Roses are somewhat hardy plants, but they still need some attention in the autumn season.
If gardeners want their roses to make it safely through winter, William Mitchell from Sutton Manor Nursery has urged them to follow one job he’s labelled as “essential”.
The expert emphasised the importance of cutting back shrub roses for their survival and to “guarantee a luscious, bloom-filled plant full of flowers return the next year”.
The agenda for autumn rose maintenance includes a tidy-up operation: removing old blooms or any leaves stricken with disease, coupled with a good pruning session.
William highlighted: “By the time the autumn months come around both shrub and bush roses will most likely have grown very tall.”
He further noted the arrival of autumn signals a swift shift in weather patterns, ushering in more severe conditions.
According to the horticultural guru, it’s imperative to trim long stems “back by a third and a half” of their original height “immediately”.
When you’re pruning, aim for an open-centred structure which promotes better air circulation for the plant.
It’s best practice to snip the rose stems just above a bud facing outwards, whenever possible.
Issuing a word of caution, William declared: “The conditions that can hugely damage these uncut long stems are wintery windy weather.
“Windy weather can cause considerable damage as the stems are constantly battered by strong winds and could even end up with the plant becoming loose in the soil.”
It’s also crucial to prune the heads of standard roses since their rounded tops can act like sails, catching the wind and potentially snapping off in extreme weather.
Throughout the rest of the month, it’s recommended that gardeners keep on top of maintenance by trimming away any damp, wilted rose blooms to stop any rot from taking hold.
Be sure to remove and dispose of any remaining leaves that exhibit signs of sickness, such as mildew or black spot as these can cause diseases year after year.
