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| Proper spring rose care helps ensure summer blooms! |
It's finally beginning to feel like spring! Your roses are
probably showing signs of life again with canes turning green and buds starting
to form. But this is Colorado, and we’re not out of freeze danger yet. With
that in mind, the following are steps you can take in the next few weeks
to help your roses get off to a good start.
1. Gradually
remove the mulch from around the rose bushes. Don’t do this all at once, just
remove a bit at a time, preferably in the afternoon. Gradual removal of mulch
gives the plant time to adjust to the change in soil temperature. If you remove
it all too soon, the new growth will freeze. If you wait too long, the tender
new growth that has been protected will need some shading from the bright
sunlight.
2. Keep
checking the beds for moisture. Dig down about 3 inches and test the soil by
squeezing it in your hand. If it’s crumbly, you need to apply water. Water in
the warmest part of the day during springtime. Later, in summer, your watering
habits will need to adjust to the hotter, drier conditions.
3. Clean
out the beds by removing any dead leaves from the canes and the ground. These
old leaves can harbor diseases from the previous season, so get rid of them!
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| Roses in springtime, before pruning |
4. In
late April or early May, when the danger of freeze has subsided, you can prune
your roses. Cut the canes all the way back to live wood. A correct pruning cut
is about ¼ inch above the bud eye. Cut at an angle pointing toward the bud eye,
and use sharp, clean pruning shears. Cut out any canes that are crossing over
other canes. Cut any dead or diseased wood all the way to the ground or the
graft. Seal the cut canes with a cane sealer or a dab of Elmer’s glue. Don’t be
afraid of hard pruning in the spring; you are shaping the bush for good air
circulation and healthy summer blooms.
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| Correct pruning cut for roses |
5. Bareroot
roses can be planted as soon as the soil is workable. Soak them for 24 hours
prior to planting. Mound up soil and mulch around the newly planted roses to
prevent them from drying out.
A great resource for all
kinds of information about growing roses is the Denver Rose Society.