Rose Care: Late Autumn Tasks

The growing season is drawing to a close in November and December, and this can be a tricky time of year for rose care. Although rose bushes have finished growing, they are not yet in their winter hibernation phase, and this means that it is difficult knowing what to do with regard to rose care at this time.

However as the plants are not hibernating yet and this means that you do still need to carry out some rose care tasks. The plants still need water, and you should ensure that the area of soil around the roots stays moist. Be careful not to over-water whilst ensuring that they have a good soaking if necessary.

If you make sure that the roots of your bushes are correctly hydrated, then they will be adequately protected to ensure survival during the cold weather to come.

You should not do any more deadheading or pruning during this time, because this will encourage your plants to produce new growth. You should also have already stopped feeding the bushes with new organic material and other fertilizers. The aim at this time of year is to encourage the rose bushes to begin the dormancy process, whilst at the same time making sure that the plants are healthy.

Your rose care should still include treatment and prevention of pests and diseases. You should spray once a month or more for black spot, and be on the lookout for spider mites which are still active at this time. If you see any, spray foliage and flowers with water, and if you spot aphids, which are also active during late autumn, spray using a bottle of soapy water.

If there are any diseased leaves on your bushes, pick them off, and also rake any fallen leaves away from the beds. This removes any risk of disease residue in them from re-infection, and at the same time improves the garden's overall appearance.

You should also prepare any new beds or holes for new planting of rose bushes, ready for the growing season next year. This gives the beds and holes time to 'mellow' during the winter months, and means that by the spring they will be ready to accept your new plants.

If you have some of the more delicate rose varieties such as 'Signature', 'Oklahoma', 'Color Magic', or 'St Patrick', you should start mulching around these now, whereas the less delicate varieties can be left for another month.

Hopefully, you did all the necessary rose care during the earlier months of the year to ensure that your work was rewarded with beautiful, healthy bushes, and lots and lots of gorgeous flowers. The hard work you put into your rose care is not quite over yet, however, so be careful not to neglect your plants at this stage of the year.