A rose by any other name will still be dormant for the winter

A rose by any other name will still be dormant for the winter
                        
My roses were a stunning display of color and fragrance all summer long and they’re not finished yet. I don’t think they’ve ever been so nice. With frost tempting us the last few nights, I am certain the rose show won’t last much longer, but what a show it was. I had zero problems with Japanese beetles, no black spot and blooms from June until now! In August, I did a little reshaping as some canes were getting a bit long and blocking the brick walk that leads to the back door of the house. Do you remember how hot it was in summer? The roses kept right on blooming as long as I dead-headed occasionally. I only fertilized with compost tea. I did give them lots of water to get through the several dry spells. To make sure the roses look great next summer, there are a few things to do now to get them ready for winter. Don’t fertilize roses in fall. You don’t want to do anything to encourage growth right now. It won’t be long and the roses will be dormant for the winter. Don’t deadhead or prune the roses now. It’s tempting when our plants start to look shabby, but leave the roses alone until we’ve had a few heavy frosts. You can trim them down a bit then. Heavy pruning is not necessary in the fall, but it is a good idea to get the longest canes under control. Winter wind, ice and snow can be heavy and harsh and can lead to canes breaking resulting in damage. It is OK to trim dead wood right now, so if you’re itching to prune something, make sure it is dead wood and nothing green. It is important to remove dead wood from roses, if not now then soon. Dead wood allows pests and diseases to get into the plant and can lead to serious issues. And nobody likes a rose bush with serious issues. We’ve had a decent amount of rain the last couple of weeks so it probably won’t be necessary to water the roses before winter sets in. If you live somewhere where rain has been scarce, give the roses a good soaking. Healthy roses are more likely to make it through winter. It is the starches stored by the roses throughout the summer that allow them to live during winter. Keep the plants comfortable by mulching heavily at the base. The roots will stay warmer and moisture will stay where it is needed. Mulch with leaves, straw, wood chip or whatever you have to form a protective blanket around the roots of your plants. There was a time I would have never considered roses in the garden. Roses were for rich people with gardeners, stuffy, heavy-accented people with names like Archibald or retired people with elbow-length gloves and lots of time. Nowadays, roses are one of the easiest plants to grow. They can make a lackluster bed or border stunningly colorful and unbelievably fragrant. Roses attract pollinators that benefit the rest of the yard and garden. Today’s roses are bred to be prolific bloomers, resist pests and disease and require minimal care to thrive. These are my kind of roses.


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