WATERING

Articles In This Section:

· SUMMER TREATMENT

· WATERSHOOTS

· WATERING

· MANURING

· SUMMER TRIMMING - Part 1

· SUMMER TRIMMING - Part 2

· CARE OF CLIMBERS

To get an April flush of roses a fairly definite schedule must be followed. After withholding water, thoroughly soak the whole garden during the first four or five days of February. The lawns will have had light sprinklings all the time. It is an error at this time to believe that the lawns do not need further watering or that the roses will not benefit by the whole area being soaked. This is particularly so in lawns near roses. In Perth, rose-growers do not need to withhold water during any summer period; they keep the beds moist and do their summer trimming in March for their autumn display in May. Watering is the greatest factor in forcing roses into new growth in warm weather.

From Christmas to mid-February avoid cutting any blooms except with very short stems. If you cut with long stems you will be cutting back to an eye that you will want at summer trimming time. Your cutting will force it into growth before the desired date. Thus the timing of the autumn blooming will be spoilt. Simply break off the heads of faded flowers.