FALL & WINTER ROSE GARDEN CARE (November-February)by
Albert Ford, Editor, MRS Newsletter
Quick Links:| Soil Testing | pH Correction | Winter Protection | Soil Mounding | Barriers |
| Hardwood Mulch | Other Coverings | Tool Care | Pruning | Bad Blackspot Last Year? |
It is a good idea to get a soil test of your rose beds periodically. If during past seasons you felt your roses lacked the vigor and flower production of former years or despite a regular and continuous spray program your bushes experienced more blackspot or mildew than in former years, perhaps you will want to get a soil test performed for you by the University of Maryland, Cooperative Extension Service at College Park. The mainly online resources are available through the Cooperative Extension's Home and Garden Information Center, including:
- HGIC's Plant Diagnostic Web Site for help on plant disease and pests
- Publications and pH test kit ordering information
- A list of free, online publications from the Extension
- The location of your Cooperative Extension Service Center
You will be able to pick up Soil Testing Information sheets,mailing packages, and many helpful publications at your closest Cooperative Extension Service Center.
The Regular soil test will provide answers to questions concerning soil texture, pH, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium content of the sample. Unless the gardener has reason to believe the soil may be deficient in other elements, the Regular test should be sufficient. It normally takes 10 days to 2 weeks to get the results back on the test.
A Saint Among Sinners
by Tom Conkwright
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Should the pH of the sample be low, which is most probable in this area, the gardener can apply dolomitic limestone anytime that the ground is workable. Bearing in mind that it takes several months for the limestone to become effective, it is preferable to apply it in the fall rather than to wait for spring. (See Sept-Oct, 1990 issue of the Newsletter, page 6.) Low pH during the growing season could be responsible for binding nutrients in a way that they--although present in the soil--were not available to the plant. It is convenient to be able to tie major rose activities down to some special event, like spring pruning when the Forsythia blooms. In this area, Thanksgiving can be the key for fall pruning and the application of winter protection.
It is convenient to be able to tie major rose activities down to some special event, like spring pruning when the Forsythia blooms. In this area, Thanksgiving can be the key for fall pruning and the application of winter protection.
In my garden in 1989, fall pruning and winter protection was done the week end after Thanksgiving and was in place when the weather turned brutal in December. As a consequence, out of 300 plus rose plants only one Floribunda (Charisma) and two Miniatures (Julie Anne and Dilly Dilly) were lost over the winter. I should mention, however, that the weather conspiracy of late winter-early spring 1990 weakened a number of plants such that they did not measure up to prior year's vigor and productiveness during the entire 1990 growing season and will be replaced. But that's another story.
After October 15th spent roses should be permitted to form hips and not be pruned away. The formation of hips--even though they do not fully mature--along with shorter and cooler days signals the plant that the time has arrived to start preparations for dormancy which is the plant's way of protecting itself during the winter. A pruned cane generally takes between 45 and 52 days of growth to produce a new rose. Therefore, if additional roses are pruned for after October 15th, they will not appear until the end of November to early December, if at all, depending on the day of pruning and weather conditions. December roses are a novelty in this area but the blooms are only a poor copy of what the plant is otherwise capable of producing during the normal growing season. Better, in my judgment, to stop pruning for new growth after October 15th, and allow the bush to prepare for winter.
The weekend after Thanksgiving should be a busy time in your rose garden. First, canes should be pruned back to three or four feet simply to keep the extra length from whipping around in the wind and thus loosening the soil around the bud union, exposing it to cold, drying winter winds. It is the cold blustery conditions that does the most damage to our roses.
Pruned canes can be tied together at the top as further protection. After securing the canes remove all pruned parts and clean the area well by removing all dead or fallen rose leaves. These dismembered parts contain the spores of both blackspot and mildew and they will winter over in your rose beds if not removed. Do not put the cleaned up material on your mulch or compost pile lest they affect the material you will be using next year. Put it in a plastic bag for the trash people to take away. Picking up fallen leaves can be a nuisance, but I have found it less troublesome by using a 1/2 inch wood dowel rod about three feet in length with a sharpened nail or stiff wire in the end. This simple but effective garden tool saves much time in cleaning up beds during the growing season and in the fall. Its use makes the chore easier on the back and enables the gardener to reach fallen leaves in places otherwise difficult to get to. After using the "sticker" for a number of years, I can't imagine doing without this simple and inexpensive gardening aid.
Before we leave fall pruning, there's one other point. At a Colonial District Meeting in Hagerstown there was an interesting panel discussion on rose care. A rose grower mentioned that she pruned much more severely (than mentioned above) in the fall. Her description of her practice paralleled that usually recommended for spring pruning. The practice was debated but after discussion, I concluded that practically all gardeners do not prune severely in the fall. The rationale is that further pruning in the spring will be required anyway because some dieback will occur regardless of how we prune and more cane length will be available if not removed in the fall. Additionally, severe pruning in the fall attended by die back increases the probability of having to prune back to the bud union in the spring, something none of us wants to do.
Following the minimal pruning and clean-up of the area, the rose gardener is ready to winter-protect the plants which can be accomplished in a number of ways.
The easiest method I have found makes use of 12inch "chicken wire" or wire mesh held in place with 1/4" to 3/8" bamboo sticks woven through the mesh and stuck into the ground. I grow my own bamboo and the sticks are readily available; however, they can be purchased at garden centers. Get the length that will accommodate the 12" mesh and will allow a few more inches to be pushed into the ground. If you prefer, longer sticks can be cut to length. Sometimes "chicken wire" is not available in 12" width, but the 24" width is almost always available and it can be cut in half with wire snips.
Oak leaves are recommended because they do not tend to compact and mat like other varieties. This compacting and matting tends to hold water close to the crown and can cause rotting of the canes where they emerge from the crown. Oak leaves, on the other hand, tend to retain their shape better, dry faster, and preserve air spaces between the leaves, thus lessening lower cane rot which would have to be pruned away in the spring. If you do not have an oak tree, neighbors will be glad to share theirs with you. The chances are they are going to put them in the trash anyway. Several rose growers I know who need oak leaves in the fall drive around the neighborhood until they spot an oak tree, the leaves of which have been bagged and set out for trash.
Some rose growers and writers recommend mounding soil around the plant--or plants in a bed--before applying the collar and filling it with leaves. In this area, I would reserve this treatment for the tender varieties such as `Brandy' and `Color Magic.'
One difficulty with the collar and leaves method is the required clean-up in the spring, removing the collars or wire fences and extracting the leaves. For this reason, some rose gardeners with a large number of roses prefer to use some type of mulch.
There are a couple of points to remember about the use of hardwood bark mulch. First, it should be removed from the crown gradually in the spring, but it can be left in the rose bed; it doesn't have to be carted away. It should be completely removed from the area just adjacent to the crown as the days become warmer because it is desirable to have the sun strike the crown as well as to promote good air circulation. Some feel this encourages basal breaks. Second, when applying fertilizer in the spring, rake back the mulch so that the fertilizer can be applied to the soil. The fertilizer, epsom salts (MgSO4·7H2O) , and whatever else we apply in the spring, should be raked into the soil gently before the mulch is replaced. Watering-in can be accomplished with the mulch in place.
Hardwood bark mulch tends to change the pH of the soil by making it somewhat more acid. If you use the hardwood bark method of winter protection, you should be prepared to be more rigorous about checking the pH and applying dolomitic limestone if required to raise the pH to 6.4 or 6.5. Those who regularly use hard-wood bark mulch find that it disintegrates over time and therefore it need be replaced periodically. They also apply dolomitic limestone each fall as needed because of the time required for the limestone to be effective.
It goes without saying that this method calls for pruning to a shape which can be covered by the basket. Storage of the baskets may also pose a problem for some. Meyer Seed Company does not normally carry them in stock but can order them in reasonable quantities for interested customers.
Styrofoam cones are available for winter protection, however, I do not believe they are used in this area; nor do I believe they are necessary, although some growers may have wished they had used them last year. Here again, they are usually advertised in late year issues of The American Rose.
Fall is the time to ready your tools for next spring. First, collect them together in one place, to avoid a frustrating experience if you wait until spring. Next, sharpen your shears, loppers, saws etc. and give them a good oiling, especially the moving parts. If you do not feel competent to sharpen tools yourself, take them to a specialist listed in the yellow pages of your phone directory. This task is better done now than in the spring when everyone wants theirs done.
A question concerning the pruning of ramblers was posed to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Their response was:
"...most roses are pruned in the spring, but not ramblers. Ramblers are always pruned in summer, after they've bloomed. The reason is, ramblers bloom on last year's branches. If you cut these off in spring, you are cutting off this year's flowers. The correct procedure is to prune in summer, after flowering. Remove old canes completely and shorten this year's growth by six inches to arrest it and promote hardening of the canes for winter."
-Furnished by Ellsworth Cadell
If you did not prune your ramblers this past summer, it is still not too late. Better now than in the spring. The same would be true of rambling Old Garden Roses, in which case removal of about a third of the growth is recommended.-Ed.
Was Blackspot a Problem Last Year? (click here to download this article in Adobe PDF format ) In winter it is too late to do anything about last year’s blackspot, but certainly well in time to make plans for better control next year. Ask yourself if you were sufficiently conscientious this past year with your spray program. Did you spray regularly? Did you cover both sides of the foliage? Did you alternate brands of spray periodically? Did you re-spray after a heavy rain? If you answer affirmatively to there simple questions and were unhappy about the amount of blackspot on your roses this year, it is time to rethink and redo your spray program.
In 1999, your Editor had a problem with blackspot. The level of blackspot on his rose plants exceeded his “tolerance level.” We’ll experience a certain amount of blackspot on our roses until the perfect product is developed, and I don’t believe that will occur anytime soon. If the amount of blackspot in your garden this past year was tolerable, then plan to continue the spray program next year that you did this year, maybe with a vow you will be at least as conscientious as last year, and maybe a little more so. If you were dissatisfied, do something about it!
About this time last year, I decided to do something drastic to bring blackspot under better control this year, and I did achieve my objective. For what it’s worth and for your guidance if you wish, I decided to go back to the use of lime-sulfur spray when the roses were dormant and to use a different fungicide during the forthcoming season. Thinking of the steps involved, they were as follows:
- Rake up all of the fallen leaves which will harbor the blackspot fungus. Otherwise, it will over-winter in your rose garden and be ready to attack your plants in the spring when conditions are right. Heavily infected foliage still clinging to the plant should be removed too. Don’t put this waste on your mulch pile; discard it as garbage. The time to do this is a continuous process, with a final clean up in late fall or early winter.
- Use Ortho Dormant Disease Control Lime-Sulfur Spray--in accordance with the label directions-- when the plants are dormant. This will normally occur, in this area, in January and February. Spray the foliage, canes, and soil around the rose plants. Do not use this product at full recommended strength (10Tbs [5fl oz] per gal of water) if there is doubt of dormancy or if there is evidence of new foliage, as foliar damage may result. If you will recall, January and February, 2000 temperatures were not severe, and as a consequence, your Editor used 5 tablespoons to a gallon of water in a pump sprayer.
- Start your regular seasonal spray program as soon as new foliage is evident. Decide to spray regularly every week, 10 days, or in accordance with the directions for the fungicide you decide to use. Also, use the precautions as prescribed by the manufacturer. This past year, I used Banner Maxx as my principal spray. Although it is expensive, it is a very effective product. As with any fungicide, it is a good idea to switch off periodically to a different product. It is believed that blackspot is a fungus that can accommodate to a specific fungicide.
The two principle tasks in the above are: good garden hygiene (clean up) and a regular spray program.?
updated October 30, 2006