Page 13 - 2019 Sonoma County Gardeners Resource Guide

ROSES cont’d from page 12
canes) or Climbing Roses which are not cut down in size and other pruning is modified.
While it is not part of the pruning, I have always fertilized with a slow release fertilizer after spraying and cover the ground with an organic mulch. This practice
keeps weeds down and eliminates the need to add fertilizer for months.
This is, also, a time that new plants can be added to the garden. I found that the clay of the Sonoma County soil is not good for bareroot planting as the water never drains from the hole. My plants have mainly been potted and I can then plant throughout the year.
I moved last December
and planted new roses in
February. Today they are thriving and you can see pictures of some bushes both before and after pruning. Rosebushes are not trees and canes that are cut off will be replaced by healthier and larger canes if you follow the advice of Consulting Rosarians from the Redwood Empire Rose Society (see listing on page 26 and Plant Sale on page 30).
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