Rose Cuttings – October, 2007

Just six more weeks until our nighttime temperatures dip down into the 60s again with our first autumn cold front. Roses and perennials, just like you and I, look forward to the change.

This is a good time to stock up on fertilizers and mulches, and also to sharpen pruners and shears. The emergence of fall in Texas can mean more spectacular blooms than spring with many plants, and especially with roses. Roses will have grown enormously and will have sprouted hundreds of blooms. All they will need is shaping to fit the scale of the garden and a little extra food in the form of fertilizers or mulches.

While we are still in the “dog days of summer,” though, continue deep-watering all your roses and other garden plants.

And, start perusing your recipes for any you’ll want to consider entering in our annual Rose-Ted Pepper Fest Cooking Contest. The event is on September 17, 2005, at the Antique Rose Emporium, Independence location. If you want more information, check out our Web site at www.weAREroses.com.

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