The Growing Season for Roses

Rose bushes grow continuously. Whether in squalling northern winters or steamy southern summers, changes are sequentially taking place within the plant structure. The four seasons are a gardener's general guide to caring for their plants. Though their beauty is admired from spring through fall, each segment of a rose bush's growing cycle prepares it for the next.

"I think the rose must hold a high place in our early affection for flowers," is a widely shared reflection from Graham Stuart Thomas. Roses begin their show during the spring. Different types come into bloom at different times. Roses have one large showing in the beginning to middle of spring. Repeat flowering bushes have several sparse bloom cycles throughout the rest of summer, with one more large production of flowers in mid to late summer. Older species produce blooms in the spring only one time, then produce new canes the remainder of summer months for the following spring's grandeur.

Autumn leaves fall to the ground alongside the last fading petals. Your roses have stored away nourishment for winter months ahead and are shutting down their visible beauty. This is the time when they need the careful attention demanded by a small child being put to sleep. Winter preparation for northern and southern climates is essential. One garden chore that tends to be neglected is the removal of dead leaves from bushes. Brian Capon explains that the reason dead foliage must be removed is so the area can heal over, "to seal it against fungal infection and water loss" during the months which lie ahead.

Although the calendar has plotted exact dates for the turn of seasons, the weather in your part of the country may not be on the same schedule. Nevertheless, nature responds to the environmental changes, sometimes before the gardener becomes aware. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made their Plant Hardiness Zone Map available on the National Arboretum site, which indicates climate zones across the United States.

Another good resource with useful data is "The Farmers' Almanac", which includes first and last frost dates and planting times across the country. The Almanac also lists weather predictions for the year to come, a helpful aide in planning for severity of the winter ahead.

Roses have been known to bloom in mild climates all winter long. But for most, the winter is one of peaceful dormancy. During this resting period, roses need constancy of temperature for healthy survival. In the article entitled "Winter Protection", the University of Illinois lists a variety of options for wintering over bushes. The article states, "The whole idea of winter protection is to keep the plant uniformly cold and frozen all winter and prevent the damaging effects of alternate freezing and thawing." Along with suggesting different methods of winter protection, the article lists several overlooked garden chores, such as cleaning up dead leaves and canes for disease control.

If you have a green thumb and a greenhouse, then cutting roses is an option all year round. The floral industry depends on roses grown under glass to supply the beauties to consumers when other sources cannot. If you love to grow roses, try growing them under glass. There are a number of tender varieties that would not normally be hardy in some parts of the country, that can be grown year-round in a greenhouse. Thomas offers a listing of the tender Noisette rose variety that cannot survive plantings in sub-freezing climates, but is a perfect addition to a north country greenhouse. Roses never go out of season, no matter how or where they are grown.