January/February in the Garden

WATERING
Even though January is a time to relax from some of the garden chores, there are a few
things that should be done. The most essential is making sure that your plants are well
watered if there is not enough rain. The freezing temperatures are tolerated better by a
well hydrated plant. Be sure to water plants in pots several times a week.
It is important to spray for fungus diseases at least once, preferably twice, during the
months of January and February.

SHOVEL PRUNING
January is a time to take a very critical look at your plants. It may be time to remove some
weak plants that have not performed well over the past year or two. It is probably time
to stop wasting time, energy and money on them. Order a new replacement for that hole.

SOIL AMENDMENTS
During January, you can spread your organic mix and scratch it in lightly. It will not cause
the plant to start growing until the soil warms up in the spring. We like to use 3 cups of
Purely Organic per hybrid tea, floribunda and other large roses such as shrubs and polyanthas.
We use 1 cup per bush for the minis and minifloras.

PRUNING
One of the first garden chores for spring is that of pruning. The rationale for pruning is
that removal of weak and dead wood will leave room for new stronger canes which
ultimately will result in a stronger plant. A rose bush produces new canes each year.
These newer canes are the most desirable as they tend to be more vigorous and thus produce
more flowers. As canes age, they suffer a certain amount of damage from wind and
cold. This type of damage can cause the cane to become less productive. The removal of
older canes allows room for the new canes to emerge.
When should pruning be done in your garden?
Patience is a virtue as far as pruning is concerned. We do not recommend mid-
February pruning for this area because late freezes have caused damage to newly emerging
growth several times in recent history. We advocate waiting until at least the last
week of February or the first week of March. And it is recommended that you listen to
some long range weather forecasts before beginning. When your bushes are ready to be
pruned, you will see a red swollen bud eye.

Pruning grafted bushes: Pull back the mulch to expose the bud union. Remove any small twiggy growth and remove
any damaged or diseased canes. Be sure to cut flush with the bud union. Study the canes that are left. Remove any that are smaller in diameter than a pencil.

Now, make your decisions regarding how much to remove based on the following factors: age of the bush, size of the bush, vigor, and purpose for growing. For garden display, you may want to leave 6 or 7 canes if there is a large bud union. If you want larger flowers for exhibition, remove all but 3 to 5 healthy canes.

The goal in removal of canes is to try to leave the newest (if they are undamaged). If there are two canes rubbing or crossing each other, remove the smaller of the two. When cutting the canes you have designated to remain, cut at a 45 degree angle ¼ inch above an outside facing bud eye. Height of the cut will be determined by the size of the cane. A large, thick cane should be able to support more growth.

Generally, most hybrid teas are pruned to a height of 18 to 20 inches. However, there are some cultivars that resent heavy pruning. The following should be cut to about 36” on strong stems: ‘Peace’ and her sports, ‘White Masterpiece’, ‘Color Magic’, ‘Double Delight’, and ‘Keepsake’.

Pruning bushes with fortuniana rootstock: Cultivars grafted onto fortuniana rootstock should not be pruned as severely as those on rootstocks such as Dr. Huey, and R. multiflora, or those on their own roots. No more that ½ of the previous year’s growth should be removed.

Pruning floribundas: Floribundas that produce one bloom per stem such as ‘Sheila’s Perfume’ or “Kanegem” can
be pruned in the same manner as the hybrid teas, depending on the rootstock upon which it is grafted. Floribundas that produce sprays should be pruned higher, and not pruned as severely as hybrid teas.

Pruning miniature and miniflora roses: We recommend pruning minis and minifloras
in the same manner as the hybrid teas. The height to which we prune depends on the age
and size of the variety. Some minis can get quite large in our heat. Generally, we prune
to a height of 10 to 12 inches. Any dead canes should be removed at ground level. Remove
smaller canes and any twiggy growth. This makes room for the plant to send new canes
up from the ground. Open up the center of the plant just as is done with hybrid teas as a
method of disease-pest management. The mature minis and minifloras that are grafted
or budded onto fortuniana rootstock should be pruned about 24 to 36 inches high.

Finishing touches: As rose bushes age, they tend to build up an overlay of woody bark type material on the
bud union. Removal of this “bark” with a brush will expose the bud union thus making it easier for basal breaks to be produced. Leave the mulch pulled from the bud union for exposure to the sun. A post pruning clean-up should now take
place. If you have not already done so, spray with lime sulfur giving good coverage to both the bush and the ground. Any leaves remaining on the bush after pruning should be cut off. Do not strip as you could do damage that
will be an entry opportunity for disease and insects. These old leaves can contain a new season of fungus contamination and insect problems as some of these can “overwinter”!

After pruning: Give the garden a thorough spray of a fungicide such as Banner Max and insecticide such as Orthene. Your routine spray regime should now begin.

Necessary equipment
Pruning shears. Pruning shears should always have a by-pass (curved) blade (secateurs).
Make sure they are sharp so that the cuts are made cleanly and the stems and canes are not mashed.
Loppers. Loppers (long handled pruners) can help cut thicker canes. As with pruning shears, loppers should have a curved blade.
Pruning saw. A sharp pruning saw is needed for cutting through very large canes. The Felco 60 cuts through the largest canes easily; has a lock when in use and folds into the handle.
Gloves. For protection of the hands and forearms, a pair of thorn-proof gauntlet type gloves should be used.
Disinfectant. Equipment should be cleaned with full strength alcohol to prevent the spread of disease.

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P.O. Box 31893, Charleston, SC 29417-1893