October is one of the quiet months in the rose growing season. Still, there are some things to do for the October rose garden.

Test Your Soil

This is a good time to take a soil sample and send it to the local Extension Service. The report that you get back will provide you with the information that you need to amend your soil to keep your roses happy.

One of the best things you can do for your roses is to adjust the pH of the soil. pH can be confusing so I hope this will make it clearer. pH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14. Seven is in the middle and is called neutral. Soils that have a pH below seven are considered acidic and those above seven are alkaline. The scientists call this scale exponential, and that means that a pH of 5 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 6. Similarly, a pH of 9 is ten times more alkaline than a pH of 8. Roses like to grow in soil thats about a pH of 6.7.

Your soil test report will describe how much lime youll need to add to raise the pH or how much of a sulfur compound to add to lower the pH. Once you know this, you’ll scatter the recommended amount of lime or sulfur on the soil around each bush and lightly scratch it in. Over the winter it will modify the pH of the soil. It’s good to check pH at least once a year.

How to Take a Soil Sample

The best way to take a sample of soil is to first scrape away the top layer of mulch to expose the underlying soil. Now put a trowel into the ground up to its handle and push it away from you to create a V in the soil. Now shave a slice of soil from the near side of the V and place it on a few sheets of newspaper. Do this several times in the garden bed then allow the soil dry overnight. (Not in the oven!)

Mix all the slices together and put a cup of the soil in a plastic bag. Send the sample to your states soil testing service and be sure to tell them youre growing roses. They will make their recommendations accordingly.

Tidy Up the October Rose Garden

Keeping the garden clean by picking up fallen leaves and petals and pulling weeds goes a long way toward making a better garden for next season.

One way to make clean up easier is to pull spent petals off the blooms and leave the hips. If you must have a bloom or two for the coffee table, cut shorter than usual stems. Mother Nature’s cooler temperatures and less light are signaling the roses to start their dormancy. For those of us that are facing the frozen winter, its still too early to start actual winter protection. The usual time is around Thanksgiving so well talk more about that next month.