We are in the midst of February, the cleansing month, and the roses should have been pruned by now. It is not too late to do so, but that little chore should be done now. I Pruned about fifty roses at the Shiley Pavilion in La Jolla and they are already leafing out because they are so close to the profoundly beautiful Pacific Ocean within view. Now is also the time to feed them with a very light application of nitrogen, either chemical ammonium sulphate or steer manure. Water it in well. Then a little later in the season (about a month or so), give them an application of Baer Three in One Rose Care; this fertilizes, protects from fungi, and kills insects. This is a systemic product and does a good job of helping the roses along for the blooming season. You only have to apply it about twice per season,
And, of course, as the roses bloom don,t forget to dead head the old and ragged blossoms; this saves plant energy that needs to go to the rose bush itself. Cut the blossoms off about 7 or 8 leaves down the stem, or where you think is best for the plant to put out new growth, or to where the bush looks balanced. In providing this care you are the best gardener to assess where the balance--new growth or aesthetic appeal should be. For me, gardening is always about good plant care and how beautifully pleasing the plants and garden look. These elements are what gardening is concerned with.
Going back to the beginning of all this, February is the cleansing or purification month. February is the second month of the Gregorian calender, and the word February derives from the Latin 'februa' which means expiatory offerings, cleansing, or by extension, a kind of fever that heats up and makes for cleansing by some sort of excitement. In my conception of the word, February is that month latent with plant energy that is on the brink of Spring. It is Nature's ready to go month.
