November: Taking care of Roses

November: Let’s deal with planting roses in November, pruning roses in November and the winter protection. Every job done is an investment.

Planting roses in November

Roses are surprisingly hardy, more so if planted in the right place. A wrong place to grow roses being in the shade, in a windy area of the garden or in a damp soil.

Gertrude Stein, the celebrated American writer, said: A rose is a rose is a rose. Maybe but you have to be a little choosy if you want to get the best out of your roses.

Yes, you can plant roses now, here are a few:

Rosa Alba: White Rose – does well in zone 5

Rosa Canina : Dog Rose – with single layer of white or pink petals. Zone 3

Rosa Centifolia: popular in America since colonial times, 100 petals – Zone 4 and 5

Rosa Chinensis: native of China – Zone 7

Rosa Gallica: the French Rose – Zone 5

Rosa Rugosa: stands sea side climate – Zone 2

Pruning roses in November

 As the days get shorter we still have buds which sadly won’t make it till next summer. It is time to take the secateurs and cut off these rose buds.

Don’t go secateurs itchy and go for heavy pruning. Cut off 1/3 of the height of the branches. Your rose will grow very healthy in the spring.

Whether climbing against a house or a tree, remove the branches that carried flowers and check the ties.

Protecting roses in November

Stake around roses that might be exposed to the winter wind, the stakes should be 20” taller than the rose. Drape burlap around the stakes forming a screen for your roses.

In cold climates, pile up dirt around the base of your roses. The roots will be protected.

Enter any new plant for your garden in your iPhone in your Gardenista App. Also

you might want to make a note in your Gardenista App of flowers to plant in due time to have flowering plants in November next year.