Gardening: step-by-step guide to looking after your roses | Brian Kidd

For the 10 years or so most gardeners have been pruning them at the end of February.

However, many people have told me pruning was done much later this year because the weather was so wet.

Late pruning is not a bad idea and if you haven’t had the opportunity, it can still be done right now.

Cut the roses back hard and give them a good feed of Vitax Q4 fertiliser, hoed into the soil, followed by a teaspoon of Epsom salts to ensure they produce good glossy foliage which is more resistant to black spot disease.

A regular spraying programme is important. However, some of the products we use are to be withdrawn making the battle even more difficult.

We need to use three different sprays to keep pests and disease under control and these need to be alternated. The spray needs to be applied once a fortnight during the late evening.

Start by using copper mixture dissolved in water. It’s inexpensive and controls a lot of fungal problems.

Follow this with Multirose which has a fungicide combined with a pesticide and will control pests and diseases.

Roseclear 2 or 3 should be used a fortnight later and after another two weeks, revert to copper mixture and repeat the programme.

Stick to this regime and you will find your roses will be much healthier and you will deserve this reward.

Once the first flush of blooms has finished, cut all the stems down low to plump buds or side shoots. Give them another feed and keep repeating this and there should still be flowers on your roses at Christmas. Let’s face it – If you follow all my tips here, you will deserve flowers at Christmas!

Never throw dead flowers on to the soil as this encourages big outbreaks of rust, mildew and black spot. Put all the petals in the compost bin or your recycling container.

If you are kind enough to read my articles, you will know I often mention pot-grown roses. I write about these because lots of readers have very little space and I do try to bear all of your gardens in mind. I fully understand we don't all have rolling acres!

If you want superb rose blooms for those plants in containers it is essential to replace the compost once each year and November is the best month.

John Innes No3 compost is best but we need to add sand to ensure good drainage. Try to get hold of some sharp sand or potting sand.

Ten per cent sand is added to the JI compost. Mix the two together really well and after repotting prune the stems hard. Bear in mind, the harder you prune the more they will grow as long as you feed and water them.

If you grow on a wet, windy balcony raise the base of the container off the floor with little feet under the container.

THIS WEEK’S TOP TIP

This is the most exciting time – wall baskets, hanging baskets and window boxes can be planted.

If it’s very windy, wait until the windy weather passes. We all know what it is like to suffer from the wind!