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Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension
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| Yates Association |
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Roses - Growing and Care |
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Garden roses are an ever popular choice of many home gardeners across New York State. Roses are available in sizes ranging from 5-8 inch miniatures to climbers that can climb a trellis to a rooftop level of 10-15 feet. When selecting a site for a rose garden, consider a place where they will receive at least six hours of sunlight each day. Light shade in the afternoon is an advantage. Although roses should not be planted in a place with no air circulation, they need some protection from high winds. Hedges, shrub borders, walls or fences can provide wind protection. Any good garden soil mixed with organic matter can produce good roses. The optimum pH level for roses is between 5.5 and 6.5. Have your soil pH tested and adjust if needed. Drainage is of the greatest importance and must be provided on poorly drained heavy soils. Raised beds can be used in soggy situations to keep the plant roots out of standing water. Prepare the rose bed well by spading or tilling to a depth of twelve inches and working in well-rotted manure or compost, if available. It's important to keep up the fertility of the rose bed. Apply commercial fertilizer of 5-10-10 or similar formula in the spring when 4-6 inches of new growth can be seen. Spread the fertilizer over the surface of the bed at the rate of two pounds to one hundred square feet, work it into the soil and water it in. If the weather following fertilization is dry, additional water is needed. A second application can be made later in the season if the plants are showing nutrient deficiency symptoms, such as pale green or yellowing leaves. In New York State, fertilizer applications should not be made after July 15, because it may delay the hardening of the wood before winter sets in. Mulching with bark chips or other loose material, such as pine needles, wood chips, or grass clippings, helps to retain moisture and keep the weeds down. The mulch should be at least three inches deep. Roses are pruned in the spring after danger of winter injury is past. Remove all winter-killed canes. Prune back the remaining canes to a point below which no winter injury is evident. Little pruning is needed during the summer. In cutting flowers, leave at least two nodes at the base of each flowering shoot. Just before the plants are mounded with earth for winter protection, shorten the vigorous canes so that they won't whip around in the wind. Call tape number 6325, Winter Protection for Roses for more information. Roses are hardy plants, but do have occasional problems with pests. Japanese Beetles can be a problem some years. Constant monitoring and handpicking the beetles off into a jar of soapy water is one way to battle the problem. Aphids also have a taste for roses but can be controlled with an insecticidal soap spray. Fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and black spot can be treated with fungicides, although good air circulation is the best defense against fungus problems. Rake up infected leaves in the fall and discard to prevent reinfection the next year. Cornell
Cooperative Extension Yates Association |
