2 weeks Ago By Katherine McPhillips
Gardeners may be spending less time outdoors now that the weather is getting colder, but taking the time to prepare roses for winter will help them come back stronger next year. It is incredibly important to fertilise flowers to keep them healthy but this should never be done in November, as fertiliser encourages new growth that has no chance of surviving the harsh cold weather. If roses are fertilised at this time of year, the new growth is much more vulnerable to frost damage which will weaken the plant or even kill it off completely.
Fertilising in November can also slow down roses becoming dormant which wastes their energy so they can struggle to stay healthy and bloom in springtime. Instead, Carolyn Parker, a rose gardening expert and founder of Rose Notes, has said that gardeners should add mulch around roses as it will protect them from frost and make the plant “much happier.” Mulching is a gardening task that involves putting organic matter around a plant to help insulate the soil which protects its roots from severe cold.
Not only does it stop plants from becoming damaged but it also helps plants retain water and smothers weeds so you do not have to worry about doing these simple gardening jobs in the middle of winter. Carolyn said: “Mulchless soil is like no blankets on a cold night and weeds take over in no time at all without mulch.” She added: “My mulch of choice has always been shredded redwood bark.
Wood chips, leaves, grape seed, small stones, hay, pinestraw (needles), cocoa hulls are also good mulches. All but the stones break down into lovely humus.” Over winter, mulch will break down and naturally decompose which very slowly releases nutrients into the soil so roses are more likely to have big and healthier flowers in spring.
All you have to do is tidy up your roses by removing any fallen leaves or weeds around the plant so there is less chance of pests being an issue over winter. Then pick a natural organic material of your choice and apply it as a mulch layer around the base of your roses. Apply a layer of four to six inches around the base of the roses and over an area slightly wider than the plant so the surrounding soil is completely covered.
The best time to mulch roses is after the first frost when the temperature falls below freezing when roses will be completely dormant. Keep an eye on roses throughout the winter as you may need to apply more mulch as it slowly breaks down, then dig up the mulch once springtime arrives. Taking the time to mulch roses will stop the roots from freezing so they are guaranteed to not only survive winter but be much healthier so your flowers will have a head start next spring.
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