Late winter is the ideal time to prune roses, with the timing and technique depending on the type of rose to encourage healthy growth and a better display of blooms, says gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.
Now it is the last month of winter, making it the ideal time to prune roses.
In many cases, the later the better, as pruning will initiate growth and new tips are more likely to be burnt by lingering frosts if roses are pruned too early. Frost damage can affect the first flush of spring blooms.
All roses require different pruning techniques, so it is important to know whether your roses are climbers, hybrid teas, carpet roses or standards. Climbing roses need more work to keep them growing on a support or frame, with large canes trained as horizontally as possible to encourage more blooms.
Hybrid teas are probably the most popular type of rose and can be pruned quite hard to maintain their shape and encourage strong growth.
Carpet roses and standard roses can simply be pruned with hedge shears.
Planting calendula and daisies beneath your roses will attract beneficial insects such as hoverflies and parasitic wasps, which feed on aphids, reducing the need for sprays.
If you are adding a rose to your garden, prepare the soil by loosening it and incorporating cow manure or blood and bone. Leave the soil for a few weeks before planting. My only rule when buying a rose is that it must be fragrant – after all, what is a rose without perfume?
WHILE winter gardens can look a little bare, fragrance is still plentiful from winter bulbs and daphnes.
One of my favourite scented shrubs is Winter Sweet (Chimonanthus praecox). This hardy, multi-stemmed shrub is grown for the fragrant flowers that appear on its bare winter stems. Its rich honey and spice perfume is unforgettable, and a single sprig brought indoors will quickly fill a room with fragrance.
WINTER is also a busy time in the orchard and a good opportunity to spray citrus trees to help control stink bugs, scale and mites before summer. Winter spraying smothers overwintering eggs and helps prevent them hatching when the weather warms.
Winter oil is stronger than eco oils and is best used during the cooler months to avoid burning foliage. Spray on a still day, ensuring the oil thoroughly covers the leaves, bark and branches.
While eco oils are more environmentally friendly, winter oil should only be used when insect populations are causing damage to fruit.
FEED garlic with a high-nitrogen liquid fertiliser throughout winter. As the weather warms, switch to a potash fertiliser to encourage the bulbs to fatten and produce flowers and scapes. Keep garlic free of weeds, ensure good drainage and avoid overwatering.
Garlic is usually ready to harvest around November, when the leaves begin to die back and just before flowering. Once harvested, hang the bulbs upside down in a dark, dry place for a few weeks.
Storage time depends on the variety, or if you are unsure, garlic can be stored in the freezer.
NOW is also the time to prepare vegetable gardens for spring. Vegetable patches with alkaline soil suit peas, beans and asparagus, while tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes prefer more acidic soils.
Top up manures and mulches to help retain moisture through the warmer months. Chicken or cow manure are both suitable choices.
Jottings
- Plant asparagus crowns in rich soil.
- Feed bulbs that are in growth.
- Pull annual weeds before they set seed.
- Winter pruning of figs can be done now.
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