Late Spring In The Rose Garden

Late April's early blooms have already enthralled you. Now you're filled with eagerness for the wave of blooms arriving soon. This is the onset of the season we've all been waiting for! It's time to get busy.

Begin your deep watering program

Heavy rainfalls could still arrive as late as early May. Keep that in mind and adjust your watering schedule accordingly. Otherwise, maintaining the correct moisture level is absolutely essential.

Roses don't require as much water as other plants do. They much prefer a complete root soaking over having the entire plant, blooms and leaves, watered. Over-watering, however, can result in mildew and related fungal diseases, so be prudent.

Start your deadheading program

Deadheading your rose bushes will extend their blooming season. Just cut back a few branches with outward-facing buds that have more than five leaflets. It's also a good time to remove any faded blooms. This will improve the overall look of your bushes.

Start your organics season in May

Once your roses have produced their first flush, it's time to start applying the organics. The organics, including fish, blood, alfalfa, and cottonseed meal, seaweed and wood ashes are all excellent food source for roses. You should rinse seaweed in fresh water before using.

This is also the right time to begin working on your soil amendments. Start applying shredded leaves, grass clippings, compost and manure freely and in large quantities.

Begin your summer pest control

Insects and diseases will also be off to a quick start this time of year. Don't delay counteracting the effects of these common rose enemies.

Black Spot, a fungal disease, is recognizable by the black spots that appear on the foliage. Improper watering is what causes this condition. Start by pruning away the infected foliage and discarding the clippings in a trashcan. Don't leave them on the ground. Then start soaking your roses at the roots, rather than by watering them from above.

Spider Mites are initially infested when the foliage starts turning a dull red color. As the infestation progresses you will begin noticing small webs. Treatment is as easy as spritzing the mites and the affected areas with plain water.

Aphids, a green or brown-colored insect, form small colonies and suck the moisture from your roses. While they can be fatal to your roses, the treatment is very simple and effective. Just spray them with a mild soapy water solution.

Canker is a fungal disease that causes the canes to darken, turning black or brown before they die. Cankers usually form while the rose bush is under winter protection. Pruning the diseased canes back to below the canker spots and discarding the canes in a trash can will resolve the problem.

Midges are maggots that bore into your roses, causing the buds to turn black. Prune and discard the affected buds properly in a trashcan, as you would for canker and black spot.

Rust is a fungus disease that can only be treated with a commercial fungicide. Symptoms include an orange-colored powder that gives the disease its name. Rust is usually the result of mild, wet winters that allow the fungus to thrive when it would normally be destroyed.