Gardeners hoping to protect their roses for next year have been given a simple tip to ensure their blooms are protected during the colder months, as long as they don’t use fertiliser
Green fingered Brits have been given advice to make their gardens pop with stunning blooms next year.
Tending roses in the autumn can be a simple job, but they must not be fertilised after September as any new growth will die from frost damage. Instead, a simple trick can keep them protected during the chilly months – and make them look incredible next year. Gardeners should begin mulching their roses, which includes applying a layer of organic material around plants to protect them in winter, the Express.co.uk reported. Carolyn Parker, a gardener and founder of Rose Notes said: “Roses and most all garden plants are much happier with mulch…mulchless soil is like no blankets on a cold night, and weeds take over in no time at all without mulch.”
“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. I’m always stunned at how quick the break-down is. The earth is like a giant mouth and the soil is so much better for it.”
Mulching insulates the plant to protect roses from frost will add nutrients to the soil naturally which roses will have access to once they begin growing again. It will also suffocate weeds so they have no chance to grow in the soil near roses. Mulching also retains moisture in the soil so gardeners do not have to worry about weeding or watering roses once the weather begins to drop. This week plant aficionado and Moowy founder Louis Hooft sounded the alarm for those tending to roses to be on guard for black spots on leaves, pointing out it’s indicative of what he termed “the most common and troublesome” disease for these plants.
He said: “Black spot is a fungal disease affecting rose bushes, manifesting as circular black spots on the plant’s leaves. If left untreated, affected leaves will turn yellow and fall off. “However, these unsightly black spots can eventually merge and spread, causing the entire plant to lose its leaves. Black spot can also infect young canes and flowers, leading to further damage and a decline in flower production.”
While not a direct death sentence for roses, black spot disease threatens to debilitate them significantly, leaving them more prone to additional ailments, pests, and ill-equipped to face the frigid winters. The rapid proliferation of black spot disease raises red flags for its early detection and swift response requirement. Neglect against black spot could mean compromised floral health, potentially stripping roses of their leaves and consigning gardens to barrenness without blooms come next year.
