Prune now for knockout roses this spring

Now is the perfect time to prune your roses and while they might look like bare twig arrangements when you’re finished with them, it’s a small sacrifice to make for great blooms in spring. So this month I’ll give you a guide to achieving knockout roses.

The best time to prune roses is when they’re dormant. This is when their leaves and flowers have fallen off. It’s important to prune on a nice sunny, dry day as rain on the cut branch could lead to die back. This is when the branch starts to turn yellow/brown in colour and dies back towards the base. Also, remember to use clean, sharp secateurs to ensure clean cuts and prevent diseases.

So let’s get started. You should only prune the smaller branches that stem off from the three to four main branches of the rose bush. Ensure you cut just above the second bud that’s pointing to the outside of the rose bush. Cut the branch on an angle where it’s as thick as a pencil or thicker to get the best flowers come spring. Repeat on other branches and rose bushes in your garden.

Next, use a brush to scrub the flakey bark off the base of your rose bush to encourage new branch growth.

When you’ve finished pruning, spray the twig-like arrangements with a mix of all season oil and copper. This will remove insects and stop die back on the branches you’ve just cut.

Roses love sweet soil. So be sure to side dress the soil around each bush with a bit of lime. And a good fertiliser with potassium will encourage abundant flowers come spring.

Mulching the soil around your roses will keep them moist and reduce weed growth. But be careful not to cover the base of each rose bush as the new branches you’re encouraging won’t shoot away.

By now your garden will resemble a cemetery for twigs, but it needn’t stay this way. Liven up your rose garden with colourful pansies.

Pansies are popular bedding plants because they’re easy to grow and add great bursts of colour to winter gardens. Awapuni has the full spectrum of colours, from blues to yellows to reds, as well as mixed colour varieties.

Dig a hole (approximately 3cms deep) and place your seedling inside. Cover the roots with soil and add a general fertiliser to the soil surrounding the seedlings (if you haven’t already done so around your roses). A fertiliser high in potassium provides a good balanced diet for flower and leaf growth.

The great thing about growing pansies is they are very hardy. As long as they’re planted before winter fully sets in, they’ll survive through rain, wind and even frosts.

Pansies are ‘plant and forget’ flowers. Just make sure they don’t get too dry and pick the flowers as they fade to encourage more blooms. And don’t worry - the more you pick the more you produce!

Visit www.awapuni.co.nz for more of Tod’s great tips