June is rose month

Dave Robson

June is National Rose month, set aside to honor everyone's favorite flower. Roses have a place in just about every landscape provided you follow some basic rules.

Time is the most important element you have to provide. Roses demand more attention than most flowers. Next to tomatoes, probably no other garden plant has as many insect or disease problems. Plants need constant watering, fertilizing and pruning to keep them flowering.

Site selection is the second most important aspect. Roses need at least six hours of direct sunshine each day. Plants grown in the shade will produce spindly growth and poor quality flowers.

Drainage is second only to sunlight in importance. Roses need a soil that is well drained and high in organic matter. Rose roots seldom grow beyond the planting hole into poorly drained or clay soil.

It may be necessary to build raised beds to provide adequate drainage in some areas. Beds should be at least 12 inches deep and filled with a loose garden soil and organic matter.

Select plants with thick canes which show no signs of shriveling, and choose only varieties recommended for your area. You can buy container or bare-root plants; check each plant carefully for signs of diseases or insects. A well balanced plant with three or more canes evenly spaced around the bush is ideal.

In Illinois, you want to dig the hole deep enough so the bud union is just at the soil level when planting is completed. This will help with winter protection. For bare root plants, mound a cone of soil in the bottom of the hole and spread the roots evenly over this cone.

Pruning properly ensures continued bloom for the bushes. Starting at the flower, examine the stem until you find a leaf with five leaflets on it. Above this five-leaflet leaf you will see leaves with three leaflets and possibly some single leaves. Fully developed leaves with five-leaflets are most likely to surround buds that are mature enough to develop into strong flower-bearing stems. Cut at an angle away from the bud.

Also, try to find a five-leaf leaflet on the outside of the bush. This will allow new growth to be directed toward the outside allowing more sunlight to the middle which encourages growth and reduces diseases. You may have to drop down one or two leaves in order to find an outside bud.

Taking too much stem when cutting can harm roses. A bloom cut with a long stem takes a large number of leaves and the reduction of foliage may slow growth, delaying further blooms.

Roses need feeding once a month through the first of September. Don't fertilize late in the year—that will only encourage growth when the plant should be trying to go dormant. Rose fertilizers are formulated to provide the correct nutrients.

Water is essential for growth and flowering. Roses need at least an inch of water every week throughout the growing season. When temperatures are above 90 degrees, plants may need 2 inches.

Finally, most roses need a regular preventative spray program to prevent black spot and powdery mildew diseases. Most rose growers spray plants weekly to keep diseases in check. Diseases can reduce the foliage which lowers the quality and quantity of the blooms.

David Robson is an Extension Educator, Horticulture, at the Springfield Extension Center, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois. You can write to Robson in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Telephone: (217) 782-6515. E-Mail: robsond@idea.ag.uiuc.edu

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • JUNE 1997