What exactly is a rose tree?
In order to understand why rose trees require special care, it helps to know how these unusual roses are formed. No rose naturally grows in a tree shape. Instead, the tree-like form is created by grafting roses together. That is, several roses are bound together until they grow into one. One graft is made at the top of the cane or trunk and another near the base.

Special concerns in rose tree care
Because the rose has been “re-engineered” and trained to grow in this unnatural manner, it requires more upkeep than shrub and climbing roses. The most obvious issue is that the single slender central cane needs to be staked to be able to support the heavy load of branches and blooms on top. Since the cane has no leaves or branches to protect it, it’s especially susceptible to sun scald and frost burn. One trick to prevent scalding this is to tie the support stake onto the southern side of the cane to block the day’s hottest sunlight. For protection from frost and cold, the cane should be well wrapped during winter.

Pruning
When it comes to rose tree care, pruning is important for more than just keeping that attractive rounded or weeping growth pattern. Correct pruning is critical because the branches need to trimmed in such a way that their weight is evenly distributed over the central cane to prevent the branches or even the cane from breaking. The simplest way to make sure you get it right is to prune every autumn in order to keep the tree in the same shape it was when you bought it.

Rose tree care requires more time and patience than care of shrub and climbing roses, but rose trees lend your garden an up-scale look that few other plants can match. Once you understand the unique needs of these roses, you’ll find caring for them isn’t nearly as complicated as it may seem.

When to transplant
In most climates, the best time to transplant roses is early spring. At this time, the plant is still mostly dormant so the move won’t be as much of a shock as it would be if you transplanted it during blooming season. Because the rose is just starting to “wake up” so to speak, you’ll be able to look for signs of disease like root gall. What’s more, the increasingly warm weather will help the rose grow into its new spot.

You can also transplant roses in late fall in late October or early November. The only thing is you’ll need to time it right because the soil should be warm enough for the rose to re-establish its roots before the frost. On the other hand, for a winter-blooming rose, transplanting should take place in the summer, since that’s when these roses are dormant.

Do your prep-work
When you need to move a rose, transplanting is easier if you soak the ground around them for a few days. Softening the ground this way makes it easier to dig up the whole plant without accidentally cutting the roots. If the soil at the old location wasn’t so great, now’s your chance to get it right. Use manure or chopped sod to create the light, rich, slightly acid soil roses love. Next, dig a hole large enough to accommodate the rose’s roots and the soil that will be attached to them. Then create a small mound of soil in the middle of the hole to help the plant settle into place.

Remove the rose
Use a spade or small shovel to dig all the way around the rose. Try to dig relatively deep to avoid cutting off any roots and so that you can dig up a good amount of soil. Occasionally lift the rose up and check to see where any major roots are located so you can dig them out. When you’ve got the rose out of the ground, look over the roots for signs of disease.

Replant the rose
Place the rose into the new hole and gently spread the roots out a bit. The rose should be set a little higher than ground level because it will naturally settle deeper. Fill the hole in and carefully pack the soil down. Thoroughly water the shrub and make sure the ground around it stays damp over the next few days.

When you have a rose, transplanting methods are important to know. If you ever need to move a rose bush quickly, you’ll know how to do it without endangering your beautiful plant.

When to prune
If what you want to prune is simply dead or damaged stems, you can do that any time of year. In fact, you should trim away deadwood as soon as you find it. If you’re used to high maintenance roses, you might be tempted to deadhead your Knock Outs after the first round of blooms, but with this easy-care rose you don’t really need to. .

When it comes to more serious pruning for shape, though, there are a few things to consider. First of all, in the first year after planting, you won’t need to prune the rose at all. Let it grow into shape for one season and prune it the next year. After that, you’ll only need to prune when you want to shape the rose. This may be as little as every three years.

When you’re ready to give your rose a thorough pruning, though, the best time to do so is late winter or early spring. The exact time will depend on your climate. In most climates, the best time is early spring just after the snow melt, when the buds have swelled but no new growth has appeared. The important thing is to make sure the roses are dormant when you prune them. Pruning Knock Out roses in the summer is also possible, but it will slow their growth.

How to prune knockout roses
Use sharp bypass (scissor-like) hand-held pruning shears. Start by cutting off any deadwood. Next, cut away those spindly canes growing from the base of the rose. When you shard to shape the rose, remember that Knock Outs grow vigorously, so trim them down two feet below the height you want them to reach during the growing season. To make your cut, look for an outward facing bud and cut just above the bud at a 45-degree angle sloping towards the bush. Doing this will encourage growth so you don’t end up with dead stumps.

Pruning Knock Out roses isn’t particularly tricky, but it’s still important to prune them correctly for the best results. When you know when and how to prune Knock Out roses, you’ll have vigorous growth and blooms all season long.

If you are shopping for Knock Out roses, you might want to take a look at another blog post: A Few Beautiful and Hardy Roses For Your Garden.

Just the Right Soil
Like most roses, climbing roses prefer light, rich soil that’s slightly acidic (pH 6.5 or so). Good drainage is also important. If your soil isn’t naturally rich, adding manure and chopped sod can improve soil conditions. It’s also important to keep the soil moist. This is easy to do by layering several inches of organic mulch (straw, grass clippings, or wood chips) on the ground around the base of the rose.

Careful Pruning
Since climbing roses are expected to grow to significant heights, you’ll only need to think about pruning them in the third year after planting. When it comes to pruning needs, climbing roses fall into three categories: hardy, tender and somewhere in between. The hardy climbers, which grow vigorously and flower abundantly, usually need to be pruned yearly to keep them from getting too dense and heavy. With the tender climbers, you’ll only need to give them a gentle pruning once every two or three years.

Winter protection
Because of their size and sprawling growth pattern, climbing roses can be a challenge to protect over the winter. The good news is that if you live in a mild climate such as the southern U.S. or Mediterranean-like parts of Australia, you probably won’t need to cover your roses at all. In cooler climates, you’ll at least want to tie the canes up and mound soil around them for insulation. If you’re expecting temperatures below freezing, though, you’ll need to cover the roses. Pillars, trellises, and pergolas should be wrapped with hay or other organic material.

If you have climbing roses, care of these rambling flowers is something you’ll probably find simple and trouble free. All you really need to do is protect them from frost, insects and disease, make sure they have good rich soil to grow in, and prune them when they start getting out of hand.

Telltale Signs of Black Spot

Black spot is easy to recognize in its latter stages, but might not be noticeable in the beginning. In fact, by the time black spot starts showing signs, as few as 3 to as many as 10 days have already passed since the fungus first germinated. The first visible symptom is black-colored spots on the leaves. As the disease progresses, a yellow ring forms around the black spots and the spots spread through to the underside of the leaves. Spore-producing spots will be visible upon close examination. The black spots will continue to grow and soon the entire leaf may turn yellow. Many of the yellowed leaves will begin falling off the bush.

Black spot is a fungus and as such, it spreads. It’ll easily jump from one bush to another for as long as it’s left untreated. The fungus can survive on the fallen leaves through the winter and also on the cane where it has been infected so growers cannot rely on the harsher weather to kill it.

Like most fungi, black spot thrives in warm, moist environments. Spores will germinate after 7 hours of being wet and when the ambient temperature is between 65 F (18 C) and 75 F (24 C). The warmer the weather, the quicker the disease spreads.

Dealing with Black Spot

Proper care of your roses is the only way to prevent this disease from developing or spreading. Since spores can survive on fallen leaves, it’s crucial during the fall season to rake up and remove all dead leaves from the ground and cut away any infected canes. In the spring, when roses are still dormant, head to the nursery and purchase wettable sulphur and a soap containing fungicide and then spray all rose bushes thoroughly with both. The spores cannot adhere to the sulphur, so the leaves are protected whenever they’re covered. Because the sulphur will wash off in rain it’s important to reapply whenever necessary.

The fungus needs a wet environment for germination, so take extra care to keep the leaves moisture-free. For example, plant roses in sunny locations as opposed to shady places so that the morning dew evaporates more quickly.

• Use sprinkler hoses when watering so that only the roots get watered and not the leaves.
• Water early in the day, so there’s plenty of time for water to evaporate.
• Prune the bushes regularly so that air can flow freely among the leaves and be sure to allow plenty of space between bushes for the same reason.
• When roses exhibit symptoms of black spot, first cut away affected parts and throw clippings in the trash, not the compost pile (remember the fungus on leaves won’t die). Then spray all the leaves with sulphur.

If given a bit of tender loving care, your roses will produce beautiful flowers year after year!