In late September, your roses start to slow down. The days get shorter, the nights get colder, and the plants begin to rest. This is the time to help them ease into fall by giving them the care they need to stay strong through the changing seasons.
One of the most important things to do is reduce how often you water. Your roses don’t need as much moisture in cooler weather, but you should still give them a deep drink if it’s been very dry. Less watering helps them prepare to go dormant, which means they’ll rest during the winter.
You should also stop fertilizing your roses in September. Feeding them now would encourage new growth, and that growth might not survive the winter. Instead, you want the plant to focus on hardening off, which means getting tougher and ready for cold weather. If you insist on fertilizing like we do, due to where we live in the Pacific Northwest, be sure to use a fertilizer that has no nitrogen. This will encourage early October blooms and help stop new leaf growth that will get burned with our first October freeze.
Check your roses for diseases or pests and clean up any fallen leaves or old blooms around the base. This helps stop black spot or mildew from spreading. A clean garden bed also makes your rose bushes healthier as they enter their quiet season.
Heavy pruning should wait until spring, but you can remove any very tall or weak stems that might break in strong winds. If you grow climbing roses, this is a good time to gently tie them to supports so they don’t blow around during storms.
Helping your roses slow down in the fall sets them up for a peaceful winter and a strong return in spring. Think of September as a time to say “thank you” to your roses for a season full of blooms.
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