Month-By-Month Rose Care

January #

Frosts are likely, so there is little to do this month.

Check any autumn planted plants to see if they have been loosened by the weather, and firm if necessary. Check supports and ties.

Prepare beds to be planted in March, and plan your summer garden.

February #

Mulching is good to start at this time of year, to help retain moisture in the soil as the season starts to warm up, and also to help suppress weeds.

An ideal time to tidy up beds, by removing any leaves and previous foliage, and also giving beds a thorough weeding.

March #

Time to prune! All bush and standard roses should receive their annual prune. Any winter damage can be confidently cut off, as you know the cold weather is behind you.

For more information, take a look at our How To: Prune a Rose guide.

Planting of bare root roses should be completed this month, as the bare root season draws to a close.

We believe this is the perfect time to use our Root Growth Granules. It will help the rose to establish a healthy root system, ready for Spring & Summer.

Keep on top of weeding.

April #

We advise applying fertiliser to give your plants an extra boost of nutrients. Ensure to keep the powder off new growth, and lightly prick the soil surface.

In early April, we recommend mulching the roses, straight after the first feed. This will hold in moisture and protect the roots.

May #

Water well. As a general guide, new roses (3 months or less) should be watered twice a week, established (4 months or more) every other week, and potted and containerised roses every other day.

Check for pests and diseases, which will become more common as the weather warms up. For more information on how to treat some of the most common rose problems, see here.

Liquid feed, every two weeks with a high potash feed. Roses are hungry plants as they come into the summer months, so this will keep them in excellent condition.

We recommend the use of an SB Plant Invigorator Spray. It is an environmentally friendly pesticide, mildewicide and foliar feed.

June #

Water well. During hot weather, we advise increasing the watering of new roses to every other day. Established plants should be watered once a week, and potted roses every day.

Continue to liquid feed, every other week.

Our Protect & Grow Rose Foliar Feed comes with a 500ml liquid concentrate, plus a spray bottle for easy application.

Enjoy your roses as they burst into life!

July #

Water well, and continue to liquid feed.

Enjoy your roses, that should be in full flower by now.

Deadhead the flowers that have finished blooming. Not only will this give you uninterrupted enjoyment of the blooming flowers, but also encourages the plant to continue flowering.

For more information about Deadheading your rose, see our How To: Deadhead A Rose guide.

August #

Water well, and continue to deadhead. Continue to liquid feed until late August.

Check for common issues such as rust and mildew, and treat as necessary.

With flowers in full bloom, and their fragrance at its height, this is the perfect time to cut your roses for indoor arranging. An abundance of flowers will mean that even when you cut some, there will still be plenty in the garden, and you can enjoy their beauty and scent indoors too. Cutting the still blooming plants won’t hurt the plant either – instead it will encourage more blooms to develop.

See here for further information on how to cut a rose for display.

September #

Water well, and continue to deadhead. If you have a variety that produces hips, and you would like these to grow, do not deadhead the spent blooms.

Prune any rambling roses you have.

Train your climbing and rambling roses.

October #

A few roses will continue to be flowering, but many are past the season now. Ensure you have deadheaded any non-hip producers, and finish pruning any rambling roses.

Any long established roses may benefit from a light pruning this month too. By removing the top 30cm, you can protect them from being damaged by heavy winds in the upcoming winter months. Do not prune hard though – once pruned the freshly cut tips are open to winter frosts, where they can become damaged and suffer from die-back.

Collect any leaves that are starting to fall, to eradicate any blackspot or other diseases that may have started to develop and to prevent them from entering the soil.

Prepare beds for any planting, you may want to do. Excellent time for weeding and tidying too.

November #

Plant your roses! The beginning of the bare root season, this is an ideal time to plant, before the ground becomes waterlogged or frozen.

Also an ideal time for transplanting any roses that you want to move from their position in the garden. The ground is naturally optimum for planting, and the plant is easier to handle as it has finished flowering and had leaf fall. It gives plenty of time for the plant to establish its root system over the winter, providing a more established plant that is healthy, come spring.

December #

Little to do in the garden, therefore, a perfect time to undertake regular tool maintenance. Sharpen clippers and secateurs, and check any fork and spade handles for any wear and tear.