Roses will start to slow down as autumn approaches, but there is one quick task you can do to encourage them to keep blooming a little longer
Roses will be slowing down as autumn approaches, but there’s a simple job that can help them continue flowering for a bit longer. During September, roses will have plenty of spent blooms left over from the summer months, and the plant continues using energy to maintain these wilted flowers.
Yet gardening specialists at Southwest London Gardener have shared that deadheading roses at this time can promote one last flush of blooms whilst maintaining the plant’s health. They explained: “If you can spare the time, it is a good idea to snip off fading flower heads every two or three days at the end of summer, going into autumn.
“Doing so will keep your roses flowering and will get you outdoors enjoying your rose garden throughout the seasons.”
Deadheading becomes crucial before autumn sets in, as plants begin redirecting their energy from flower production towards strengthening their root systems ready for winter, reports the Express.
Cutting away any finished blooms allows roses to conserve more energy so they can start developing stronger stems and roots before temperatures fall.
Gentle deadheading will also promote one final burst of vigorous flowers without stimulating tender new growth, which remains susceptible to frost and could leave plants more at risk from cold weather damage.
Autumn typically brings damp and muggy conditions, making fungal plant ailments more prevalent, as infections such as black spot frequently spread via moisture in rotting foliage.
Removing wilted flowers from roses helps maintain the plant’s health and appearance, whilst also encouraging one final show of stunning blooms that you can savour for the remainder of autumn.
How to deadhead roses before autumn
Deadheading is incredibly straightforward and should only take you a few seconds to complete. To start, you will need a clean pair of scissors or secateurs.
Simply approach a rose bush and search for the first set of healthy five-leaflet leaves beneath a faded flower. This will appear like five leaves on a single stem.
Remove the dying flower head by cutting just above the five-leaflet leaves.
Five-leaflet leaves are a stronger and more established part of the plant, so cutting above it helps redirect the plant’s energy and avoid new growth.
That is all you need to do.
Continue removing the dying flowers anytime you notice them, and then stop deadheading in late September, as this is around four to six weeks before the first frost of the year.
The expert said: “As long as you set yourself a routine of regular deadheading, you should be able to extend your rose growing season throughout autumn right up until the first frosts of winter start to appear.”