Plant Manual for Carefree Sunshine™ Rose

If your plant has been grown in a greenhouse, here are a few steps we recommend you follow:

• After purchasing your plant, place it outside in a sheltered, shady spot or on your back porch.
• Leave it there for 3-4 hours and gradually increase the time spent outside by 1-2 hours per day.
• Bring the plants back indoors each night.
• Water it regularly to keep the plant moist.
• Occasionally spray the leaves with water.
• After 2-3 days, move the plants from their shady spot into morning sun, returning them to the shade in the afternoon.
• After 7 days, the plants should be able to handle the outdoor temperatures, if they stay around 50 degrees F.
• After 7-10 days, your plant is ready to be planted in its permanent location. Try to do this on a cloudy day and be sure to water the plant well.
• Observe foliage daily. If any type of leaf discoloration occurs, put the plant back into filtered light and attempt this step at a later date.
• Special care must be taken to avoid burning the leaves.

These are general guide recommendations. Some plants take longer than others to acclimate.

Sun and Good Soil

Your plant would love a sunny place with well-drained, fertile soil. But it will be quite satisfied with six to eight hours of sunlight. Good drainage is required to keep your plant “happy.” If your soil has high clay content, use our Coco-Fiber Potting Medium or add one-third peat to the soil at planting time. We do not recommend planting in heavy, pure clay soils.

Space for Future Plantings

Once you’ve found out about growing firsthand, you’ll want to expand your home orchard. It’s important to plan so that the future growth areas will be ready when you are.

Spacing and Planting Site

Spacing of rose plants will vary by type:

• Knock out varieties: 2 to 5 feet
• Shrub: 2 to 3 feet
• Climbers: 3 to 4 feet
• Mini Flora: 2 to 3 feet

• Potted roses can be planted as soon as the danger of frost is past in spring through early fall. Consider the planting site carefully. Roses like 8 to 10 hours of sun each day, but they will tolerate some late afternoon shade.
• There should be good air movement and drainage to prevent root damage.
• Plant away from large trees or shrubs, and avoid planting under eaves and overhangs.

Planting Tips

• Bare root roses should soak in a bucket of water 1-2 hours before planting.
• Prepare the soil by digging holes a little larger than the pots.
• Form a small mound of soil in the center of the planting hole to accommodate the root system.
• Gently remove the plant from the pot and adjust the planting depth so the soil line is the same as it was in the pot.
• Amend the soil you’re returning to the hole with peat moss or other organic material.
• Fill around the plant carefully, tamping down the soil to remove air bubbles.
• Water well and fertilize with Mills Magic Rose® Mix.

When To Prepare Your Soil

Soil preparation can be done at any time that the ground is not too wet or frozen. Your trees may be planted even when temperatures are quite cool. If a hard frost is expected, it is advisable to delay planting for a while until temperatures become more moderate. Generally, as long as your soil is workable, it is fine to plant.

How To Prepare Your Soil

• Roots grow faster when they’re spread out. Dig the hole deep and wide enough so the root system has plenty of room to easily expand. Keep the topsoil in a separate pile so you can put it in the bottom of the hole, where it’ll do the most good.

• To loosen the soil, mix dehydrated cow manure, garden compost or peat moss (up to 1/3 concentration) into your pile of topsoil. Make sure the peat moss you get is either baled sphagnum or granular peat. You can also add our Coco-Fiber Potting Medium or 2 or more inches of organic material and work in evenly with the existing soil.

Your lawn can provide you with ideal organic materials such as grass clippings and shredded leaves. Not only will the grass and leaves break down to provide soil nutrients, but they will help loosen the soil as well. You can gather these in the fall with spring planting in mind.

Common soil amendments:

• compost
• sand
• manure
• lime
• peat moss
• sawdust

Adding organic materials, such as our Coco-Fiber Potting Medium and compost will improve most every soil type. Organic materials bind sandy soil particles so they retain moisture and nutrients better. They also break apart clay and silt particles, so that water can infiltrate and roots can spread.

Soil Types

• Clay and silt soils are made of very small particles. They feel slick and sticky when wet. Clay and silt hold moisture well, but resist water infiltration, especially when they are dry. Often puddles form on clay or silt soils, and they easily become compacted.

• Loam soil is a mix of sand, silt or clay, and organic matter. Loam soils are loose and look rich. When squeezed in your fist, moist loam will form a ball, which crumbles when poked with a finger. Loam soils normally absorb water and store moisture well. Loam soils can be sandy or clay based, and will vary in moisture absorption and retention accordingly.

• Sandy soils contain large particles that are visible to the unaided eye, and are usually light in color. Sand feels coarse when wet or dry, and will not form a ball when squeezed in your fist. Sandy soils stay loose and allow moisture to penetrate easily, but do not retain it for long-term use.

Aphids

They are the size of a pinhead vary in color depending on the species. Cluster on stems and under leaves, sucking plant juices. Leaves then curl, thicken, yellow and die. Produce large amounts of a liquid waste called “honeydew”. Aphid sticky residue becomes growth media for sooty mold.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray
• Bonide® All Seasons® Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil
• Using your garden hose aphids can be knocked off with a strong stream of water.

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Fruit Tree Spray
• Bonide® Borer-Miner Spray
• GardenTech® Sevin® Concentrate Bug Killer
• Bayer Advanced™ Complete Insect Killer
• Bonide® Systemic Rose & Flower Care

Rose Scales

Scales usually appear in clusters and are 1/8-inch long, color varies from white, gray or brown with crusty shells. Round or oval masses appear on stems and canes. Foliage wilts, turns yellow and drops from the plant. Growth is stunted and flowers are not produced.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray
• Bonide® All Seasons® Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil
• Prune and destroy heavily infested canes.

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Borer-Miner Spray
• Bonide® Fruit Tree Spray
• Hi-Yield® Lime Sulfur Spray
• GardenTech® Sevin® Concentrate Bug Killer
• Bayer Advanced™ Complete Insect Killer
• Bonide® Systemic Rose & Flower Care

Black Spot

Disease causing defoliation and black spots on leaves and thrives in moist conditions. Twigs may also be infected. Black spots are circular with fringed margins, if severe, spots can combine to cause a large black mass, can weaken and kill plants.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Copper Fungicide Spray or Dust
• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray
• Serenade® Garden Disease Control
• Prune and destroy infested canes.

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Fruit Tree Spray
• Bonide® Fung-onil™ Fungicide
• Bonide® Captan Fruit & Ornamental
• Hi-Yield® Lime Sulfur Spray

Powdery Mildew

Whitish-gray powdery mold or felt like patches on buds, young leaves and twigs. Leaves may crinkle and curl upward. New shoots are stunted.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Copper Fungicide Spray or Dust
• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray
• Serenade® Garden Disease Control

Chemical Control

• Hi-Yield® Lime Sulfur Spray

Crown Gall

Plants appear stunted and slow growing; leaves may be reduced in size and few buds are produced. Round growths appear at the base of the plant around 2 inches in diameter. They first appear light green and turn brown and woody as they age.

Natural Control

• Bonide® All Seasons® Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil

Chemical Control

• Ferti-lome® Fire Blight Spray

Rust

Infection begins in spring and produces orange stage of disease and is occasionally found on new spears. Appears as small raised spot, yellow or pale orange, in concentric ring pattern. Spores are airborne to new growth where brick red pustules are formed on all parts. May turn yellow or brown, defoliate and die back. In fall the spores turn black and will over winter. Rust causes reduced plant vigor and reduced yields.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray
• Serenade® Garden Disease Control
• Prune and destroy all infected leaves, including on the ground.
• Using your garden hose aphids can be knocked off with a strong stream of water.

Chemical Control

• Hi-Yield® Lime Sulfur Spray

Spider Mites

Pinpoint size, many different colors. Found on undersides of leaves. Severe infestations have some silken webbing. Sap feeding causes bronzing of leaves.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Borer-Miner Spray
• Hi-Yield® Lime Sulfur Spray

Spot Anthracnose

Small red, brown or purple spots develop on leaves. Center of spots dry out and fall out of the leaves and leaf eventually turns yellow and falls from plant.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Copper Fungicide Spray or Dust
• Serenade® Garden Disease Control

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Fung-onil™ Fungicide

Botrytis Blight

Also called gray mold spreads in moist air and cool conditions. Rosebuds fail to open and are covered with a grayish brown fuzzy mold. Open flowers are speckled with yellow or brown dots and lower petals are wilted and brown. The stems below infected flowers become discolored.

Natural Control

• Serenade® Garden Disease Control

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Fung-onil™ Fungicide
• Bonide® Captan Fruit & Ornamental

Leafhoppers

Various colors and similar to aphids this small, active, slender-winged insects are usually found on the underside of leaves. Retard growth, leaves become whitened, stippled or mottled. Tips may wither and die. This insect carries virus of certain very harmful plant diseases.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Systemic Rose & Flower Care

Thrips

Tiny, slender, fringed wing insects ranging from 1/25 to 1/8” long. Nymphs are pale yellow and highly active and adults are usually black or yellow-brown, but may have red, black or white markings. Feed on large variety of plants by puncturing them and sucking up the contents. Leaves and petals will have brown streaks and buds and flowers will be deformed.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Borer-Miner Killer
• Bonide® Systemic Rose & Flower Care

Downy Mildew

Purple to red or brown irregular spots appear on young leaves with whitish to gray downy spots on the underside of leaves. Usually occurring in cool, moist spring conditions. Over-winters on fallen leaves, so fall clean up is vital.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Copper Fungicide Spray or Dust
• Serenade® Garden Disease Control

Leaf spot

These fungi cause circular, or angular spots, variable in size having beige centers surrounded by a red zone. When affected tissue dies, it may drop out, leaving large ragged holes in the foliage. Fungi overwinter in infected plant debris and in infected propagation stock.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Copper Fungicide Spray or Dust
• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray
• Serenade® Garden Disease Control

Chemical Control

• Bonide® Fung-onil™ Fungicide

Leafcutter Bees

Small bees that vary in color cut holes near the edges of leaves. Usually make their nest in dead twigs that accumulate, using the leaf tissue to line the nest and cap their egg cells. Remove dead twigs and other debris and cut out dead stems.

Control

• Consult County Extension Agent

Canker

Appears as sunken area on canes, yellow, red or brown in color. May have purple margin around area. Leaves are sometimes spotted yellow or wilting and stems may die back. Can occur throughout the year but usually during humid, wet weather.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Copper Fungicide Spray or Dust

Rose Slugs

Appear as pale green worms with large brown head, around ¾ inch long. They feed on the surface of the leaves leaving small holes between the veins with remaining tissue turning brown. Eventually entire leaf may be chewed except for the main vein.

Natural Control

• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray

Pruning Tips

• Remove any broken, dead, weak, crossing or diseased branches.
• Remove dead wood to the nearest bud. The center of the stem should be white and healthy. If not, remove the entire branch or cane to the base of the plant.
• Remove one third of the oldest, woodiest stems by cutting them back the crown. This allows for new growth.
• Do not remove more than one third of the canopy height.
• Shape the plant as desired.

Before you begin, read and follow all instructions on labels.

When To Spray

At the First Sign of:

• Bonide® Copper Fungicide Spray or Dust for anthracnose, black spot, downy and powdery mildews, leaf spot and stem canker.

• Bonide® Fruit Tree Spray for aphids, scales, black spot and more.

• Bonide® Citrus, Fruit & Nut Orchard Spray for aphids, scales, black spot, powdery mildew, rust, spider mites, leafhoppers, thrips, leaf spot and rose slugs.

• Bonide® Borer-Miner Killer for aphids, scale insects, spider mites, thrips and more.

• Ferti-lome® Fire Blight Spray for crown gall.

• Bonide® Captan Fruit & Ornamental for black spot and botrytis blight.

• Serenade® Garden Disease Control for black spot, powdery mildew, rust, anthracnose, botrytis blight, downy mildew and leaf spot.

• GardenTech® Sevin® Concentrate Bug Killer for aphids and scale insects.

• Bayer Advanced™ Complete Insect Killer for aphids and scale insects.

• Bonide® Systemic Rose & Flower Care for aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, scales and more.

Spring Bud Break (New Growth)

• Bonide® Fung-onil™ Fungicide for black spot, anthracnose, botrytis blight and leaf spot.

Green Tip (through the delayed dormant stages)

• Bonide® All Seasons® Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil for scale insects, certain aphids and gall.

Early Spring (as growth starts)

• Hi-Yield® Lime Sulfur Spray for San Jose scale and powdery mildew.

Summer Foliage Spraying

• Hi-Yield® Lime Sulfur Spray for black spot, powdery mildew, rust and red spider mites.

Combination Winter Spray (Dormant & Deciduous only)

• Hi-Yield® Lime Sulfur Spray and Bonide® All Seasons® Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil for San Jose scale, rose scale, oyster shell scale, black scale, overwintering insect eggs, many overwintering fungus spores of plant disease

Winterizing Tips

• To protect the bud union, you can use mulch or garden soil and pile it up around the bush at least one foot, after the first hard frost. (In planting Zone 4: your first frost can be anytime during September. Zone 5: first frost can be as early as late September.) You can put a tomato cage over the rose bush and stuff it full of leaves, then wrap it with burlap.
• You may need to wait until the ground begins to freeze over, but long canes or climbers on bushes can be tied back to prevent “wind rock.” Pull the canes back as close together as possible, without pulling them hard enough to damage them, then tie them loosely together. Use a strip of soft fabric (a narrow strip of fleece or tear a strip from a worn-out sheet), or your local nursery probably offers rolls of self-gripping tape. Then you will have a more compact bush to protect, and your rose bush will be easily kept from the harm of winter injury.
• Do not prune your rose bushes or give fertilizers in the fall– you do not want to encourage new growth, which would then suffer from winter weather exposure.
• After their leaves fall off, container plants can be moved inside to an unheated shed, basement or garage… and a little water should be given monthly to prevent drying out