ROSES-GARDENING

There are various types of roses such as Shrub roses, Hybrid tea roses,  Floribundas, ground cover roses,  Rambling roses, Climbing roses.


 Once you have decided what type of rose you want, it is important to examine the plant before you purchase it. If you are buying a container grown rose, examine the roots by easing the plant out of the pot. The roots should be fine and white in color.Be sure that there are no black spots on the leaves and also the foliage is free from black and white fly.

When planting container grown roses, dig a hole a little wider than the root ball, remove the plant and place it in the hole making sure that the top of the hole is level with the top of the container soil. Fill in around the plant and gently firm it down and water it well.

If you have a bare-rooted rose, which hasn’t been grown in a container, spread the roots out before placing in the hole. As with container grown varieties, fill in the hole and gently firm down and water well.

If you plant a climber or rambling rose make sure it is planted 40 centimetres away from walls or fences in order to let rain get to the roots.

If you don’t prune your rose it can become too dense, which will prevent air from circulating and cut out light. When pruning you need to remove any old or dead stems, as this will allow air and light to reach the whole plant and help to prevent disease.

In general healthy roses are less likely to suffer from pests and diseases. However, it is important to look out for black spot, canker, honey fungus, mildew and rust. Aphids and red spider mite can also cause problems.

Growth Rate

All rose varieties grow at different rates and growing conditions vary from one location to another, there is no way to quantify the growth rate of roses. However, spring-planted bare root roses usually grow enough to bloom in 10 to 12 weeks. Roses usually reach full size by the end of the second season.