The best time to plant roses

Roses may be planted at any time when the weather is sufficiently fine, between the end of October and late April, provided that the soil is friable and free from frost or snow.

Situation and preparation of ground

Roses do best when given a bed to themselves in an open part of the garden. The soil should be well broken up and plenty of cattle manure, compost or sphagnum peat worked into top 45cm (18in).

On arrival

If you are unable to plant when the roses arrive, Cocker's packing will ensure that the bushes will remain in good condition for at least 2 weeks, if the parcel is kept in a frost free shed. If planting is to be deferred longer than this, unpack the roses and heel them in, i.e. make a shallow trench and cover the roots with soil and firm down.

Planting

Following a good soaking in a bucket of water, roots should be pruned back to 20 or 25cm (8 or 10 in) Hybrid Tea and Floribunda varieties should be planted 45-60cm (18-24 in) apart, Patio varieties 37-45cm (15-18 in) apart, and Climbers and Shrubs approx 180cm (6 ft) apart. Dig a hole in the prepared ground sufficiently wide enough to allow the roots of the rose to spread, and use a planting mixture, which for every 14lt (3 gallon) pail full of moist peat will include a double handful of bone meal. Put a little of this mixture in the bottom of the hole and place the rose in such a position that the roots are evenly spread. Cover the roots with planting mixture and soil. On no account must raw fertiliser of any kind be allowed to come into direct contact with the roots. Replace the rest of the soil and tread firmly down.

Replacements in old rose beds

If new roses are planted in old beds then it is advisable to dig out a hole about 30cm (12 in) deep and 45cm (18 in) square and re-fill it with fresh soil in which roses have not previously been grown.

Feeding

A dressing of Cocker's Rose Food, immediately after pruning in February at the rate of 125g per square metre is recommended and subsequent feedings at the rate of 125g per square metre, once a month until the end of July. Never use potato manure or Muriate of Potash and do not put on manure in the autumn.

Pruning first spring after planting

All Hybrid Tea and Floribunda varieties should be pruned the first spring after planting, cutting them back to 3 or 4 eyes from the base, the top eyes should be pointing outwards. Pruning should be done in late February while roses planted after February should be pruned prior to planting. Climbing roses should not be pruned but simply cut back the tips about 5-7cm (2-3 in). to a bud.

Pruning in subsequent years

HYBRID TEAS In the second and subsequent years after planting, cut away all weak and unripe growths, shorten the remaining shoots to about half the length of the previous year's growth. Keep the centre of the bush open and leave the top bud after pruning facing outwards. We strongly recommend February pruning. FLORIBUNDAS The first pruning after planting should consist of cutting away all weak shoots and cutting healthy growth down to about 15cm (6 in) from the ground, always pruning to an outward eye. The second year prune the new 1-year old wood lightly. The 1-year wood is the main shoot from the base of the bush. Remove the flower heads and if a secondary shoot or shoots have developed just below the flower, these are shortened to 3 or 4 eyes. The older wood, which was pruned the previous year, should have made good growth and this should be shortened to about half its length. Pruning the third or succeeding years consists of cutting 1-year old wood lightly and 2-year old wood fairly hard. By pruning in this way the flowering season is prolonged and the trees maintain their natural height. This pruning should be done in February. CLIMBING ROSES Pruning consists primarily of cutting out the dead wood and pruning to prevent over-crowding, which can be done after the plants have flowered in the summer.

Summer Pests & Diseases - Blackspot

This disease is caused by warm wet weather during summer. Black spots with yellow fringes appear on the leaf and spread rapidly causing defoliation and in severe cases death. To treat this disease remove all affected leaves and treat with Systhane fungus fighter once a fortnight until clear. Repeat as necessary. We also recommend using Sulphur Rose to aide recovery of the plant.

Summer Pests & Diseases - Greenfly

The most common of all rose pests the greenfly not necessarily green, these translucent insects turn the colour of the substance they feed on but can generally be found feeding off the sap of tender young shoots. Attack by theses insects can lead to distortion or halting of growth and failure of buds to open. We recommend using a systemic insecticide to treat them.

Summer Pests & Diseases - Mildew

The most common rose disease caused by poor feeding, dryness at the roots and hot days followed by cold nights. Likely to attack late July but can be seen anytime during the summer. White powdery mould appears on the leaves and buds of your rose bush. Eventually the leafs fall off prematurely hindering growth of the bush. We recommend using Systhane fungus fighter at first sign of the disease repeated once a week.

Dead- heading your roses.

During the summer months after your first blooms have flowered and are looking withered its a good idea to dead-head. Dead-heading is simply removing the failing /old blooms from the plant by cutting them with a sharp pair of secateurs for a clean cut just above a leaf. Dead-heading encourages new blooms to flower and prevents the old blooms seeding, therefore prolonging the flowering stage of your rose bush right through to autumn as well as keeping your garden looking tidy. Where planting for decorative Autumn hips please do not deadhead.