Roses in Winter

Roses should be resting this time of year. Stop deadheading and don’t feed them, allow them to form their hips and enjoy the time off from tending them.

It is however the season for removing those roses that are not performing and planning what new roses to add. Late December and into January, bare root roses are available. This is bargain time for rose-lovers! And, if you shop early, you get the best selection.

Shopping at our local nurseries for bare root you are more likely to find roses that do well in our climate. Talk to the nursery workers. Tell them about your site and they will help steer you to the right rose for your garden. La Sumida is the local favorite for roses but if you’re willing to travel, get down to Otto and Sons in Fillmore where they have 28 acres of gorgeous plants. It’s worth the drive.

When you’re not shopping, you can be prepping your rose garden beds. If you want to do it like the pros, go to Island Seed and Feed in Goleta and ask for the Dan Bifano Rose Cocktail. Tell them how many roses you’re planting and the size of the bed and they’ll give you the exact recipe.

According to Bifano, Santa Barbara’s very own Master of Roses, prep your rose garden beds as much as six months in advance of planting, so you may already be running behind. --LC

Resources: Island Seed and Feed-29 S Fairview Ave. Goleta 805-967-5262 La Sumida Nursery-165 S. Patterson Ave. Goleta 805-964-9944 Otto and Sons Nursery-1835 E. Guiberson Rd. Fillmore 805-524-2123