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. Though I miss the autumn splendor that Mother
Nature gives to northerners, I enjoy the long growing season down here in the
lowcountry.
We
still have lots of chores ahead of us to get the garden prepared for winter.
Fertilizer:
Fertilizer should be discontinued till Spring. Fertilizer encourages new
growth which will be killed when the first frosts occur. This loss of
energy will reduce the energy stores of the bushes that are needed to help the
plants survive over winter.
Mulch:
After cleaning the rosebeds, put more compost around the bushes and then apply
new mulch on the rosebeds. Aerate the
soil before you put down the mulch. Just poke the tine of your pitch fork
into the bed. Mulch helps to conserve moisture, suppresses weed growth
and helps maintain the soil temperature. In this part of the country, the
favorite is pine straw. However, I use
cedar mulch. I find it easier to clean
the bed with cedar mulch on it.
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 plan to share
and give your roses to friends, make sure you plant the fragrant varieties.
There is no sense planting the roses for their form alone. Fragrant roses to me
are still the best. No offense to die-hard exhibitors.
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. It is a great food source for the birds and
keeps them in your garden ready to do their work in spring to get rid of bad
insects from your garden.
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.
Spraying:
Continue your spray program. If you want perfect blooms and foliage, you
have to continue your spray program to control insects and diseases. Do
not spray 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 the leaves for spider mites. If it feels grainy and the
lower leaves lose their color and small webs appear with the leaf fall, you
probably have spider mites. A good blast of water every two or three days
might work. If not, a miticide might be
the next remedy.
Add
Spring Color: Browse through the garden catalogs and look for fabulous
colors 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. Every fall, I used to add more spring bulbs in the
garden around my roses and practically everywhere I can find a space so that in
the spring the garden will come to life early. After I plant my bulbs, I
add more compost. Last year, I added
some tulips in my garden. Not all of
them came up but I’m learning that in Zone 8, you have to pre-cool them first
to get them to bloom.
Water:
Don't forget watering. You do not want to send your roses to bed
thirsty. Roses need 2 inches of water every week to avoid stress so if it
does not rain, 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.
Weeding:
Continue weeding. Watch for the weed 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 weed come spring. As I weed,
I clean the beds at the same time. Cleaning up your garden of weeds and
leaves infected with blackspot, downy mildew and other diseases is a
must. Though it is time consuming, these infected leaves will harbor
diseases in your garden during the winter, and come spring, you'll have more
problems. Discard them in the trash. Do not add them to your
compost pile. Start cleaning up the garden now before the weather gets freezing
cold. Rid the garden of diseased leaves so fungi cannot overwinter in your
rosebeds. After I clean the rosebeds, I put more compost around the
bushes.
Take
advantage of the mild weather that remains to start a compost pile from the
falling leaves. Oak leaves are the best. If you have a lawn
mower/shredder, run over the lawn a couple of times. You can even spread
the shredded oak leaves on your garden beds. Do not use maple leaves;
they tend to mat. Instead put them in the compost heap.
After
all these things are done, you can rest easy with the knowledge that your
garden is ready for their winter nap.
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!!!
Roses are not difficult
to grow contrary to popular belief as long as you know what they need. Why do
you think Roses have been around for
millions of years? All they need are food, water and sunlight. Just
like you and me.
Here at Rose Gardening World, we’ll educate you about the Rose - our National Floral Emblem
and the state flower of several states. Welcome to the World of Rose
Gardening or Rose Gardening World where Rose Gardening Tips, Rose Growing Advice, Planting a Rose Garden,
Rose Descriptions, Where to Buy Roses, Where to see Rose Gardens, Rose Culture,
Rose History, Rose Events, Rose Verses are all here in one place.
We are constantly updating our
contents so visit Rose Gardening World often. We want to help you
grow Beautiful Roses and we welcome
comments. Take time and smell the roses. Happy Rose Gardening!
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