start growing in the spring.
2. Add a good dressing of organics in established beds. Some rosarians advocate adding gypsum to the soil.
Gypsum will break down heavy clay soil and will help aerate the soil. It will not change the pH of the soil.
3. Now is a good time to check the ph of your rose beds and add lime if needed. Ground dolomite limestone is
best; it acts slowly, lasts a long time, does not over alkalize the soil and adds magnesium.
4. If some of your rose bushes have grown overly tall and in danger of being blown over, they can be topped
somewhat and should be staked.
5. Divide miniature roses that have grown too thick and are no longer flourishing.
6. Roses in beds will not need as much water as in the spring. Keep potted roses in protected area, which will
protect from the north wind and keep warm by the sun.
7. Remember to take care of your gardening tools by rubbing linseed oil or paste wax into the handles.
8. Store pesticides safely and protect from freezing. Put them away from sunlight and out of reach of children
and pets.
9. Evaluate your rose bushes; you may want to replace poor performers. When considering new varieties,
carefully scan the show results (RoseShow.com).
When you see certain varieties winning over and over, you will get an idea on what roses will do well. Look through
the various rose catalogs or browse on-line and begin placing your orders for spring delivery. Some of the new
varieties may already be in short supply.
10. You may want to check with fellow rosarians for suggestions and the varieties that performed well for them.
11. This is also a great time to research for alternative solutions for the care of your roses. There is a lot of
reading material and the Internet to find “green” solutions to many of our problems.
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