PLANTING
Ideally plant Winter/early Spring to get established before dry Summers. Choose and open sunny positionwith rich well drained soils.
- Dig a hole twice the size of the bag the rose came in and mix in compost to create an easily worked, crumbly soil.
- Centre the rose and fill with soil to cover the potting mix and tread in lightly.
- Fertilise with sheep manure and Rose fertiliser a hand span away from the rose and work into the soil. Fertiliser or manures in the hole may burn rose roots.
- Mulch with a good quality compost or a “Mulch and Grow”.
Water well until roses are established.
PRUNING
Summer
Rose Pruning is usually done late January into February and involves dead heading and removal of any dead branches or those showing signs of dieback. Take diseased branches back to a healthy bud and using clean sharp secatuers, make a sloping cut away form the bud so water does not flow down onto it.
Winter
- Shorten canes by half to two thirds cutting just above an outward facing bud.
- Remove all dead wood down to healthy branch or base.
Remove weak, spindly and branches that cross or grow inwards to open the bush. You should end up with a vase shaped plant.