Year-end Preparations

You probably worked hard all season to keep your roses healthy and beautiful. You were likely rewarded with waves and waves of beautiful blooms, if you did the job right. The hard work is nearly done, but don't neglect your roses during these vital final 2 months.

November and December can seem an awkward time for rosarians. While the growing season is nearing the end, winter hibernation hasn't yet begun. Some gardeners just don't know what to do during this time period. Even though your bushes aren't yet in hibernation, they still require some attention.

Water continues to be a primary need and an important part of your roses' winter survival requirements. So make sure that the soil around their roots remains damp. Give them good soakings, as needed but, as always, never over-water. Properly hydrated roots will help protect them when the cold weather arrives.

Your goal is to keep your roses healthy while,also encouraging them to begin the process of dormancy. Stop all pruning and deadheading, so you don't encourage new growth. You should have stopped applying organics in October. Don't apply any fertilizer now, either.

Continue combating black spot with monthly spraying. Spider mites remain active in late autumn, so keep your eye out for them. If you see signs of infestation, spritz your blooms and foliage with water. Aphids are also still active; so keep a bottle of soapy water ready to douse them.

Remove any diseased leaves and rake away fallen leaves from your rose beds. This not only improves the appearance of your garden, it also removes any disease residue that remain on the dropped leaves.

This is an excellent time to prepare new rose holes and rose beds for next year's growing season. They will have time to "mellow" over winter and will be ready to accept new bushes in spring.

Begin piling mulch around your more delicate varieties such as "St. Patrick", "Color Magic", "Oklahoma" and "Signature". Hardier varieties can wait until January. See our "Winter Gardening" article for mulching tips.