Now is the perfect time in Southern California to plant and prune roses. Garden centers cary bare root and potted roses. Select a rose to suit your style. If it is bare root, take it home and soak it for at least an hour and up to 24 hours to plump up the dry roots. Plant in ameded soil and deep water. When new growth begins in spring, begin fertilizing.
Remove any canes that are dead, damaged, diseased, broken or smaller than a pencil.
Roses need good air circulation, so prune out any canes that are in the center of the bush, and ones that cross each other or compete for space.
Roses flower on new growth, so remove any old canes. Newer canes have smooth green bark, while older canes have heavy, rough brown bark.
Remove only ½ the height of the bush.
Pull off all leaves, clean up fallen debris, use dormant spray, fertilize and mulch.
This is the time of year to plant and prune roses. Using the right fertilizer helps you to insure healthy, disease resistant and productive plants. Below you will find a recipe for a blend of fertilizer specially formulated for winter rose feeding. After planting or pruning clean up all fallen debris and apply fertilizer then mulch and deep water. This recipe is enough for one rose bush.
Combine: 1/2 Cup Gypsum
1 Tablespoon Soil Sulfur
1 Tablespoon Chelated Iron
1 Tablespoon Epsom Salts
When the first sign of growth appears in spring apply a well-balanced fertilizer monthly