Roses will 'get safely through winter' if you remove 1 thing to prevent rot now

As the weather turns colder, gardeners are being urged to carry out one key job now to help their roses survive the winter. Experts say autumn is the most important time of year for rose care, and skipping a simple task now could leave your plants weak, rotten, or even dead by spring. Roses need tidying, pruning and a little protection from the cold to make sure they come back healthy and full of blooms next year.

One of the biggest threats to your plants over the winter is rot, which can set in when old flowers and infected leaves are left sitting on the plant. Soggy petals, diseased stems and fallen foliage can all carry harmful bacteria and fungi that weaken the plant and spread disease into the following season.

But one of the most important jobs to do now, according to Gardeners' World, is removing any old blooms, especially if they're soft or shrivelled, to stop rot in its tracks.

If your rose produces decorative hips, you can just snip the petals and leave the rest in place.

The experts also say you should remove all dead leaves showing signs of mildew, rust or black spot.

These should be binned, not composted, as the spores can survive and re-infect your garden next year.

Winter wind can also do a lot of damage, especially to taller roses. To protect them, it's best to shorten long stems and thin out the tops of standard roses, which can act like sails and snap in a storm.

Roses with damaged or crossing stems should be pruned now to create a tidy, open shape with good airflow.

This helps prevent fungus and gives your plant a better chance of thriving.

If you've been meaning to move a rose to a better spot, autumn is a good time to do it.

Plants can be lifted and replanted while the soil is still warm, giving them time to establish roots before the first frost.

You can also plant new roses now. Bare-root varieties are usually available from November and tend to be cheaper than potted ones.

By clearing up rot and pruning carefully, your roses will have a much better chance of surviving the cold months ahead.

And come next year, they'll reward your efforts with strong growth and beautiful flowers.

As Gardeners' World puts it: "If you look after your roses in autumn, they will get safely through the winter, coming back healthy, vigorous and full of flowers the following year."