Roses are known to be quite hardy and long-lived as they will flower for months, but can be quite vulnerable in October unless gardeners do a simple task that should take less than 10 minutes. These beautiful plants are heavy feeders, and when they do not have enough nutrients in their soil, they are more likely to become stressed and struggle to fight off fungal diseases.

Autumn is when you need to stop fertilising roses, otherwise any new growth will not be strong enough to survive the freezing cold weather that is quickly approaching. Fungal spores are also more likely to grow in gardens at this time of year as they thrive in damp conditions, which makes roses prone to catching diseases like black spot, mildew or rust. However, Sue Smith-Heavenrich, an expert from the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association has shared protecting roses in autumn is very easy, as you simply need to mulch around them.

She said: "Mulch is important too. It covers bare soil, minimising erosion and cutting down on moisture loss. In addition, mulch absorbs the impact of falling raindrops and prevents fungi and bacteria from splashing onto plants."

Mulching is the simple gardening practice of placing material on top of the soil around a plant to protect it.

Rain can splash fungal spores from the soil onto plant leaves, leading to infection but mulch acts as a barrier, to prevent this splash-back and reducing the risk of disease.

Mulch is a simple way to protect roses through winter by blocking fungal spores, and organic material can also boost soil life with beneficial microbes that help keep the plant strong and stress-free.

The best time to mulch roses is in late autumn, around late October to early November, when the plant begins to enter dormancy.

To begin, clean up around the plant by getting rid of any weeds, fallen leaves or other decaying foliage.

Then, simply use your hands to spread mulch evenly around your roses, but leave a small gap around the main stem, otherwise too much water can build up in that area and cause it to rot.

Some of the best natural mulches for roses are straw, wood chips, manure or even fallen leaves if you dry them out and let them break down first.

Mulching is a quick task but it is the most effective way to protect roses from disease during the colder months so will healthy and flourish once it begins growing again next year.