Fertilizing: depends on you and the amount of time, effort and funds you wish to spend. A handful of well balanced fertilizer worked in and around each bush in the spring and nothing thereafter all season will give you fair roses. Add another handful of the fertilizer 6 weeks later, and you will have better roses. But if you want the best roses you must do a few more things. If you can, put well rotted manure in your roses beds in the spring. If this is not available, use dehydrated manure, compost or peat. Bone meal or soy meal are also good to apply early in the growing season. Dig a small trench around each bush, apply and recover with soil. Because manures are slow acting and mainly for soil conditioning add of a handful of complete fertilizer in early May, June, July and August around each bush and work into the top 2 inches. In between monthly feedings extra treats such as fish emulsion, liquid manure or liquid fertilizer may be given. Give about 2 quarts per bush. Foliar feeding (used as a spray on leaves) may be given as a quick pick me up. To prevent root burn water your roses well before the application of any fertilizer but particularly before application of water soluble fertilizers. Do not apply any nitrogen containing fertilizers after August 15th.
Watering: After planting your roses properly, the most important thing you can do is to water them. Fertilizing is necessary, but watering is essential, and often most neglected step to growing better roses. Do not count on rain alone to water your roses. Roses need more than the average rainfall. Get an early start on your watering. As soon as you uncover your roses begin watering and continue until they are protected for winter and the ground is frozen. Make sure your roses get at least 1inch per week, more if the weather is hot, dry and windy, even more if you have a sandy soil.
The manner in which you water depends on the season. In early spring, water from overhead to keep the canes from drying out. You can also water from overhead during a hot, dry summer, but water before noon to allow the leaves to dry off before nightfall. Leaves left wet for too long invite black spot and rust. It is also wise to let your roses dry before you are going to dust or spray them. Overhead watering is like an invigorating shower to your roses. It makes them feel and look good. However, the BEST way to really put water where it does the most good for growth is to soak them at the base. A watering wand or soaker hose is ideal for this.
MULCHING: This serves many purposes; it helps to conserve moisture in soil, keeps soil cool over root area, helps control weeds, lessens need for cultivation, helps reduce attacks of black spot and helps improve the structure of the soil. Use 2_3"of compost, leaves, peat moss, rotted manure, pine needles, hay etc. If grass clippings are used, add only a thin layer at a time and keep very loose. Don't use clippings from lawns with many weeds or from lawns recently treated with weed killer. Apply mulch when soil is warmer, usually last week of May or first part of June. Stir up mulch occasionally to give needed aeration to top of rose bed.
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