Autumn rose parade

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All rose look good in October, says rose grower Ludwig Taschner, but to really judge the performance of a rose after a long hot summer, autumn is the time to browse through rose nurseries, especially those with established rose beds

Then one can see how high the rose grows, its flowering ability, the quality of its flowers and its disease resistance.

Roses planted out in autumn do not have the rush into flower as they do in spring, says Ludwig. They have time to spread out new roots and get settled before winter. They can actually produce super blooms before pruning time in July.

The cooler autumn weather also place less stress on newly planted roses, especially the roots. When the new season starts in September, the roses are so well established they flower in October like mature bushes.

Did you know?

If you plant a rose in the same spot where a rose was previously planted, it will stay dormant or grow very poorly.  That is because roses release a hormone into the soil to claim their spot, inhibiting other roses from growing too close to their roots. This chemical will last in the soil for a year after the plant has died or is removed. For this reason, farmers adopted crop rotation.

An easy way to solve this, says Ludwig, is to sink a cardboard box into the spot and plant the new rose with potting soil in it. By the time the cardboard has biodegraded, the chemical will have worked out of the soil. Another option is to plant marigolds for a season and then replace the roses.

Autumn’s best bloomers

Roses with apricot/peach, brown, lilac, and old-gold coloured blooms as well as the softer petalled pastel varieties show off best in autumn. The shorter days and cooler temperatures intensify the colours of the blooms and without the heat and harsh, high light the growth slows down resulting in the production of much, much bigger blooms. They last longer on the bush and also in the vase.

Planting a mixed bed of roses is to have the best of all worlds. Mixing up the October showstoppers with the cool season roses means there will always be something to appreciate.

What’s new ?

‘Pink Vintage ‘is aptly named for the old fashioned shape and colour of its blooms. This Antico Moderno rose grows upright and willingly flowers all season long. It has a pleasing perfume and disease resistant leaves.

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The radiant combination of colours in ‘Dreamweaver’ make this a dream rose for the garden. The flowers are produced as sprays of three buds to a stem, that cover the entire bush. Plant this rose and see how it weaves many charming clusters of dreams for you.

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‘Kimi Makwetu’ is named in honour of the late auditor general who served South Africa to the very end of his life. This strong growing hybrid tea rose produces classically shaped blooms with a strong fruity fragrance. It flowers continually and is an excellent picking rose for the home.

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‘Elle’ is a chest high hybrid rose that keeps on producing prize winning blooms in abundance. It changes colour from bud to open bloom, maturing from soft coral  to a  pleasant pink in the sun. The strongly fragrant blooms are offset by lush, leafy foliage.

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‘Tranquillity’ is an old fashioned English shrub rose with beautifully rounded pure white flowers that open into  perfect rosettes. The rose is bushy and upright with attractive light green leaves.

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For more roses, download Ludwig’s Roses 2022 rose catalogue

https://www.ludwigsroses.co.za/2022-catalogue/