A perfect time for roses

The soil has been deeply soaked and with good root capillary action, water will rise to the roots of the roses and spread from the many hard particles that usually do not get saturated with irrigation water.

Sunshine and day temperatures of 25°C with 15°C at night are ideal for roses and we can still expect tremendous growth for the next two months.

For roses to keep on flowering, give the last application of fertiliser this month. However, in areas that expect the first frost later in the month, fertilising should have stopped last month.

Even bushes that had lost most of their leaves due to black spot will sprout as a result of the good moisture in the soil. They too benefit from the fertiliser right now.

This autumn garden is a soft mix of standard “Iceberg” roses interspersed with pink “Duet” roses, spires of yellow
verbascum and grey foliage plants.

Protect new foliage from fungus diseases, like Black Spot, which are more prevalent during higher humidity and temperatures below 20°C. This is especially so with the dew on leaves until late in the morning.

At this stage of rapid new growth, it is best to spray with our recommended cocktail that contains Chronos or Rose Protector every two weeks. Once the reddish leaves have matured to green, the spraying intervals can be extended to once a month.

During this moderate weather, it is only necessary to water deeply once a week. At all times, make sure that the irrigation period is long enough for water to penetrate the mulch and soil and reach the roots.

Water can be prevented from penetrating down to the roots if, for instance, there is too thick a layer of mulch; or if the plants are irrigated with too fine a spray and for too short a period for water to roll off the leaves and reach the roots.

On slopes or embankments, it is essential to create a basin or place a half concrete ring on the lower side of the plants in order to hold sufficient water to penetrate down to the roots.

Trees nearby may send their roots into the rose bedding and will take all water and suffocate the roses.

April is a good time to plant roses. Being autumn they do not have the urge to flower as they do in spring but rather grow new roots. There is still time for good basal shoots to sprout and such roses will flower amazingly well throughout winter.

When preparing the beds,

mixing of large quantities of

peanut shells and pine bark

with the garden soil makes all

the difference.