Proper care of roses in spring is of great importance for the proper development of these shrubs later in the growing season. In spring, we discover roses that have been protected for winter, check their condition, start fertilization and trim the bushes. You can also plant new roses in the garden. See, step by step, how to perform the individual steps related torose care in spring
Properly cared for in spring, roses will repay with beautiful flowers
Planting roses in spring
All roses, regardless of the variety, should be planted in the fall.This is especially true for roses sold with bare root. Only then can we be sure that the bush will break out the first leaves early and will bloom faster. However, if we decide to plant in the spring, we should choose roses from the so-called with a root ball or in containers. We also need to take care of some important details.
Basic job requirements first. It should be well insolated and ensure good ventilation, while the soil should contain a high content of humus and have a pH of 5.5-6.5. Sandy-clay soils, enriched with compost, work best.When planting roses in springremember to water regularly, especially if we come across a dry period. Watering should be done in the morning so that the leaves stay dry at night.
Planting roses in spring. The hole for the rose must be large enough to prevent the roots from curling up
If we plant open-root roses, be sure to soak them in water for several hours before planting. We should also trim the roots a little to stimulate them and shorten the shoots to about 20 cm.
The hole should be deep enough for the roots to fit loosely in it and not curl up. The spot of budding (thickening above the root) should be a few centimeters below the soil surface. After placing the plant in the hole, cover it up and knead it well.
Fertilizing roses in spring
When planting open-root roses, you should not put any fertilizers into the hole as they may damage the roots. We can start fertilizing when the rose takes root and sprouts. We can then apply a slow-acting compound fertilizer that will provide the bushes with ingredients throughout the season. After feeding with fertilizer (especially in the form of granules), it is worth slightly moistening the soil, because the fertilizer is released only under the influence of water.
Additional fertilization will come in handy when planting the bed with a layer of mulch (straw, bark). Mulching the soil reduces the availability of nitrogen for roses, hence it is necessary to fertilize with nitrogen-based fertilizer (e.g. nettle manure).
Discovering roses in spring
Roses that have been preserved for winter can usually be discovered in March, when there is no more snow cover. Then we can also assess the condition of the shoots and determine whether new plantings are necessary. Start by removing the sacks, straw and spruce branches. It is worth leaving the scattering of the mounds for later (until the beginning or mid-April). Then there may still be severe frosts, which may harm the shoots, in which the juices will already begin to circulate.
We cut the roses in spring at a height of about 20-30cm
Cutting roses in spring
The process of cutting roses can be divided into stages. The first is pruning shoots after the winter period. Then we shorten the shoots to he althy tissue and cut out old, thin and frozen shoots. The next stage is the care and shaping cut, which we perform in the summer.
Shoot pruning also differs for different groups of roses.
Large-flowered roses and bedding roses - in the case of these groups of roses, we are dealing with varieties that bloom on annual shoots. A strong cut in spring is therefore recommended. We do not have to worry about the condition of the shoots after pruning. The rose will quickly sprout new twigs and will bloom in June. Shoots should be cut to a height of about 20-30 cm. We should, of course, remember about the complete excision of sick, damaged and old shoots. Try to trim about 0.5 cm above the mesh facing outwards. Then we will avoid the crossing of shoots in the future.
Make the cut at a height of approx. 0.5 cm above the eyelet
Park roses - this group of roses can be divided into roses that bloom once a season. In the case of the former, we should shorten the shoots by about half their height. Only in the case of very old or thin shoots, cut right at the base of the shoot.
Note!Roses that bloom once a season (not repeating flowering) should not be trimmed in spring. This would reduce flowering in these varieties. We make them only in the summer after flowering. Then we cut out the old shoots and leave the young ones, on which flowers will appear next year.
A shoot that has survived the winter does not have to be green on the outside. It is enough that it is whitish-green inside
The rush is cold. We should try to cut lower to get to the point where the shoot is alive
Climbing roses - in this group of roses we can also distinguish varieties that repeat flowering and blooming once a season. In repeating flowers, we can distinguish the so-called long shoots that we do not shorten, unless their tops are frozen. We will use these shoots to form the plant. Whereas the so-called short shoots are shortened as for park roses.This will densify the plant in its lower parts. Of course, we always remember about cutting sick and frozen shoots.
In the case of roses that bloom once a season, proceed as in the case of park roses that do not repeat flowering. We do the cutting only in the summer after flowering. These shrubs should be carefully pruned by x-raying the plant.
Rose in spring after pruning
General rules for cutting roses:
- For all varieties and groups of roses, we should cut out old shoots and those that have frozen in winter. How to recognize them? A bronze shoot doesn't mean it's dreamed up. After cutting the shoot, the middle part should be white-green (Photo 5). If it is brown (Fig. 6), then we shorten the shoot until we reach the correct color.
- Make the cut with a sharp and clean pruner so as not to create additional wounds that may become infected.
- Do not leave any remnants of cut shoots. They can hide fungal spores that will harbor diseases.
- Make the cut above the bud at a distance of about 0.5 cm. Cutting too high will cause the part above the eyelet to die. In extreme cases, the entire shoot may die. Cutting too low can damage a developing bud.
Przemysław Martyniak
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