According to a gardening expert, the secret to healthy and bouncy blooms next year is to avoid feeding them in the autumn and do something else instead. The UK has been lucky enough to have a warm and sunny spring and summer that has allowed many people’s garden roses to thrive.
But now that temperatures have dropped, and we are drawing closer to winter, you might be wondering what to do with your colourful blooms and how to protect them to ensure they stay healthy throughout the colder seasons. Well, Patrick Wall, the product lead at Kickfisher plc, which owns brands such as B&Q and Screwfix, has revealed the one thing that every rose gardener should do this autumn.
He said: “In autumn, I would be more inclined to mulch around roses rather than feed them.
“Autumn’s the time when we’re heading into a period of dormancy, when the plant is starting to wind down. It’s not doing as much, so feeding now isn’t as important as feeding in the spring, when it will be putting on new growth.”
Mulching involves covering soil with a layer of organic or inorganic material to improve soil health.
Not only is swapping a feed for mulching instead more beneficial, but it also helps to “suppress weeds, keep the moisture in and help tuck the plant in for the winter”.
Protecting your roses during the harsh, cold weather is vital to ensure they bloom and thrive next year.
Mr Wall also suggested that gardeners should “always go for bark mulch with fairly small pieces.”
According to the expert, smaller pieces of mulch are better at retaining moisture than larger pieces, which are typically found in more general landscape mulch.
He added: “You can also use other materials, like straw, sheep’s wool or Strulch, but I find that bark mulch with smaller chips works really well.
“And then when it comes round to spring, you can feed your rose with a granular slow-release fertiliser, so it will feed the plant over a longer period of time.”
