Caring For Your Roses in April
April is a wonderful month in the rose calendar, with longer, lighter evenings, there are more opportunities to get out in the garden, and everything is starting to grow again, including your roses. Keep reading to find out how our Rosarians are caring for their roses this month.
Make Sure Your Roses Are Getting Enough Water
The most important thing to do in April when it comes to your roses is to make sure they are getting enough water. If you have had plenty of rain then they will be fine, but long dry spells can cause your rose to dry out just as it is starting to grow, especially if it is windy.
The best way to know if your rose is getting enough water is to test the soil with your finger.
For more advice on how to water your rose click here
Feed Your Roses
If you didn’t get around to it in March, now is the time to feed your roses with a granular slow-release feed to give them a boost as they grow throughout the spring. This helps the plant to become strong and healthy with more blooms in the summer.
Our Rosarian’s top picks for rose feed are Top Rose for a granular feed and Uncle Tom’s Rose Tonic for a liquid feed.
Click here to find out more about feeding your roses
Tie in new growth
As your roses shoot new growth throughout the spring, you can start tidying up your rose by tying in the new climbing stems. This will train it to grow in the direction you are hoping for. Just make sure that you treat any new stems and foliage with care so that they don’t break off.
Mulch Your Roses
If you haven’t had a chance to mulch your roses, there is still time to do it in April before the rose takes over the flower bed. Simply add a layer of mulch around the base of your roses to protect the roots over the summer and boost the nutrients in the soil.
Our Rosarians recommend using strulch, well-rotted manure or a good compost. Just make sure it isn’t mushroom compost.
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