Large Sola Flowers

Caring for roses after planting is part of good garden maintenance and will keep your roses beautiful and blooming for years. Rose lovers find this a pleasure rather than a necessary task. Each rose variety has its own set of maintenance rules regarding watering and pruning etc, yet all roses will benefit from the same care.

Five Important Points on How to Take Care of Roses

1. How much water do roses need?

a. Roses need a lot of water but you should be careful to avoid over watering as this can affect the roots leaving them too shallow and unable to absorb nutrients. Water deeply three times a week and sprinkle every day.

2. How much sunlight do roses need?

a. Roses need the maximum amount of sunlight, at least 6 hours per day. Partial sunlight may be sufficient for certain varieties though.

3. What type of soil do roses need?

a. roses need high doses of nutrients and it is good to treat roses with a nitrogen rich fertilizer especially at the beginning of their life.

4. What about weed control?

a. controlling weeds is important for healthy roses as they slow down growth and rob the rose of essential nutrients, starving them.

5. What about pruning?

a. Pruning needs to be done once a year at the end of winter during their dormant period.

Soil: The first step to rose care is in the quality soil they are planted in and if your soil is not as healthy as you would like, you will need to feed your roses. Soil should be acidic and should be well drained. There are special rose foods that will supply the acidity roses love at the same time they will nurture the plant and provide it with nutrients. Ideally it is best to spread the rose feed before planting, but even well established roses benefit from feeding twice during the summer. Remember to water well after each feeding.

Good drainage can be achieved too and the easiest way to do this is to aerate the soil before each feeding. It also helps to place small stones on the surface of the soil as they will work themselves into the soil around the roots and help maintain air circulation.

The soil around roses should be rich in potassium especially when they are flowering- some experts even suggest placing banana peels around the base of stems. The pH should be kept around 6.0 - 6.5, so you may need to check this periodically.

Water for Roses: Knowing the right amount of watering is important, if roses are watered insufficiently they will die and if they are watered too much their roots will get shallow and unable to absorb nutrients. Deep watering is paramount to healthy roses as shallow watering will encourage fungal growth, yet their leaves should be kept dry in order to prevent disease.

Best Time for Pruning Roses: Rose pruning is best done in early spring when budding starts as these buds are the beginnings of new branches. Soak you pruning shears in a solution containing equal parts water and bleach which will protect your roses from diseases and from insects. Start by cutting off the damaged branches and then cut all other healthy branches except for five. Each branch should be about the thickness of a pencil.

Cut off about one third of the branch, cut above the outward facing buds as this will allow for better circulation and a better shaped bud. Your shears should be very sharp as you don't want to rip or crush the stems. Deadheading is necessary if you want to encourage new blooms, yet if you allow dead blooms to fall off they will create natural mulch around the base of the rose.

Mulching Roses: Mulching is necessary and will go a long way to keeping your maintenance down, it will also mean less watering, wetting and diseases. Organic mulches such as wood chips and even grass cuttings are best. During winter mulching is especially important as it helps protect your roses by keeping the roots warm. This type of mulching can take the form of a few extra inches of soil at the base. Plastic cones during winter are not first choice as they a liable to trap too much heat when it thaws.

Roses are a labor of love, giving them a healthy environment to grow in, lashing them with attention and grooming and feeding them correctly will ensure that your roses thrive and continue blooming years down the line.

Bob Leland is a Rose growing enthusiast. Visit About The Care Of Roses for more expert advice on the care of Roses mywork.name/loans/go/go.php?sid=1.aboutthecareofroses/], planting roses, fertilizing and pruning, and other tips you can use right now to grow gorgeous roses.