Roses Cut Back

I finally cut back the roses this week, leaving about 15 cms (6 inches) of stem. Not so much as last year (down to 5 cms); but afraid of another hard winter.

They have flowered very well this year, but seem to have given a very heavy first flush and no second; then a third, and were just budding up for a fourth. This is probably because I have given more feed than normal at the start of the season.

Blackspot does not seem to have been much of a problem this year, probably because they were cut back so much. Cleared away all old rose leaves. Will probably spray the stumps (blackspot over-winters on the stems) and soil surface (it over-winters here as well) in mid-winter to kill any over-wintering spores.