Q.Rosebushes
Rosebushes
I am seriously concerned about my rosebushes. That is the majority of my flowerbeds around my home. It seems as though the bottom half of the rose bushes are dying. Please advise me on what to do so I don’t lose the majority of my landscaping. Photos are attached. I have many more photos to send but it would only let me upload five. Please email me an address if you would like to see more
Thank you for including the photos! Your roses look OK but they need some pruning and thinning to allow more air and light to reach the lower areas. I see just a touch of black spot which also signals that air circulation needs to be improved. Normally, annual pruning takes place just as the leaves are starting to show. Removing the thickest (oldest) canes to the base will help your roses. At this point in the year, don't remove more than 25% of the leaves. Figure out the oldest canes, remove one now and the rest early next spring. Trim back all the side branches that grow toward the inside of the plant or cross/rub against other canes. No matter what time of year it is, remove the four Ds - dead, diseased, dying and damaged canes as soon as noticed. Removing old wood annually keeps your rose bush young and young wood produces more leaves and flowers than old canes. I see a few stubs: always make flush cuts to speed healing of the cut and reduce risk of disease entering a dead stub. If you haven't fertilized yet this year, feed each bush after pruning. I think you will be surprised at how quickly the rose bounces back once more light is reaching the center. If you can, buy leather rose pruning gloves with gauntlets. https://www.gardeners.com/buy/rose-gloves/36-874.html
