Regional Growing Guide: Pacific Northwest

Early Fall in the Rose Garden

It's time to do nothing in the rose garden. Well, practically nothing, anyway. We have seen the breathtaking first big, beautiful blooms of summer. And now we marvel at the smaller, but perfect last roses of summer. Enjoy. Roll up the hose. Put away the pruners.

Fall Rose Care Means Few Cares
Roses, like everything else in the garden, have noticed our shortened days and cooler, longer nights. That's their first clue that winter is coming and it's time to shut down for the season.

You should make your very last cuts about the first of October. No pruning beyond then at all, not even deadheading. Remember that every cut you make encourages new growth. That's the last thing you want right now, because any new, tender growth will be nipped by the first cold snap.

Cut your last, perfect roses for the dining room table or for drying , then put the pruners in a safe place, where you won't be tempted to use them for a while.

Fall Brings Change
Left alone, roses will bring a different kind of beauty in fall: brilliantly colored hips. Those are their seedpods. Let the leaves drop off and the seed pods decorate the rose garden. If you haven't used a systemic insecticide, try making tea or jelly with rose hips later. They're very high in vitamin C.

Black spot Still Lurks
One drawback of fall is the ever-present black spot fungus. If you've been following a preventive spray program, continue it into fall to discourage fungal spores from overwintering in your garden.

Now sit, and smile. Sip your tea as you admire the last, most perfect roses of the summer.