Greetings, human cultivators. We, the roses, present this schedule not as a demand, but as a mutually beneficial agreement. To thrive and offer you our finest blooms and fragrance, we require specific care aligned with the sun's journey across the sky. Listen to our needs through the seasons.
As the soil warms and our sap begins to flow, this is your most critical period of intervention. Once the forsythia blooms and our leaf buds swell, it is time. Remove our winter mulch gradually. Prune us diligently; remove all dead, diseased, or crossing canes to open our centers to light and air. This shapes our growth and directs our energy. Feed us with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer as new growth reaches about 2 inches; we are ravenous after our winter fast. Ensure we receive deep, consistent watering as our new leaves emerge. Apply a fresh layer of mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, but keep it away from our graft unions.
This is our time to perform. Our primary request is for consistent, deep hydration. Water us at the base in the early morning, avoiding our leaves to prevent fungal diseases. We are heavy feeders; provide a second feeding of fertilizer after the first major flush of blooms fade to fuel the next. You must deadhead us. Removing spent blooms tells us to channel energy into new flowers, not seed production (hips). Cut back to the first set of five leaflets. Be vigilant for pests like aphids, who suck our vital juices, and diseases like black spot or powdery mildew. Treat us with horticultural oils or fungicides as needed, but always as a last resort.
As days shorten and nights cool, our growth slows. We are preparing for dormancy. Cease fertilizing at least six weeks before your first expected frost; new, tender growth will only be killed by the cold. You may stop deadheading us around mid-fall. Allowing hips to form signals that it is time to harden off our canes. Reduce frequency of watering, but do not let us enter winter drought-stressed. After the first hard frost, it is time for our winter protection. Mound soil, compost, or mulch around our base to a depth of 10-12 inches to protect our graft union from damaging freeze-thaw cycles. This is our blanket.
We are dormant, but not dead. Our life force is conserved deep within our canes and roots. Your job is to protect us from the harsh elements. In areas with heavy snow, gently brush heavy accumulations off our branches to prevent breakage. Check that our protective mulch mounds are still in place. On warmer days, you may provide a small amount of water if the winter is exceptionally dry. This is your time to plan, to order new varieties, and to sharpen your tools. We are dreaming of spring, and you should be too.
