Frequently Asked Questions
-
Q: Please advise on watering techniques during a drought.
A. Water your most valuable plants first, especially the newly planted trees and shrubs that must have adequate moisture their first year to become established. Each week, they require 1 inch of water spread evenly throughout their root zones. This is best accomplished using a ground-level watering device that targets water directly toward the roots. Overhead sprinklers waste valuable water through evaporation and improper aim. Established turf grass can survive with just 1/4 to 1/2 inch of water every two to four weeks. The grass will brown, but the crown and roots will remain alive. Grass will green up when normal watering resumes.
-
Q. My neighbor puts epsom salts in the soil around his rose bushes instead of fertilizer. Is there any advantage to this?
A. Epsom salts have a long tradition of being used in the garden, especially in Europe, before commercial fertilizers became readily available. They are a fast-acting source for magnesium and sulfur. For soils on the alkaline side, the added sulfur is a benefit. Epsom salts, however, do not contain any of the three major components of most fertilizers—nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium—and therefore would not be a complete fertilizer for roses. If you choose a commercial product, one with a 10-10-10 or 10-15-10 ratio, apply it first when the leaves have opened; second, after the first flush of blooms; and finally, at the end of July.
-
Q. How do I grow roses?
A.
- Select a rose that is cold-hardy for your region.
- Provide a site with full sunlight (six hours or more), good air circulation, and well-drained soil that is high in organic matter.
- Roses are best planted in the spring, although they can be successfully planted in the fall if done early enough for their roots to become established before the onset of freezing temperatures.
- Ensure that the planting site does not dry out while the rose is becoming established. Once established, the plant should receive about 1 inch of water per week. (Do not over-water.)
- Apply a fertilizer specifically formulated for roses three times per year beginning in early spring when they are first pruned, again after setting buds, making the third application no later than August 1.
- Mulch to a depth of approximately 2 to 3 inches to help maintain soil moisture and control weed growth. After temperatures drop to the teens for a few days, mulch the rosebush with about 10 inches of soil for winter protection.
- Roses are best pruned in early spring, just as they begin to break dormancy. All dead and diseased wood should be removed. Healthy canes should be cut ¼ inch above an outward-facing, healthy bud. Faded flowers should be removed regularly during the growing season to encourage further bloom.
-
Q. Do all rose bushes produce rose hips in the fall?
A. Some rose bushes produce hips (which are actually the fruit or ovary of the plant) after September 1, when all deadheading of roses should stop. Species roses and Rosa rugosa are known for their showy hip production, which extends well into winter and often provides food for birds and animals. Allowing the roses to "go to seed" and produce their hips is an important part of their preparation for dormancy.
-
Q. How and when do I winterize my roses?
A. Planning for winter actually starts in early fall. Stop fertilizing your roses in early August and stop deadheading by Labor Day to allow the plant to shut down and set hips (seeds) for winter interest. Remove fallen leaves from the garden. It's best not to cut or prune your roses at this time of year as the cuts will not have sufficient time to callus over before winter. Roses should be dormant before winter protection is applied. After several days of below freezing temperatures, create a mound of soil, compost, shredded leaves or evergreens 8 to 10 inches deep over the base of the plant. Mounding keeps the rose uniformly cold, which reduces the chance of damage caused by cycles of freeze and thaw.
Canes of taller or climbing roses can be loosely tied together using twine or fabric strips to prevent damage from winter winds. The canes of climbing roses can also be laid on the ground and covered with approximately 6 inches of garden soil to protect them for the winter. Winter protection should be gradually removed beginning in late March or early April when new growth begins. Take care not to injure new growth. Hybrid tea and English roses, like the David Austin roses, should be cut to knee height after several days with temperatures in the teens. Mound 12 inches of composted manure or lightweight garden soil around the base of each bush. Additional shredded leaves can be piled on over the canes and held in place by chicken-wire cages. If we have not had the required low temperatures by Thanksgiving, proceed with the winterizing anyway. Shrub roses can be pruned for shape but generally do not require any additional protection. Climbing roses are mounded as above, untied from their supports, retied in one place and wrapped with burlap.
-
Q. I have recently installed a soaker hose system throughout my garden. How long do I let the water run in order to water adequately?
A. The amount of time a soaker hose should run depends on the length of the hose, whether it is buried or on the soil surface, what type of plants you are watering and whether or not it rained that week. For herbaceous plants, water must seep down only 6 to 8 inches. Woody trees and shrubs, which have deeper roots, require a longer soak. Most hoses are rated by the number of gallons of water they emit per foot over a one-hour period. As an experiment with the water pressure, turn the hose on for one hour and then actually dig with a spade in different areas and see how far down the water has reached. Keep a record of how deep the water seeped in the different garden areas, and let that be your guide for future waterings. In general, plants require one inch of water per week, spread throughout the root zone.
-
Q. What sort of spring care should I provide for my roses?
A. April is the appropriate month for some basic and necessary pruning. Pruning not only promotes improved flowering, it is essential for good overall plant health. Timing is important. Begin pruning when dormant roses begin to leaf out in the spring. It is best to wait until temperatures moderate and wide fluctuations are not predicted before undertaking rose pruning.
Basic pruning accomplishes several purposes for all rose classes — removal of damaged or dead wood, improved air circulation, improved flowering canes, and appearance. Before pruning, carefully examine the rose and identify any dead canes, which may be shriveled, dark brown, or have blackened tips. Use clean, sharpened pruners and make cuts at a 45-degree outward facing angle. Although not absolutely necessary, large cuts can be sealed with pruning compound or white glue to prevent cane drying or possible cane borer damage.
Remove dead or damaged canes at the base of the plant or below the point of damaged wood. Also, remove any crossing or weak canes that are smaller than the diameter of a pencil, leaving five to seven strong canes.
The class of rose will determine the extent of early spring pruning. Hybrid teas, floribunda, and grandiflora roses require fairly severe annual pruning to encourage better flowering and good plant health. Climbing and rambling roses require very little pruning besides removal of dead or damaged canes. However, flower production of climbers can be increased by cutting side shoots back to 6 inches. Shrub roses require very little pruning beyond the removal of dead or damaged canes, especially in the first years following planting.
-
Q. What can I do now to care for my established roses?
A. There are several things you can do in April to prepare your roses for a new growing season. Soil and mulch that were used for winter protection should be removed in April. Carefully remove the soil covering the base of the roses. This soil may be used in the vegetable garden or in other planting beds. Use a fine spray of water to remove the remaining soil from the stems and emerging leaves. The old mulch should be replaced with new mulch, taking care to leave about a 6-inch area surrounding the roses. Established roses need approximately 1 inch of water per week during the growing season. This is often provided by spring showers, but if there is not a sufficient amount of rainfall, supplement. Do not water unless the soil is dry; too much water will suffocate the roots. Apply a general-purpose fertilizer, such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-1—either water-soluble, a dry granular such as 10-10-10, or a slow-release formulation, following label directions carefully. Finally, remove any stems that have died back from winter injury or canker diseases, as well as any crossing branches or branches that you wish to remove to shorten the plant.
-
Q. I received a potted miniature rose for Mother’s Day. Can I transplant it into my garden?
A. Yes, you can plant your miniature rose in the garden. Miniature roses are bushy and make a nice addition to rock gardens. They can also be useful for low edgings. Plant your miniature rose outside as soon as all danger of frost has passed. Be sure to harden it off before planting outdoors, which means to slowly acclimate the rose to outdoor conditions. If you are not able to plant it right away, place it in an area that receives at least six hours of sunlight per day and water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. When selecting a site for your miniature rose, choose an area that receives at least six hours of direct sun each day with well-drained soil. You can amend the soil with compost or leaf mulch prior to planting to improve drainage and add nutrients.
Please contact Plant Information Service at (847) 835-8362 or Click here to show mail address for more detailed information.
-
Q. When and how should I plant bare-root roses?
A. Bare-root roses can be planted as soon as the soil is workable in the spring. Remove the wrapper and packing material and soak the roots or entire plant for 8 to 12 hours to fully hydrate it before planting. Examine and remove all dead or damaged roots. Prune back each cane to three to five buds per cane. Thin, spindly canes should be removed. Dig a planting hole wide enough for the roots of the plant. Make a cone of soil in the bottom of the planting hole. If the soil is especially dry, fill it with water. When the water completely recedes, set the plant over the cone, and spread the roots out evenly. If the rose is grafted, place the plant so that the bud union is at soil level. Fill the hole with the remaining soil and water well. Newly planted roses should receive 1 to 1½ inches of water per week until the roots are established.
Please contact Plant Information Service at (847) 835-0972 or Click here to show mail address for more detailed information.
-
Q: When and how should I deadhead and prune my roses?
A: Deadheading—the removal of spent flowers—is a form of pruning. Before making pruning decisions about your roses, it is best to determine the type of rose, and how and when it blooms. Roses are divided into different types based on common characteristics.
Pruning cuts should be made on a 45-degree angle, ¼ inch above an outward-facing bud or five-leaf axil. Dead, diseased, spindly, or crossing branches can be removed at any time.
Spent flowers on hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora roses should be removed regularly to encourage rebloom. Deadheading should not be done after Labor Day to avoid encouraging new growth that may be damaged by early cold temperatures and to allow the plant to produce hips (fruits of roses that contain seeds). Many roses—especially old garden roses—produce large hips, which provide good winter interest.
Most shrub roses require no pruning except to reduce their height, if desired. Shrub roses such as the ‘Knock Out’ series are self-cleaning and will rebloom continually throughout the growing season with no deadheading necessary. They can be lightly pruned in early spring as the plants begin to leaf out in order to regulate their height and to remove winter-damaged cane tips.
Climbing and rambling roses are generally pruned to train them to grow on support structures or to reduce their height. Rambling roses can also be allowed to sprawl naturally with no pruning required except to control size. If pruning is necessary on climbers or ramblers that only bloom once, it should be done immediately after flowering, because blooms are produced on old wood.
Please contact Plant Information Service at (847) 835-0972 or Click here to show mail address for additional information.