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By Debbie Roland and Mike Callaway, Master Gardeners
This article was prepared with input from Frank Wells, a former Permian Basin Master Gardener and an expert rosarian. Frank retired from Master Gardeners and moved away to catch fish. We miss him and his knowledge but appreciate his willingness to still help us.
Several years ago, many local roses were diagnosed with rose rosette disease which is a condition that causes deformed leaves, flowers and stems. Rose rosette is a virus that transfers from rose to rose by an eriophyid mite. The mite begins to feed on the rose and transmits the virus into the plant’s vascular system. There is no cure and most roses that were affected were removed.
There are many types of roses, including Hybrid Tea, Floribundas, Climbers, Shrubs, Old Garden Roses and Miniature Roses. They can be bought bare root, potted, bagged or boxed and range from Grade 1, 1-1/2 and 2. Grade 1 is more expensive but worth the money. It is recommended that you don’t purchase canes that have been dipped in wax.
We are seeing roses being planted in landscapes again and here are tips for doing just that.
· Most roses like 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Our West Texas sun can put stress on roses, even with adequate water and mulch. Morning sun appears to be the best choice.
· Don’t plant near trees, shrubs or against a brick or cinderblock house or fence.
· Be aware of where your new roses will fit in your yard’s irrigation system coverage.
The best time to plant roses in West Texas is fall or early spring. If you find yourself planting in the spring, it is even more important that you identify a bed for your roses with appropriate sun, water and air circulation. Bare root roses should not be planted after mid-March in West Texas.
Once you have identified your new rose bed, till 3-6” of compost into your soil to a depth of 6”. When planting potted roses, it is important not to disturb the soil when removing the rose from its pot. This helps prevent shock. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot and twice as deep as the pot. Fill the hole with soil and compost. Next, fill with water and let the water soak into the surrounding soil. When setting the rose in the hole be sure the level of the rose being planted is the same as the level of the soil surrounding it. Now water again and sprinkle ½ cup of superphosphate or bone meal around the plant and mix lightly with the soil. Water from the base of the plant and water deeply. After your new roses are in the ground, dress your new rose bed with 3-4” of mulch, leaving about 6” around the “trunk” in all directions free of mulch.
Once established, your roses will benefit from your attention every spring, at a minimum. Sometime between Valentine’s Day and mid-March, feed your roses with granular feed and continue to feed them with liquid feed them with liquid feed every 3-4 weeks until late fall. There are many commercial rose foods on the market. Be sure to follow label instructions exactly. If you prefer a more natural option, alfalfa pellets work nicely. Sprinkle a cup or so of pellets around each bush. Smaller pellets break down quicker than the larger pellets.
Roses also benefit from a good pruning every spring. Most rose varieties bloom off of new growth, so pruning them within a week or two of March 1 works well. The notable exception is the climbing rose which bloom off of old growth. For climbing roses, wait until the first bloom has faded before pruning There are many good resources online for the how-to of pruning roses. It is worth your time to do a quick search and review before tackling your first pruning.
Many newly developed roses, like Knockout and Earthkind roses, are self-deadheading and do not require regular deadheading. However, most roses bought at local stores (like Hybrid Tea, Floribundas, Grandiflora and Miniatures) do require regular deadheading for continue blooming. You will have a new bloom approximately 45 days after deadheading that bloom. You should not deadhead after Thanksgiving. When deadheading you should do an angled cut 1/4” above an outward facing five leaflet bud. You should seal this cut with white Elmer’s glue.
If you have questions, call the AgriLife office in Odessa at 498-4071 or in Midland at 686-4700. Additional information, and our blog for access to past articles, is available at westtexasgardening.org. Click on “Resources”.
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