Whether potato rose, apple rose, dog rose or another type of wild rose - although these plants belong to the wild roses and the part of the name 'wild' indicates that the plants do well on their own, it is still recommended in the long term to look after them every now and then.
How do you properly care for wild roses?
Caring for wild roses includes annual fertilization with compost or nettle manure, occasional watering in dry conditions, pruning every two years and the removal of old or dead wood. They are usually resilient to disease and require little attention.
Do wild roses need fertilizer?
Wild roses cope well with poor soils. However, in order to promote abundant flowering, these plants in the garden should be fertilized regularly. But not too much of a good thing! Too much nitrogen stimulates shoot formation, but inhibits flowering!
It is enough if you provide your wild rose with rotted compost (€41.00 on Amazon) once a year - ideally in spring when it sprouts - or water it with nettle manure every few weeks over the course of the gardening season.
Can wild roses tolerate drought or should they be watered?
These plants are extremely adaptable. They tolerate both moist and dry soils. So if there is drought in summer, you don't necessarily have to water them. However, so that the flowers last for a long time and the rose hips become plump, it is not a mistake to water the planted wild rose in hot and dry conditions.
Here are a few tips on watering:
- calcareous tap water can be used for watering
- Make sure the soil has good drainage (waterlogging is not tolerated)
- never water on the leaves
- mulch as a precaution
How do you cut wild roses correctly?
Keep this in mind when cutting:
- strong pruning recommended every 2 years
- removing old and dead wood
- Time: February/March or in the summer after flowering
- Shortening the shoots not necessary
- blooms on wood from the previous year: excessive pruning in spring removes the flower buds
- for hedges: cut every year
Are wild roses susceptible to disease?
If the wild roses have been planted correctly, they are generally less susceptible to diseases. Mildew infestation can rarely occur. But normally the plants regenerate themselves. No intervention is therefore necessary. However, you should not use diseased plants for propagation!
Tip
You should be careful when handling wild roses directly. They have many thorns that can not only hurt you but also ruin your clothes.
