Three Things you need to do now: 

Yes, you can have roses that bloom and look great all summer long. All you need is a triple line of defense from the three biggest mistakes that home owners make when it comes to summer rose care. Keep these promises and I’ll promise you a rose garden that delivers joy all summer.

Promise number one: Fertilize your roses: 

By mid-summer rose plants have used up lots of energy producing that first glorious flush of blooms. Now they are hungry again. A slow release plant food like Osmocote will give them the nutrients they need to produce more new growth and a second wave of flower power. Late spring is when rose growers need the first application of fertilizer. However, many gardeners neglect to fertilize in mid-summer when roses are regrouping for a second growth spurt.

Roses are considered “heavy feeders”. This means they continue to grow all summer and draw more nutrients from the soil than the average perennial or annual flower. This means roses respond well to more than the recommended amount of fertilizer than the average plant requires. If you want roses that flower all summer long you must provide them with food all summer long.

You can tell if your roses are hungry by looking at the new growth. If the new leaves are small and pale green and if you see a lack of flower buds on the summer growth than get out there and give a good meal to your hungry roses. Sprinkle the Osmocote granules around the base of each rose plant. Work the product lightly into the top inch of soil and water well. Now stand back. The warm soil in mid-summer means that even a slow release plant food like Osmocote will be released more quickly than a spring feed. You’ll notice greener leaves and new flower buds in a few weeks.

Tip:

The large containers of Osmocote come with a “shaker top” that allows the product to be shaken out over the surface of the soil. You can shake the product into the cap to use as a measuring guide. One cap full of Osmocote Outdoor and Indoor equals three tablespoons of fertilizer, the right amount for a 2 gallon pot or 4 square feet of soil around roses growing in the ground.

Promise number two: Protect from pests: 

Summer pests on roses include aphid, black spot, mildew, mites, green worms and pear slugs.

Black Spot

Strikes the oldest or lowest leaves, first turning them yellow then infecting them with dark spots. Good air circulation and keeping the foliage as dry as possible helps to prevent black spot but if you remove the infected leaves immediately during the summer months you can stop this fungus among us from spreading. Some rose varieties are just more susceptible to black spot than others. A fungicide spray may be needed to control a severe outbreak, such as when the rose plant has lost more than half of its foliage to black spot.

Mildew

Looks like a white powder on the foliage and buds and is another form of fungal infection that can also be controlled with a fungicide spray or prevented with better air circulation (give your roses breathing room) and watering the roots and not the foliage of the rose plant.

Aphid

On roses look like tiny green bugs usually grouped in colonies on the bud tip or new growth. Aphids are easy to control if you catch the outbreak early. Simply pinch the tips of the new growth where you see the aphid colonies and leave the smashed aphids on the plant. This will attract aphid predators such as lady bugs and will also discourage new aphid from moving in to set up a colony. Insects do communicate and injured aphid alert ladybugs to a buffet and also warn away their relatives. Aphid can also be controlled with an insecticidal soap.

Mites

Cause rose foliage to turn pale and look dry and they may form webs on the plant. Mites are so tiny they may be difficult to see without a magnifying glass and they are attracted to roses that are stressed out by lack of water. Roses in containers are especially susceptible to mites so during the summer months increase the amount of water you give potted roses. Insecticide sprays that control mites are effective if used as instructed but you can also remove the foliage that is most infested, fertilize and water well to help your rose plants outgrow the mite infestation.

Other

Pear slugs, rose chafers, tiny green worms are other pests that feed on roses. Be vigilant about checking your rose plants and you’ll stay ahead of these pests by hand picking them or removing the parts of the rose plant that are most infected.

An all-purpose insecticide made for rose plants can be used for severe outbreaks. Look for one that is already mixed up and ready to spray so you’ll be ready to fight back should your roses show real damage. Keeping your roses healthy is the best defense against pests.

Promise number three: Water the roots: 

Summer weather can be dry and hot or hot and humid. Both cause problems for roses if they don’t get enough water. Placing a soaker hose around the base of your rose plants so that water is delivered to the root system. This also keeps the foliage dry and is the best way to hydrate roses in the summer. Overhead watering can leave the foliage wet and this becomes a breeding ground for disease. Adding mulch on top of the soil will help to seal in the moisture and can also help to hide the soaker hoses. Good mulch for roses is aged manure, bark chips or compost.

The amount of water your roses need in the summer is dependent on the type of soil they grow in, the amount of sun they receive and of course the weather. The best way to check if your roses are thirsty is to dig into the soil around the roots. See if it looks dark and feels damp a few inches below the surface. If the soil is dry, let a slow running hose soak the area. Saturating the soil down to a depth of one foot will train the rose roots to seek moisture down deep in the soil. This way you can avoid them sticking close to the surface in search of rainfall.

One more Summer Rose Tip: Prune when you pick.

Harvesting cut roses is one of the rewards of growing roses. Cutting roses can also increase the blooms on your plants. Removing the spent roses from any rose bush will put more energy into new growth and tidy up the plant. But taking the time to remove the stem as well as the faded blooms is a form of summer pruning that pays big dividends for your pruning investment. Follow the stem of a blooming rose down to a joint where you see a group of five leaflets emerging from the stem. The first few clusters of leaves on a blooming stem will have just two or three leaflets. Go down farther on the stem until you see five leaves and snip just above this joint. You’ll be shaping your rose into a tidier, more compact plant. In addition, you’re encouraging more new flower growth as well.

Food, water and protection from pests are what your roses need this summer. Fulfill these needs and the promise of a healthy rose is the beautiful reward