19 September 2023 , 15:03
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If you've got a green thumb you'll know that preparing your garden now will mean a more bountiful lawn next year. And there is one simple trick you should follow if you want to double the amount of roses that will bloom in spring 2024.
If you've got a rose bush, you are most likely no stranger to deadheading - or removing the buds - from the plant to help encourage better and healthier growth for next year. If you're unfamiliar with this, the reason the flowers should be removed now is because it's before they go dormant for the winter. After deadheading your roses, you might want to think about another trick that some claim "doubles" the amount of roses - and it's incredibly easy to do.
Plant experts have said that simply bending the stems before hibernation could encourage better growth. This is known as "training" the plants and is ideal for climbing roses. According to the Berkely Horticultural Nursery, "training old [climbing] roses is often more important than pruning them." The theory goes that making tight bends in the stalks of your climbing roses will produce new branches, which will give blossoms more room to develop.
"The bending stimulates the formation of lateral branches or flowering spurs all along the canes, and greatly increases the number of blooms per season. If bushes are left to grow vertically, blossoms will be located only on the tips of the canes," the Berkely Horticultural Nursery writes. For the gardening novices out there, canes are the flexible jointed stem.
The practice also means your roses won't grow in bunches at the top of your fence – instead, they'll distribute the flowers evenly along your trellis or fence. The reason that September is the perfect time to do this is because it's when gardeners are advised to stop deadheading roses. It is also easier to manoeuvre the stems when they're bare.
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Before you bend the stems, however, you want to ensure the plant is at least three years old, as any younger than this and you could endanger it. Gardeners are also encouraged to choose the strongest canes of their climbing roses before bending them. Then, you can fasten the flowers onto the structure using twine. If you want to do a slightly different technique that wields the same results, you can plunge the tip of the cane back down into the soil and then secure it there with a fastening peg. According to gardening expert Shirley Bovshow while on the Home and Family Show on the Hallmark Channel, your rose shrub is almost producing the illusion of a fountain, which helps to "double" the roses.
Previously gardening expert John Dempsey also shared a nifty trick that will help your roses grow faster - and it only costs 36p. He said that when you plant your rose bushes, you should apply two to three banana peels to the soil. This will provide a "huge advantage" for newly planted roses thanks to the potassium levels. The potassium will enrich it and encourage the blooms to flourish and can also boost the immune system of roses. You can pick up loose bananas from Tesco for just 18p each, so once enjoyed, the peel can be your garden saviour.