Rosa arvensis

Spring · Outdoors

Apply an organic mulch

Apply a 5-10cm layer of organic mulch around the plant in spring to reduce weeds, retain moisture and keep roots cool in summer. Leave a 10cm gap between the stem and the mulch to prevent stem rot. Before applying mulch, clear the area of weeds and water if it hasn't rained recently. Use biodegradable material such as garden compost, well-rotted manure, leaf mould or bark chippings as mulch.

A mulch is a covering that can: protect the soil surface from rain, heat and cold; deter weeds; provide nutrients. Organic indicates that material has vegetative origin e.g. manure, compost. Synthetics i.e. plastics, or stones are often called mulches.

Spring,Summer · Outdoors

Feed with slow release fertiliser for roses

Apply a slow release fertiliser for roses before applying any mulch, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth in spring. Avoid getting fertiliser on the stem or leaves. Repeat the application after the first flush of flowers, usually early summer. Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season. Roses in containers need feeding more often than those planted in the ground.

This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.

Spring-Autumn · Outdoors

Water to keep the soil moist

For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.

Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.

Spring-Autumn · Planting

Manage bugs on roses

Aphids like greenfly or blackfly feed on the sap in young stems and leaves of roses. In small numbers aphids are unsightly, a large number can damage a rose's health. Check roses from spring onwards. Remove aphids by brushing them off with your hand, rinsing off with water, or spray the rose with a mild soapy solution. If an outbreak persists, treat with a "rose spray". Prevent aphid infestations by attracting aphid-eaters like birds and ladybirds to your garden.

Summer · Outdoors

Heatwave care for roses in the ground

Roses generally tolerate hot weather and heatwaves, unless soil around their roots dries out below the surface. To check if the soil is dry, stick your finger in the soil to a depth of 5cm. If flowers are wilting or stems drooping, the rose needs watering. Water roses slowly, directly onto the root area around the base. For newly planted roses, water every other day, for established roses, water once or twice a week, giving each rose a deep drink of 5 litres (half a standard watering can). Making a shallow depression in the soil around the stem base is a good way to catch water and stop it running away. To keep soil cool and reduce water evaporation, add a layer of mulch (compost or bark) on top of flower beds, leaving a gap between plant stems and the surrounding mulch to avoid stem rot.

Summer · Outdoors

Heatwave care for roses in pots

Roses in pots are vulnerable to heat and drying out during hot weather and heatwaves. Check them daily in very hot weather and water in the morning and evening if necessary. Water each pot until water comes out the bottom. Cool pots down by grouping them together, or moving them to the shade. Avoid planting roses in black containers or pots in full sun. To keep soil cool and reduce water evaporation, add a layer of mulch (compost or bark) on top of the pot, leaving a gap between the rose stem and the surrounding mulch to avoid stem rot.

Summer-Autumn · Planting

Cut off faded rose flowers

"Deadhead" roses (remove faded flowers) once a week to tidy the rose, encourage more new flowers and extend flowering. Snip the stem below the faded flowerhead, just above the first leaves you come to.

Winter · Planting

Prune climbing roses

Prune to encourage strong healthy growth and flowers from the top of the plant to the base. Prune between December and February when the plant is dormant. Before you start, tie long stems to secure them to your support structure. Wearing gloves, cut off unwanted stems with a sharp pair of secateurs, reducing length by up to half and remove dead or damaged stems. If on a wall or fence, fan stems out so they are not rising vertically or crossing over each other. This encourages flowers lower down, rather than at the top only. You want to end up with a balanced shape, with stems spaced out to allow air to flow around the plant, which helps reduce problems with pests and disease.

Also applies to Climbing Boursault, Climbing Noisette & Climbing Bourbon

Outdoor planting · Planting

Add root growth stimulant to the planting hole

Mycorrhizal fungi helps roots establish quickly, so they absorb water and nutrients more efficiently. It comes as a powder, granule or gel. Add to the planting hole or container, and to the plant's rootball before planting in the hole. For "bareroot" plants use a gel.

Compost · Planting

Compost for roses

Use rose compost when planting in pots, or add compost as a soil improver when planting in the ground. Rose compost is formulated to provide the ideal nutrients and composition for roses. If you are using peat-free compost, it's important to feed regularly during the growing season using a slow release fertiliser, or liquid feed, as the compost loses its nutrients over time. Roses in pots need feeding more often than those planted in the ground.