This is the time of year when those who grow roses, whether many or few, begin to think of the chores that must be done if flowers are to be lovely in June.
Success then depends on what is done now as well as on how well the needs and temperaments of the various kinds of roses are understood and met during this and other periods of the year.
Winter Rose Protection
I have found that most climbing roses will withstand the temperatures around New York City without winter rose protection and will produce better flowers, as a rule, than those covered.
Some, such as Mme. Gregoire Staechelin, also called Spanish Beauty and Mermaid, must be covered.
The materials most often used, tied or lashed on branches and plants’ bases, are straw, salt hay, or evergreen boughs.
If covering was used, it was taken off Climbers between March 20 and 30 in our Westchester County area of New York.
This must be done on a calm gray day because if canes and branches are exposed to strong winds and sun too suddenly, they may dry out or suffer in other ways.
This also applies to mulches like salt hay or evergreen boughs over bush roses in beds.
Pruning
Next comes pruning roses.
There are many differences of opinion on the hows, whats, and whens of this subject, but one thing is sure: tools must be sharp, in good working condition, and suitable.
If a tool is not the right one and does not make a clean, sharp cut, it will damage the plant by tearing, breaking, or crushing the canes.
For most trimming jobs, I prefer the Snap Cut type pruner because it is easy to handle and because when its blade becomes dull, a new one may be bought to replace it at a nominal price.
I also like to use shears with a sharp, curved point that will reach closed-in, difficult-to-get-at places and a light pair of lopping shears for cutting the heavier, woody-type canes encountered in Climbing and shrub roses.
Necessary Equipment
Under the heading of necessary equipment, too, come thin, tight-fitting pigskin gloves that allow fingers freedom of movement and yet protect them from cuts and scratches.
I do not like heavy kinds of gloves. They hamper movement and often get full of thorns.
High Pruning
Pruning differs with Floribundas, Hybrid Teas, and Climbers.
It also differs somewhat with where the plant is located, how much space is allotted to it, and what the plans of the grower concern it.
It has become an accepted practice to prune Hybrid Teas high. I have found that the quality and quantity of flowers improve by pruning the larger canes to a height of 8” to 10” inches instead of 3 to 4 eyes.
When pruning high, cut smaller canes much lower or, in some cases, eliminate them. And, very important, feed plants more heavily and more often as there is more of the plant left.
To make a shapely plant, it is advisable to prune the outer canes lower than those in the center.
These should be left about an inch or so higher. In the case where several rose plants are grown in a bed, those at the outside edges should be pruned lower than those in the center.
Reasons for Pruning
The two reasons for this are the following:
- The gardener will find it easier to work in the bed and to pick blooms;
- The appearance of the bed will be improved because the blooms in the center of the bed will be displayed to a better advantage.
Pruning not only differs slightly with each group of roses but also with varieties within each group.
Certain Hybrid Teas may require more drastic pruning than others because they are rank growers, more subject to disease, less hardy, and more subject to winter damage.
For instance, Peace in our garden is especially susceptible to brown canker. I must, therefore, remove all diseased parts when pruning in spring.
Pruned heavily, it becomes lower (4” to 6” inches) and has fewer canes than others. As it happens, Peace is a rank grower and catches up. By July first, it had made up for all its lost growth.
On the other hand, Rubaiyat, Brandywine, and Countess Vandal grow tall. To compensate for this characteristic, it is necessary to keep them in scale with other plants in the garden to prune them a little more severely than their companions.
Pruning Floribunda Roses
Every gardener wants the most flowers for the least possible care. Floribundas flower, from early June until frost, need less care than other roses and are more resistant to insects and diseases.
Each year, therefore, they gain in popularity. In addition, they make excellent subjects for perennial borders, as low hedges, along fences, and in separate beds.
For most purposes, this group of roses does not need severe pruning. However, at least 12” to 15” inches of the cane should be left on them whenever possible.
With this group and Hybrid Teas, the center of the plant should be left higher than the outside edges.
Floribundas, by the way, produce more canes than Hybrid Teas.
Garnette, a Floribunda introduced last year, has been growing in our garden for the past three years, and not one of the 25 original plants has been lost.
I have found it a tall grower, reaching 3’ to 4’ feet high by the end of the season. Its lovely flowers last ten days when cut; its reddish crinkled, holly-like foliage adds to its charm.
I cannot say enough in its favor. It is so hardy that not more than a half inch of its canes have been winter-killed.
They, the canes, are smaller in diameter than others. For this reason and so that they may be strong enough to support the bloom, I prune them down to 8” to 10” inches.
Fashion, another new Floribunda, is a very robust grower. It becomes 3 feet tall and wide. It, therefore, requires a little pruning to keep it within bounds.
For Rochester, an older Floribunda, little pruning is recommended. It does not grow very tall, 12” to 18” inches, but will spread out 1 ½’ to 2’ feet.
Pruning Climbing Roses
In the spring, very little pruning, other than cutting out dead and injured wood, is recommended for Climbing roses.
The big pruning, differing with each class, comes in June or July, depending on when they have finished blooming.
Each year, Ramblers produce new canes from their base. Therefore, it is suggested that immediately after they have bloomed, all canes that have flowered be cut close to the ground.
Then the new canes should be trained up and tied as they grow in the places vacated by the old. One of the best examples of Rambler roses is Thelma.
Large-Flowered Climbers
Large-flowered Climbers should also be pruned after they’ve bloomed. This bloom only on older canes, those 2 years of age or more.
The lateral branches of the old canes should be cut back to 8” to 12” inches, and the oldest ones should be removed entirely when new canes develop and come up from the base.
Wherever Ramblers and Climbers were not thoroughly pruned after flowering last June, remove dead and damaged wood now, and prune all of last year’s flowering side shoots back to short stubs an inch or two long.
Newest Climbers
The newest Climbers are the everblooming sorts. Unfortunately, these have disappointed some growers simply because they were pruned improperly.
Since the stems that bear the recurrent flowers come from the first eye below the old flower clusters, only the dead flowerheads should be plucked after blooming in June.
Failure with these roses is undoubted because the flower stems was cut back too far, and the new buds were removed with the old flower heads.
Training Climbers
A very charming effect may be had by training Climbers over a stone wall, to serve as a pleasing background for your garden or flower border.
This may be done thus: Plant, on the opposite side of the wall whatever variety or varieties preferred. Good, strong plants should be set about 6 feet apart along the entire length of the wall.
Three strands of wire should then be run along the length of the wall: one strand at the top; one halfway down on the opposite side of the wall from the rose plants; one along the ground.
As canes begin to grow and reach the top strand, tie them to it. Then, as they continue to grow, bend them carefully down and tie them to the middle wire and then the bottom one.
This type of planting lends itself well to properties surrounded by dry walls. The roses will furnish color and green background.
Two Climbing Roses
If he does not know them already, the connoisseur will be interested in two Climbing roses: Mermaid and Mme. Staechelin.
I grow both in my garden on the southwest side of the house, where they have reached a height of about 20’ feet and a spread of from 15’ to 25’ feet.
Mme. Gregoire Staechelin is a huge rose with a fragrance like tea. Its color is a delicate pink brushed with crimson.
It blooms very early, about May 10 to 15 here, long before our other roses start. So I allow the hips to remain on and ripen.
Mermaid makes a beautiful single flower about 4” inches across. It is pure ivory-white with a cream and lemon center further adorned by an immense cluster of deeper-tinted stamens.
It blooms in clusters, on the tips of new growth, beginning about June 25 and continuing throughout the summer. Last year I picked five blossoms on November 20.
Fertilizing
I use one of the rose fertilizers marketed by most nurserymen and agricultural chemical manufacturers.
Satisfactory results also may be obtained from many balanced commercial fertilizers. Therefore, I make the first application when new growth measures approximately 1” inch.
When broadcast, 4 pounds are used for 100 square feet of bed. Or, one handful may be applied in a circle 6” to 8” inches from the plant.
At the same rate, a second application is made about May 16, before the great flowering season. Then, a third and final one is made at the same rate between July 4 and 15 after the flowering season.
Spraying and Dusting
To protect roses from insects and diseases, either dust or sprays are used. Both do an efficient job.
I happen to prefer using sprays for a garden with many plants and dust for just one or two plants.
Most people, rather than mix sprays or dust at home, prefer to buy them already mixed.
I mix my spray according to the following formula:
| Controls Blackspot | 1 gal. 50 gal. Fermate 1 tbsp. 1 lb. |
| Controls Mildew and Brown Canker | Wettable Sulphur 1 tbsp. 1 lb. |
| Controls Aphids and Other Insects | 40% Nicotine Sulfate 1 tsp. ½ pt. |
| Controls Japanese Beetles | DDT 50% Wettable 2 tbsp. 1-2 lbs powder |
To these, add a sticking and spreading agent as directed by the manufacturer. The great thing about the above formula is that it is elastic and may be adapted to individual needs at any given time.
But it is expensive and should be used carefully. If, for example, blackspot becomes prevalent, the number of fermate may be increased.
New Growth After Spraying
When mildew or brown canker are absent, the sulfur may be omitted. If red spider mite becomes problematic, parathion may be added easily enough.
Spraying to protect plants should be started in spring as soon as new growth begins. Then, it should be continued once a week until blooming time.
Plants should be covered lightly with the mixture at all times. Before and after rains, when diseases spread rapidly because of the general dampness, are crucial periods.
Our garden overflows with roses from spring to fall, and in addition to bringing us praise for the quality of foliage and flowers, it has gained us many show ribbons and medals.
44659 by Edward J. O’Keefe