Rose Cuttings – October, 2007

Do you have a climbing rose that will pull children off their bicycle as they ride by? Do your roses look wild and unkempt? If the answer is yes, then you are in the majority. This is the time of year that we must take control of our roses and make these monsters become the adorable plants that we originally intended them to be.

Be ruthless! Thin out the old and less vigorous canes in favor of younger ones. Train all remaining younger canes on the structure that the rose is to adorn. Any canes that cannot be trained should be removed.

It is also a good time to move that rose that has gotten too big for its spot or simply is not in the right place anymore. Cut the rose back to 18 inches from the ground (even canes that are as big as broomsticks), and dig as many roots as you can. Move the rootball and plant to a new location. Water well and stand back. It will sprout out in late February with a vengeance.

For more hands-on information about pruning and training, attend one of our free pruning and training demonstrations at the Antique Rose Emporium, either in San Antonio or Brenham/Independence. Feb. 11, 2 p.m. in San Antonio, 7561 E. Evans Rd. (210) 651-4565, or Feb. 12, 2 p.m. Brenham/Independence, 10,000 FM 50 (979) 836-5548.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, treat your sweetheart or best friend to a seminar with gourmet boxed lunch, Feb. 14, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at either Antique Rose Emporium. This “Wine and Roses” seminar will include Mike Shoup, owner of ARE, Bob Cottle, vintner of Pleasant Hill Winery at the Brenham/Independence location, Robbi Will, manager of the San Antonio ARE and Danny Hernandez, winemaker, Sister Creek Vineyards. Visit www.weAREroses.com for more information.

About the author: Mike Shoup is the owner of the Antique Rose Emporium. Visit the ARE Brenham and San Antonio display gardens for endless ideas on landscaping with roses, and to order roses online, visit www.weAREroses.com