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