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You are viewing a single post made by Steve812 in the thread called Pruning Roses in So Cal.
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Apr 11, 2012 9:46 AM CST
Name: Steve
Prescott, AZ (Zone 7b)
Irises Lilies Roses Region: Southwest Gardening
I would suggest that nature will provide most of the care your roses are likely to need. That said, here are some easy tips.
1) Be sure they get adequate water; about 1" per week is what's usually recommended. For water conservation, most people will recommend drip irrigation. I like to inspect my roses and so I water with a hose.
2) Feed them once or twice per year with an organic fertilizer such as Mills Magic.
3) Remove dead wood at least once per year. I happen to like Felco pruning shears for this, too.
4) You may choose to prune up to 2/3 of the cane mass away when the roses are growing least. In wintry areas this is before the roses set new spring foliage; where you are, that might be before it starts raining in the fall. Pruning encourages growth and blooming, but it saps a great deal of energy, so you need to fertilize more generously. I typically prune every three years or so.
5) Keep your roses mulched with 1-2 inches of organic mulch.

A more detailed account of caring for roses can be found at RoseFile or at AARS . Just as with people, the generalities are all the same for all but the specifics on rose care need to be tailored to the individuals. Some roses are easy-care and some are high maintenance. I have yet to see a book that does a great job getting past the generalities.

My bet is that for some time there will be helpful people here eager to answer your questions about rose care.
When you dance with nature, try not to step on her toes.
Last edited by Steve812 Apr 11, 2012 9:57 AM Icon for preview

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