In the name of the rose

Early Spring is a great time to be choosing and preparing roses and Notcutts Garden Centres are well-established experts in rose growing, with a huge variety of roses for you to choose from. There's a rose for every type of garden, weather and soil, so why not spend some quality time getting to know all the roses on sale at Notcutts, Newnham Court Shopping Village. 

Roses can be planted at any time of year depending on local weather conditions but late winter to early spring is the optimum time before new growth.  February/March is therefore a great time to be choosing and planting new roses, as well as preparing established ones for spring.  

General tips for rose care 

If you want to grow roses successfully, you need to find out which roses will suit both your climate and the local soil, as well as deciding which colours, fragrances and varieties you’d like to see in your garden. Ask the very helpful staff to give you some assistance. 

Keep an eye out for bugs all year round. Even in the very cold months, Spider mites (on the underside of leaves) and woolly adelgidae (rose aphids, greenfly and black fly) can be pretty persistent, so stay on top of pests and check your roses every week or so.

Roses will grow in almost any soil, as long as it is well-drained, but adding some well-rotted garden compost or manure both when you first plant and then ongoing, especially in the spring months. 

Roses require a decent amount of sun and good, well-drained soil. Water in moderation. Make sure you constantly give the rose enough water during the establishment period, but once it’s up and running, natural rainfall is usually enough to keep your roses happy. However, in the first few years after planting and during prolonged periods of dryness, thorough watering is recommended around every 10 days.

February / March pruning tips

In the early spring (February or March), you’ll need to prune the bush for the first time. This should be when the buds have begun to swell, but before any leaves have appeared on the stems. Also use this time to cut away any dead wood or broken branches.

• Cuts should be less than 5mm above a bud and should slope away from it to stop water collecting on the bud. 
• Aim for well-spaced stems that allow free air flow for optimum results.
• Keep your secateurs sharp to keep your cuts clean and be sure to use loppers or a pruning saw on bigger stems.
• “Dead heading” stimulates repeat flowering. Remove the flower or complete truss from cluster flowered types down to a strong bud. On established Roses, cut out poorly flowering old wood and saw away old stubs that have failed to produce new shoots.
• Remove those suckers - shoots that grow directly from the rootstock of a rose bush that has been grafted or "budded". They will take all the nutrients if you don't. Trace the offender back to the root and pull it off. If you cut it back it may have the same effect as pruning – better growth!
• Prune dieback to healthy white pith (the centre of the stem).
• Dead and diseased, spindly and crossing stems should all be removed in the pruning process.

For all advice on how to care for your roses, just pop along to see the friendly Notcutts team at Newnham Court Shopping Village and they’ll be happy to guide you to rose growing success!