Mulching

[scotkat]

Roses.

What does everyone mulch their roses with and when do you do this?

 

[Becky]

I'd be interested in knowing the answer to this one too...! Didn't really do much to our roses last year apart from prune them back (moved into the house in May last year and it's our first garden) but we are getting a lot more stuck in this year now that we've got time.

 

[dconklin]

My aunt and uncle used to just use the purchased mulch, I believe it was called a red mulch (it was red) and it seemed to work well for them. They haven't added any this year and their rose bushes are growing big and healthy looking. They have had some of their bushes for years - only 3 of them were planted last year. The others have been there for at least 15 years. Not sure if the red mulch is the best, but it has worked great for them. They don't mulch every year but in the spring when they do.

 

[happyflowerlady]

I have not been mulching mine, but I remember my mother putting sawdust chips around her roses. She said it kept the ground from drying out, and stopped weeds from coming up around the roses.
Mine are just growing in the grass, and seem to be doing just fine without any mulch, but I am going to start putting some of the grass clippings around some of the plants.

 

[dconklin]

I have not been mulching mine, but I remember my mother putting sawdust chips around her roses. She said it kept the ground from drying out, and stopped weeds from coming up around the roses.
Mine are just growing in the grass, and seem to be doing just fine without any mulch, but I am going to start putting some of the grass clippings around some of the plants.

I think the weeds are the main reason why my aunt and uncle started to use the mulch a while back. Tho we help them with yard work now, it was a bit harder for them to get down to the ground to do the weeding in recent years. The roses seem to look great even when they don't put the mulch down. They don't put it down every year.

 

[ChanellG]

I think the best thing would be to put down a layer or two of newspaper followed by something that doesn't attract termites such as pine needles (pine straw). Peanut shells are also supposed to be really good mulch material, though in some climes gravel can be useful. I would say to choose something based on what kind of soil you have and how well-drained it is.