Simple Gardening

Welcome to Simple Gardening

Article

Early Spring Rose Gardening Tasks
Angie Noack

If you live in an area where you can start seeing the promise of spring in late March or early April, then you're an "early spring" rose gardener. However, if you live where March and April bring the season's best skiing, then just keep waiting out old man winter until your turn at spring arrives and then follow the tips in this article.

Early spring is a time of great activity in the rose garden as you prepare for the beautiful buds that will be sprouting almost any day. Here's a summary of what needs to be done in order to prepare your roses for the tough growing season that lies ahead.

If you covered your roses with dirt or other protective winter coverings, your first step is to gently remove the protective materials so you can introduce your dormant bushes to the warming spring sun and gentle rains that lie ahead.

Before beginning your spring pruning activities, cut back any dead and damaged canes that did not survive the winter. Be sure to clear away any debris and residue from around the bushes as well.

Prepare the soil to nurture your plants by adding some organic compounds. You can either buy pre-packaged organics from your favorite garden supplier, or you can mix up your own recipe using composted manure or mushroom compost, or any of the usual meal blends which can include alfalfa, cottonseed, fish or blood meal.

Work your soil with a spade or other tool if it has become too compacted during the winter or if you notice standing water after watering your plants. Roses require well-drained soil to thrive.

After soil preparation is done you can plant any new additions to your garden including container-grown roses.

Next it is time to begin your fungicide spraying regiment either immediately or, if you prefer to wait, approximately 14 days after you complete your pruning. Opinions on the best time differ. The choice is yours.

Remember to rotate through different fungicides during the year to prevent any fungi from becoming immune to any one product.

Don't use any pesticides unless you see evidence of damage, but remember to keep a sharp eye out for aphids which are as much a sign of spring as April showers are. Hit them with a blast of water to remove them, or apply insecticide in a mister to the affected areas.

Imagine how hungry you'd be if you just woke up from a long winter hibernation! Well, your Roses are hungry too. The best way to coax them from dormancy to budding is to feed their little bellies now and every other week through the remainder of the growing season. Water well after feeding!

There! Your rose garden is ready for spring, but your work is far from over. If spring is near then summer can't be far behind. Read our article to learn how to prepare your roses for the coming heat.
About the Author

Angie Noack is a home and garden strategist with a sharp edge for technology. With her unique ability to combine these two skills, she's able to help gardeners save time and increase productivity. You can find her online at http://www.foodrose.com.

Gardening Club Best products

Gardening Club News

gardening club

Bath Gardening Club: January Meeting will be held Monday, January 19, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. in St. John's Church Memorial Hall, Bath. Guest speaker will be Ken Willis, Grounds Specialist, Bellevue House NHSPC. Mr. Willis will be speaking on "Loyalist ...

Bath Gardening Club January 2009 Meeting - Kingston Whig

Since we moved our location to another venue our attendance has dropped. There are several opinions about where we should meet, but we do not have a new location nailed down, so I am going to suggest we return to the Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant on ...

First gardening club meeting of 2009 next Friday, January 9th at 6:30 ... - Shelbyville Times-Gazette

Join the National Home Gardening Club.Test & keep gardening products. http://www.gardeningclub.com/ Free Christian Reprint Articles Access thousands of Christian reprint articles at no cost to you. Totally free, valuable Christian content for your ...

Get $50,000 in Free Business Grants. Request Your Free Kit Today. - Colleyville Courier

THE AGM will be held at the Red Lion, Market Square, Brackley, on Monday, January 5 at 8pm, and on Monday, February 2, a talk will be given by Mr George Fenemore – farmer, beekeeper and writer. All welcome. Contact Carrie on 01327 857195. Winslow ...

Club reports Jan 2 - Buckingham Today

2009 sees the 30th anniversary of the UN International Year of the Child and churches and Christian charities have joined forces to help churches make the most of the occasion by launching a new campaign, ‘Will you make a difference?’. The ...

Children's ministry: A job for the whole church - Christian Today

During a recent meeting of the Board of Selectman, Sue Fish, Salisbury's representative to the Triton School Committee, brought some happy tidings concerning student learning, "There is good news with regards to the (Triton School) District's MCAS ...

Salisbury town news - Newburyport Daily News

The death of a 91-year-old woman who died in a house fire at her Norfolk home on New Year's Eve is not being treated as suspicious police have confirmed this morning. Grace Lilian Crome was found dead at her Bradwell home at about 9.30pm on December ...

Bradwell fire death not suspicious - Eastern Daily Press

A Norwich woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram scan is urging other women to get themselves checked. Maureen Street, 67, was told she had breast cancer in 2003 at the age of 62, and believes that her positive attitude ...

Inspirational gran's breast cancer fight - Evening News Norwich

St. Clair County Club of Belleville -- 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Fischer's Restaurant, 2100 W. Main St., Belleville. Benna DeNoe of the University of Illinois Extension programs talks on Master Gardening. Sue Beach presents "ice skating" a small reflective ...

Club news - News-Democrat

Thursday we step into a new year. Many pack a list of New Year’s resolutions to take on the annual journey of renewal and, soon enough, it becomes real baggage. Baggage of guilt over unfulfilled goals. Hence, I’ll stick with one that has worked ...