A Year of Rose Care – Fall

A Brief Overview of Rose Care for the Fall


Did you miss anything in the Spring or Summer?

September

* Continue spray program – As the month wears on and the nights grow cooler, powdery mildew may appear on the newest growth. It looks like the leaves have been dipped in white powder and it can kill quickly. The fungicides used for blackspot will take care of it (Mancozeb plus Honor Guard).
* Cucumber beetles may still show up so be watchful.
* It is getting too late to feed granular fertilizers, but you may certainly feed liquids like Monty’s Plant Vantage, Mills Easy Feed or Miracle Gro for a while yet.
* Be sure roses are well watered.
* Check your roses daily if exhibiting.
* Order rose catalogs.
* Order new roses.

October

* Continue spray program.
* Monitor moisture of soil.
* Keep garden clean and free of debris.
* Prepare soil for new rose beds.

November

* Roses require less water as they go dormant but be sure the soil is still moist.
* Continue spray program for blackspot and mildew until you have freezing temperatures.
* If temperatures continue to be warm, you may need to spray for bugs/aphids.
* Stop all feeding.
* Continue to cut buds and blooms (sometimes we have them until Thanksgiving!)
* Pull the petals off of other roses when there is no chance for another bloom on that cane this season. It takes 45-50 days on average to get a bloom from a HT.
* Fall is not the time to prune!
* Prepare roses for winter protection.
* Clean up beds.
!!! Do a soil test !!!

Looking forward to winter chores? see what is coming for the Winter.