After the very hot summer, Fall is a welcome relief. The night air is getting cooler, days are getting shorter and we cram all gardening tasks in all available free time we have on weekdays and more on weekends.
Water: Roses need 2 inches of water every week to avoid stress so if rain does not come you have to put the sprinklers on. Water early in the morning so leaves will be able to dry before nightfall. Deep watering is best otherwise the little feeder roots on the plant will grow toward the surface seeking moisture.
Fertilizer: Fertilizer should be discontinued till Spring. Fertilizer encourages new growth which will be killed when the first frosts occur in October. This loss of energy will reduce the energy stores of the bushes that are needed to help the plants survive over winter.
Planting: While spring is the traditional season for rose planting, fall is also an excellent time to add roses to the garden. Fall planting will give your roses a head start to establish their root system before the winter sets in and in the spring with a healthy and established root system in place, your roses will take off faster than those planted in the spring. If you live in the Northeast Region, I’ll stay with the spring planting. If you plan to give your roses away, make sure you plant the fragrant varieties. There is no sense planting the roses for their form alone. Fragrant roses are the best.
Weeding: Continue weeding. Watch for the chickweed which germinates in the fall. They grow slowly in the winter and then bloom and set seeds in the spring. Pulling them out now will prevent a new generation of chickweed come spring.
Spraying: If you want perfect blooms and foliage, you have to continue your spray program to control insects and diseases. Do not apply insecticides until you see some insects. Follow manufacturer’s directions for safety. At this time, you might see some spider mites. Check the underside of leaves and if it feels grainy and the lower leaves lose their color, small webs will appear and the leaves will fall. A good blast of water every two or three day might work. If not, a miticide might be the next remedy. For small gardens, Immunox for powdery mildew and Rose Pride for blackspot can be used. You can also use premixed Bayer Advanced Garden Rose and Insect Killer for control of aphids, leafhoppers, scale and thrip.
Pruning/Deadheading: Stop pruning your roses. Pruning roses sends a signal to the plant to initiate new growth. Only remove the petals to help signal the plant to go into dormancy. Keep some rose hips for winter interest.
Soil Testing: Fall is a good time to test your soil to check the pH. Take some soil sample from different locations in your garden and bring it to Cooperative Extension Service or ask your local nursery where to send it.
Garden Clean Up: Start cleaning up the garden now before the weather starts freezing cold . Rid the garden of diseased leaves so fungi cannot overwinter in your rosebeds. Discard them in the trash. Do not add them to your compost pile.
Mulch: After cleaning the rosebeds, put more compost around the bushes and then apply new mulch on the rosebeds. Mulch helps to conserve moisture, suppresses weed growth and helps maintain the soil temperature.
Add Spring Color: Browse through the garden catalogs and look for fabulous color of spring bulbs to add to your rose garden. There are spaces between your roses that can accommodate these spring beauties without competing with your roses. By the time the roses come into bloom the spring flowers will be gone. When planting spring bulbs, make sure you sprinkle cayenne pepper to keep the squirrels away.
Cut roses to bring indoors. Enjoy the last blooms of the season indoors as well as out in the garden. Never mind that the bushes have lost most of their leaves to blackspot, just enjoy them. STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES!!!
Copyright © 2011. By Rosalinda Morgan, "The Rose Lady". All rights reserved. *FALL IN THE ROSE GARDEN*
Cell Phone: (516) 385-0584
Email Me - RosalindaRM@comcast.net
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