Rose Care
Portland has been known as the City of Roses for over 100 years, and it’s no surprise. Given the right care, roses grow exceptionally well in the metro area!
Additional Info
Watering
Watering in the morning is ideal and will allow the leaves to dry off before nightfall, preventing many types of diseases.
Watering should be deep, soaking the roots, and infrequent. Additionally, it should be delivered at a slow pace, allowing it to soak into the soil rather than running across the surface. Soaker hoses and drip systems are good tools for delivering water at a slow pace. Water should be on for as long as it takes to completely soak the root zone to 6-12” deep. This could take up to an hour depending on how dry and dense the soil is when watering starts.
Water roses after planting, whether it’s raining or not. During the rainy season, additional watering is not usually necessary. When temperatures start to rise and rains become infrequent, start watering regularly once per week. If temperatures are in the 80’s, water twice each week.
For established plantings, water once every 10-14 days when temps reach the 80s.
Feeding
The happiest roses are fertilized. Feed from the first growth in spring until September 1. Organic fertilizers are great for a holistic approach and synthetic fertilizers can be added to give roses some extra oomph. Be sure to follow the directions on the package of any fertilizer you choose.
Please be aware that fertilizers which incorporate systemic insecticides may be a hazard to the health of bees and other pollinators.
Pruning
Major rose pruning happens around President’s Day in late February.
For all roses, remove dead branches and cut 1-3 of the oldest canes on established roses all the way to the ground. Remove branches that grow toward the interior of the plant, rather than toward the outside, and prune out spindly growth and rose hips.
For climbers, follow the above directions. Tie and train any wayward canes to a support system and do not prune low to the ground.
For shrubby types like Hybrid Tea and Floribunda, follow the above directions, then prune remaining branches to 12-18”.
Summer Rose Tips
Want your roses to be better than ever? Here are some helpful tips to keep the flowers coming all season.
- Deadhead your roses. Plants that are allowed to set seeds are less likely to continue blooming, so remove spent flowers. Make cuts just above the first set of five leaves that faces out, away from the center of the plant.
- Prune out branches that grow toward the center of the plant to allow for good air flow.
- Fertilize after the first flush of flowers have finished, and follow the directions on your fertilizer of choice.
- Monitor for diseases. Black spot, rust, and powdery mildew proliferate in temperate humid weather—so be on the lookout for these rose nemeses! Pick off leaves at the first sign of infiltration!
- Spray for diseases if needed. Serenade is an OMRI listed fungicide with a bacteria as the active ingredient that is listed for treatment of black spot, powdery mildew and rust. It will not remove what is present, but it can prevent further damage.
- Aphids will arrive soon if they haven’t already. Ladybugs are a great insecticide, as are little birds. Often, a strong stream of water is enough to knock aphids to the ground. If you choose to spray, insecticidal soap should be sufficient.
- Mulch the ground under roses. Mulch covers existing spores to prevent them from splashing onto lower leaves. It will also prevent weeds while keeping the soil wetter in summer and drier in winter.
- Water roses in the morning and try to keep leaves dry. Soaker hoses are your allies in the quest to keep roses looking lush.
