The art of pruning is a vital task that ensures your roses stay healthy, bloom brilliantly, and remain the stars of your garden. Ready to start your rose care adventure?
The basics of pruning
When it comes to pruning roses, our mantra is simple: clean, spray, seal, and repeat.
- Clean up: First, remove any remaining foliage from the stems and clean up fallen leaves around the bush. Be sure to discard these to maintain a tidy environment for your roses.
- Spray with Efekto Kumulus WG: After cleaning, spray your roses and the soil beneath with Efekto Kumulus WG. This magic potion helps remove any rose scale from the stems and destroy those pesky fungal spores lurking in the soil.
- Seal with Efekto Steriseal: Once done with the spraying, it’s time to seal those pruning wounds using Efekto Steriseal. It’s like a band-aid for your roses!
About two weeks post-pruning, give your roses and the surrounding soil another round of TLC with Efekto Virikop. Follow up a few days later with a spritz of Efekto Oleum. Your roses will thank you!
Pruning by province: tailoring your approach
Pruning encourages gorgeous blooms and keeps your rose bushes feeling young and vibrant. However, the trick is to prune at the right time, and in South Africa, that can vary depending on where you live. Pruning is done during a plant’s dormancy, when plants are inactive, prior to ‘budding’ and ‘shooting’. Here’s a handy guide to when you should prune in each of South Africa’s nine provinces:
Eastern Cape: With its temperate climate, the best time to get pruning in the Eastern Cape is in mid-July.
Free State: If you’re in the eastern part of the Free State, hold off a little longer due to late frosts. It’s best to prune toward the end of August.
Gauteng: Brrr, it can get chilly here! Start your pruning in mid-July, but if you’re in a super cold region, you might want to delay until mid or late August.
KwaZulu-Natal: Ah, the warm subtropical climate of KwaZulu-Natal. Here, you’ve got a window from June to August to get your pruning done.
Limpopo: Just like in KwaZulu-Natal, the warm subtropical climate of Limpopo means you can prune from June to August.
Mpumalanga: Another subtropical spot, Mpumalanga gives you June to August to prune your roses.
North West: Over in North West with its temperate climate, mid-July is your go-to time for pruning.
Northern Cape: Northern Cape has a winter rainfall climate, so you’ll want to start pruning from the end of July and continue into August once the rainy season wraps up.
Western Cape: Just like in Northern Cape, you’ll want to prune from the end of July into August after the rainy season ends.
In Warm Climates (KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West)
In these sun-soaked provinces, before you spread the mulch, sprinkle some Wonder Fruit and Flower or Wonder Organics Super Bloom over the soil. This will provide your roses with the nutrients they need to flourish.
In Frosty Climates (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Western Cape)
Frosty mornings and chilly nights? No problem! In these provinces, it’s best to wait until the last frosts are over before feeding your roses. After the frost, give them a dose of Wonder Fruit and Flower or Wonder Organics Super Bloom for a burst of growth.
Now, here’s a tip for those of you growing banksia and spring flowering heritage roses: these beauties bloom in spring and early summer, so don’t prune them during the typical pruning season. Instead, give them a little trim in November, after they’ve shown off their blooms.
You might also be interested in: Maintaining your garden: pruning
Aftercare Q & A
We’ve talked a lot about the “when” and “how” of pruning, but what about the “what next”? Pruning is only part of the care routine for your roses. Aftercare is equally important to ensure your roses are happy, healthy, and ready to bloom.
Q: Should I water my roses after pruning?
A: Absolutely! Watering your roses after pruning helps to settle the soil and provides much-needed hydration for your plants. Remember, pruning can be a bit of a shock for your roses, and a good watering session is just the thing to help them recover.
Q: What’s the first thing I should do after I finish pruning?
A: As soon as your roses have been neatly pruned, it’s time to turn your attention to the soil. Our top tip is to aerate it. Grab a garden fork and make small, deep holes around the base of your rose bush. This simple action encourages air to flow down to the roots, refreshing them after the pruning process. Think of it as giving your roses a much-needed breath of fresh air.
Q: How deep should these holes be?
A: You want to aim for holes that reach roughly 30cm deep. This is deep enough to allow air to flow to the roots, but not so deep that you risk damaging the root system.
You might also be interested in: How to grow roses: A quick month-by-month guide to growing roses
The wrap-up
Pruning is an essential part of keeping your roses healthy, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. Remember, gardening isn’t just a hobby; it’s a way to connect with nature and bring a little bit of wonder into your everyday life.
So, grab your (clean) pruning shears, arm yourself with your Wonder and Efekto products, and get ready to prune your way to healthier, happier roses.
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