Imagine arranging a beautiful, perfumed rose bouquet cut fresh from your own rose garden … With April right around the corner, here are 10 easy tips for cleaning up your rose garden -- right now -- especially if you weren’t pleased with the results you had last year (i.e., had diseases or insect problems). Get off to a clean start so you’ll enjoy enhancing your life this year with your own award-winning roses.
- Plants should have been pruned in February, so if they are still over 2.5 feet, they should be pruned now. (Climbers are different and should not be reduced to that height.)
- Replace plants that are spindly or reduced to less than 3 healthy canes (pencil diameter). NOW’s the best time to plant fresh rose plants.
- Clean mulch. Rake off old mulch that often harbors black spot spores and insects.
- Apply the Witherspoon Premium 2 in 1 Fertilizer to give your roses a boost of energy.
- Top dress bed with well-rotted cow manure if your rose garden is several years old and in need of some extra nutrients. Apply 3” layer over entire rose bed.
- Apply 3” layer of clean mulch, NOT PINESTRAW.
- Check irrigation system. Replace any needed parts.
- Apply deer repellent, since deer dearly love the fresh new growth.
- Check garden supplies for plant protectant materials needed to combat insect and diseases. Prepare equipment and supplies for first application in mid-April.
- Sharpen cutting shears and get ready to reap the benefits of good rose gardening around Mother’s Day!
