Roses are garden classics, and keeping them healthy and blooming beautifully requires care that shifts with the seasons. From spring pruning and feeding to summer deadheading, autumn cleanup, and winter protection, each season plays a role in growing beautiful blooms year after year. Here's how to care for your roses season by season.
Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter | More Information
Spring
Remove Overwintering Materials
While not all roses require winter protection, those that do, like hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras, will need their winter "blankets" removed in early spring. Ideally, this is done once the ground thaws and harsh cold temperatures of winter have passed, but before the plants break bud.
Learn more in this article: How to Overwinter Roses.
Prune Back Winter Damage
Pruning is important for roses to improve their appearance and promote healthy growth that will flower well.
Early spring (after removing overwinter materials, if applicable) is the best time to prune roses. It starts by removing dead tissue from disease or winter kill. Then, canes can be selectively removed to encourage vigorous growth and open up the plant to promote good air circulation and light penetration to reduce disease issues and improve bloom.
The pruning of different types of roses looks slightly different. Learn more details in this article: How to Prune Roses.
Plant New Shrubs
Planting roses appropriately is the first step to growing beautiful blooming plants. Roses can be purchased as container-grown or potted plants from the garden center or as bare-root plants from the garden center or mail-order source.
Container-grown roses can be planted from April through midsummer. Dormant, bare-root roses should be planted in early spring before spring growth begins, as soon as they are received or purchased from the nursery (late March or April).
Learn more in this article: How to Plant and Transplant Roses.
Transplant Shrubs Before New Growth Starts
Early spring (before the plant begins to leaf out) is the best time to transplant a rose. This is typically late March to mid-April in Iowa.
Wrap twine around the canes to help get them out of the way and dig out the root ball. The root ball should be as large as can be managed and not allowed to fall apart. Typically, root balls are at a minimum of 15 inches across.
Replant immediately, if possible. Learn more in this article: How to Plant and Transplant Roses
Apply Fertilizer
Spring is the ideal time to fertilize all roses. Natural or synthetic fertilizers can be used. Apply an all-purpose garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, in the spring, just as the new growth begins to emerge. Apply at a rate of one pound of fertilizer per 100 square feet or sprinkle 1/4 cup of fertilizer around each plant. Slow-release fertilizers are also good options.
Learn more in this article: Growing Roses in Iowa: Fertilization.
Apply Mulch Around Plants
Mulches are an excellent way to conserve moisture and control weeds. Spread 2 to 4 inches of mulch around each rose or over the entire bed. Possible mulches include, wood chips, shredded bark, pine needles, and cocoa bean hulls.
Learn more in this article: Using Mulch in the Garden.
Propagate Plants by Layering or Division
Not all roses are well suited for propagation by layering or division. Those varieties that have long flexible canes are good candidates for layering. Those roses with a suckering growth habit can be propagated by division. For other roses, including modern and shrub roses, other methods are best used at other times of the year.
Learn more in this article: How to Propagate Roses.
Summer
Deadhead to Promote Additional Blooms
Deadheading or removing faded flowers is done to encourage additional bloom on modern and other repeat-flowering roses. It also improves the overall appearance of the shrub. Deadhead throughout the summer any modern or shrub roses. Those that bloom only once per year such the species or old garden roses, are best left alone so the faded flowers can develop into ornamental rose hips.
Learn more in this article: Growing Roses in Iowa: Deadheading.
Disbud to Create Larger Blooms
Disbudding encourages larger rose blooms by removing small side buds early, directing energy to the main flower making it ideal for cut flower production. Remove the side buds by pinching when the buds are first noticed and very small.
Learn more in this article: Growing Roses in Iowa: Disbudding.
Water During Dry Periods
Modern roses, such as hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras, require watering during hot, dry weather. The frequency depends upon weather conditions and soil type. In most gardens, a thorough watering every 7 to 10 days during dry weather is sufficient. If possible, apply the water directly to the soil around each plant. Overhead watering wets the foliage and increases disease problems. If overhead watering is unavoidable, morning is the best time to water roses. Morning applications allow the foliage to dry quickly.
Other types of roses, such as shrub or landscape roses, are more tolerant of less-than-ideal soil moisture conditions but will still bloom and grow best when they receive consistent moisture.
Learn more in this article: Growing Roses in Iowa: Watering.
Fertilize Modern Roses
Most roses are best fertilized in spring. Modern roses, such as hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribundas, benefit from additional fertilizer applications during the first bloom period and in mid to late July.
Apply an all-purpose garden fertilizer at a rate of one pound of fertilizer per 100 square feet or sprinkle 1/4 cup of fertilizer around each plant.
Learn more in this article: Growing Roses in Iowa: Fertilization.
Monitor for Pests and Disease
Roses can succumb to a number of pest and disease issues. Early detection and action help greatly to prevent damage that impacts the overall health and appearance of the shrub and its blooms.
Scout often throughout the summer for diseases like black spot, powdery mildew, and viral issues. Roseslugs and leafcutter bees often show up in early summer, and Japanese beetles appear in midsummer. Pests like aphids, thrips, and spider mites can show up anytime the environmental conditions favor their development.
Learn how to spot and manage these issues in this article: Pests and Diseases of Roses.
Propagate by Cuttings
Most rose varieties can be successfully propagated using semi-hardwood cuttings collected from mature new growth in mid to late summer (July & August).
Learn more in this article: How to Propagate Roses.
Weed Control
Every garden has weeds, and keeping ahead of them is important. Weeds are strong competitors for available water, nutrients, and sunlight. Reduced air circulation created by tall weeds encourages the development and spread of foliage diseases, and a weedy garden often has more insect problems.
Many different techniques can be used to reduce weeds, such as applying mulch and using preemergent herbicides. Hoeing, hand pulling, and mulching are the most practical weed control measures for home gardeners. Small weeds are relatively easy to control by hoeing and hand pulling. Be sure to cultivate lightly so as not to disturb the plant's shallow root system.
Learn more in this article: Managing Weeds in Landscapes, Gardens, and Lawns.
Fall
Stop Deadheading
Deadheading is desirable during the summer to promote more blooms, but as fall approaches, it's best to stop. The development of rose hips (fruits) slows plant growth and helps prepare the plants for winter. Additionally, hips can be attractive on plants over the winter.
Learn more in this article: Growing Roses in Iowa: Deadheading.
Watering
The cooler temperatures of fall are less stressful on plants, but roses still benefit from regular watering when conditions are dry, a more frequent occurrence in fall. The frequency depends on weather conditions and soil type. Newly planted shrubs particularly benefit from regular watering when needed, as fully hydrated plants overwinter better. Continue to water when needed until the ground freezes (usually around mid to late November).
Learn more in this article: Growing Roses in Iowa: Watering.
Fall Clean-up
After the first killing frost, removal of fallen leaves and flower debris is beneficial to help reduce disease recurrence, as certain diseases can overwinter on these materials.
This is also a beneficial time to remove any weeds and prune out obviously diseased canes. Refrain from pruning any other plant material in the fall - this task is best left for spring. Pruning late in the growing season can reduce winter survival rates.
Winter Protection
Most modern roses need protection to survive the cold winter months in Iowa. Hybrid tea, grandiflora, and floribunda, as well as some polyantha, miniature, and climbing roses, are not reliably winter hardy and must be protected.
Most shrub, landscape, species, and old garden roses, as well as some miniature, polyantha, and climbing roses, are reliably winter hardy and do not require extensive preparation for winter.
The process for preparing roses for winter starts in late fall (mid-November). Learn more details in this article: How to Overwinter Roses.
Winter
Check for Animal Damage
Rabbits, mice, voles, and other animals can cause severe damage to roses over the winter months. Desperate for food, rabbits and rodents can strip the bark and girdle stems. If you notice damage, steps can be taken to prevent further injury.
Learn more in this article: How to Protect Trees and Shrubs from Animal Damage Over Winter.
Make Plans for Next Year
Winter is the perfect time to browse catalogs and websites to find the roses you hope to grow in the coming year. Winter days also provide the opportunity to create plans for new designs and create task lists for the coming spring.
Use these articles to help with your planning: Rose Types and Cultivars and How to Select and Use Roses in Garden.
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Photo credits: 1: Aaron Steil; 2: maryviolet/AdobeStock; 3: Valerii Honcharuk/AdobeStock; 4: bildlove/AdobeStock; 5: Aaron Steil; 6: bildlove/AdobeStock; 7: natalialeb/AdobeStock