from entering and killing the canes).
Generally look for an outward facing bud and cut at a 45°angle ¼" above the bud or bud eye. This makes your rose grow in a vase shape.
Remember that the rose will grow in the direction that the top bud on the cane is pointing. You can train a rose in the way you want it to
grow using this simple knowledge.
Prune in general to open up the center of the bush, this leads to better air circulation and more light getting to the leaves.
Leave at least 3-5 major canes, favoring the new greener 'basal growth' over the really old brown, cracked and weathered canes.
Prune high or low, to make the bush do what you want. Remember, you are the boss and there are a lot of choices depending on
how big you want the plant to get and where it is growing in your garden.
Prune the canes lower to 10"-12" for large but fewer blossoms (Rose Show Exhibition Type Blooms). For more but smaller blooms,
prune the canes to 18" to 36" in height, depending on your taste. Climbers should be pruned much higher, removing the side shoots of the main branches
down to about 4 or 5 bud eyes from the main cane. Main climber branches should be trained horizontally as much as possible. This enables the
side shoots to grow upward producing more blooms.
Apply first fertilizer if the leaves have started to grow. Water your roses well before fertilizing if the soil is dry.
Now is the time to put on alfalfa meal one or two cups per plant, and Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulphate) 1/4 to 1/2 cup per plant.
It’s time to start foliar feeding if you want the biggest and most colorful blooms, start when the leaves are
well formed and continue every 2-3 weeks until July 1st.
MAY:This is the extreme growth period of the year for your roses. By the end of the month buds should be appearing in
great quantity. Aphids will also be attacking in quantity. Wash them off with water spray, or apply insecticides if you so desire. Those
who have good organic gardening practices will have little to worry about after the first week or so, because the beneficial insects will
start eating the aphids quickly.
Now is a good time to plant your roses purchased in containers. Good dormant stock may still be planted at the first of the month,
but don't wait! In general most rose planting should be over by May 10th.
Fertilize newly planted container roses with a liquid fertilizer for the first season. An extra dose of fertilizer between the
at about mid month won't hurt your established varieties. Don't forget this is the time of growing frenzy for your established bushes.
You may prune a second time to eliminate unhealthy diseased looking canes. Use the Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
approach to control severe infestations of pests and diseases. Contact a Consulting Rosarian if you need assistance. Give water as needed.
If you are going to exhibit you roses, shows will soon be upcoming, so be sure to disbud early on hybrid teas,
and perhaps the grandifloras, to be shown as single specimens. Around May 1st is time to think about timing the blooms on your favorite
bushes for the rose show.
JUNE: The Big payoff, the great bloom feast! This is also the 'Rose Show' month, and roses will be out in all their glory,
in rose shows, in public and private gardens, and on the street edges as you drive by. In a typical Utah climate year, the big 'Spring Flush'
as it is called should be from the first to the middle of the month.
When the bloom is on, fertilizer should be put on for the SECOND (or if you are really antsy) the THIRD time.
(The first fertilizer was applied in April right after the plants started to leaf out). Roses cannot take up materials until the pumping
power is there in the leaves, so don't ever forget about deep watering. The hot days are beginning and evaporation is starting to get high.
'Deadheading', the removal of dead blooms begins in earnest. Right after the big first flush. If you don't do this,
your roses may go to seed and stop producing. Deadhead by cutting back to a five leaflet for new larger blooms or just break off
the old bloom at the top stem if you want more clusters of bloom. Cut back further for the specific varieties that produce 'Long Stemmed'
roses. Some varieties need to be deadheaded back by about 18 to 24 inches. If you don't do this, these varieties will be 12 feet tall by
the end of the season. Remember that deadheading is a matter of taste, you are trying to keep the bush blooming, but you are also trying to
keep it at the ideal size for your garden taste.
For those of you with the hybridizing jones, this is the month to make your crosses and label the rose hips so they are not
deadheaded off later in the season. Rose hips need most of the summer in order to mature fully, so crosses should be made by Mid July at the
latest.
This is also the time of year to take cuttings in order to propagate more roses. Wait till after the first flush is over. Take your
cuttings leaving the 'heel' (where a small side branch meets a cane. Remove the old bloom and leave 2 to 3 leaf sets.
Invite your friends and neighbors to a garden party in your garden during the peak bloom. Now is the time to show off!
JULY: This is the start of the continuous hot blast furnace weather so water is EXTREMELY important.
Continue with IPM (Integrated Pest Management) practices and spray for insects or diseases if necessary. Make sure to keep taking off the dead
blooms. Apply next major fertilizing around the 15th. Every 6 weeks is a good rule. (Two to four weeks if you are completely obsessed,
depending on the variety and it's needs.)
Thrips and Spider Mites are the biggest insect problems in July and August, so you might have to deal with them. Don't forget to keep the weeds down, as weeds love the month of July. Oh, and apply mulch to the bottoms of the rose if desired.
Mulch is the best way to prevent weeds around your roses. It also allows the soil to retain moisture.
Did I say water? Yes I did. This is the most important thing to do for your plants in July.
Grab a glass of lemonade, a comfortable chair, and find a shady spot from which to admire your roses and the bees and
butterflies in the garden. Don't forget this critical step, it is part of the big payoff!
AUGUST: The Heat Blast Furnace continues. More heat, so a good mulch around the roses will save on the ever increasing
water bill and help keep the roots cool.
Apply the last application of fertilizer around August 15 to the 31st. Mildew will probably start to be a problem this month,
so have your plans formulated to deal with it if it gets severe. If it is just mild, don't worry about it.
These are the last of the 'Halcyon Days' Enjoy them while they are here, because usually around September 1st is the first
tinge of fall. It might not seem like much at first, but the days will start to be noticeably shorter and the sun will start to get lower
in the sky soon.
SEPTEMBER: This should be a really good rose month, due to cooler weather. The Blast Furnace is gone. No more fertilizer
on the roses is needed, but water is still important.
After September 15th, stop deadheading. Leave the last bloom on the bushes, as this helps them to harden off for the winter.
Usually there is a bloom in October, and if so, leave on the rose hips. An application of Treble Superphosphate will help get the roses
into cold weather.
Make sure to get Rid of the weeds in the garden so they don't go to seed. I weed can produce up to 100,000 seeds!
The first of the next season rose catalogues come out about now. Our climate pushes the limit at which you can do fall rose planting, so your
best bet is to order for next season. USDA Zone 7B is about the lowest climate zone in which people can safely plant bare root roses
in the fall. Some people buy fall bareroot plants and then bury them completely for the winter, digging them up the following March.
OCTOBER: Early October is usually the time of the 'Fall Flush', which is the second biggest production of roses in the
garden. A great time to take pictures of your roses.
This tail end of this month should mark the end of blooming for your roses. The killing frost usually happens between the 20th and the 31st of October,
or thereabouts, although in rare years it is possible to get bloom through about November 20th or so.
Keep the leaves picked up and thrown onto the compost pile and remove whatever other dead refuse is in the garden after the
killing frost hits. You want to keep on top of this through November, because after the snows hit, you're done.
You can now do a bit to get new beds ready for the spring arrival of new roses. Soil does better when you apply compost and manure in
the fall to new beds and give it a winter to work its way towards great soil. (Till it all together in March).
If really cold weather comes and the ground is frozen over, hill up the bushes. You may use leaves (oak are best), compost,
straw, or soil pep. Soil may be used but it must be brought in from another area of the garden. This will help keep the
bushes cold. Warning do not do this too early, the ground must be frozen. If we have an Indian Summer make sure to keep
your roses watered to avoid damage that may not show up until next year.
NOVEMBER: Rose beds will definitely be frozen by the end of this month, if not hilled up in October, you may do so now. If
roses come in the fall, dig a trench and cover them up. Don't forget to mark your spot so you can locate them in the spring. Move potted roses
closer to the house. The closer to the house and each other and the more protected from wind the better.
Extra long canes can be shortened at this time to prevent whipping in the winter winds, or breaking off with heavy winter snows.
If you have heavy winter snowfall in your neighborhood, bush canes may be wrapped together and tied with twine to prevent breakage. Heavy
wet snows on large unprotected bushes can be devastating to their health. Split and damaged canes are an invitation to disease and insects.
It is now time to put the garden to bed. Hill up your compost pile to a depth of 3 to 4 feet tall (the taller the pile, the more likely
it will be to retain heat and continue composting during the winter). Drain hoses and move them indoors. Move your garden tools
indoors to prevent excess weathering. Remove any sprinkler heads that are above ground, and turn off the outside
sprinkler water supply. Stack the outdoor furniture and move them to a protected area where they are less exposed to wind and snow.
DECEMBER: It is time to move indoors now. Give rose bush gift certificates for Christmas. A sure winner for any rose lover.
Winter evenings would be a good time to take your garden tools in hand, clean them, oil them, and sharpen them, so they will be ready
when there is spring work to do. When snow comes, heap it on the rose bush bases. If there is no snow or rain, don't forget to water your roses
once a month.
It is time to put out the bird feeders, and keep them frequently replenished till about the end of March. Having birds regularly visit your
garden all year long will help greatly with insect control. Besides, it's fun and will get you outside every once in a while.
DON'T FORGET that the weather may change ANY calendar. In this mountainous country, Nature is a changeable
lady, so pay attention and work accordingly.
Utah Rose Society
Salt Lake City, UT
Calendar Originally Written by Marie Shields
Revised by June Openshaw 2001
Revised by Bob Bauer 2004
Got Any Questions about how to join or about the Utah Rose Society in general?
Just go ahead and call Barbara Adair
at: (801) 891-2601 or
send an e-mail to:barbaraz6acomcast.net
