Blossoms on the Go owner Shirley Brohan has the inside expertise on caring for your beautiful roses this summer. You can thank us later.
One of my favorites is roses; they have so much beauty, and the selection is ever-expanding. Even if you don’t have a garden, you can still enjoy the smaller variety in pots. They are easy to care for and can provide a great return in flowers throughout the summer and well into autumn.
Roses will benefit from regular feeding and watering during dry spells. Water at the base to avoid wetting the foliage, which can lead to disease.
Use a good rose feed in spring when new growth begins and continue every four to six weeks until late summer. Black spot, powdery mildew, and rust are common fungal diseases; use a good fungicide and ensure good air circulation around the plants.
Remove spent blooms to encourage further blooms and maintain a lovely appearance. When removing any dead leaves or blackspot, bag them for the bin—don’t put them on your compost heap as it will only spread disease further.
So, whether you have a beautiful climbing rose or a shrub rose, the care plan is the same. I love to pick a bunch to bring into a vase; the smell is divine if you have a scented rose—it’s just fabulous.
To recap: water, feed, and remove dead blooms and leaves, and your rose shall bloom.
As for bedding plants, they love to be fed every two weeks. The most common plant foods are Tomato Feed and Miracle-Gro. It is very important to read the instructions to ensure you are using them correctly, as many types of feeds have different measurements and usage instructions.
For example, tomato feed needs to be applied directly to the soil, avoiding the leaves of the plants for best results. Whatever product you are using, please check the bottle.
If you are unsure about what to use, please ask. It’s no problem to provide information, as the number of available products can be overwhelming, and some plant shrubs need specific products to help with growth, like camellias and other acid-loving plants.
If you have any questions or anything you would like covered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Enjoy the garden and all the beauty you have achieved this year.
