Few plants will give you the satisfaction that roses will, both in the garden and the house. But like anything worthwhile, roses demand little care and attention, even during summer.
Growing roses you can be proud of will be your reward if you follow simple rules.
Watering
Water throughout the growing season whenever the ground begins to dry out. Water the earth and not the rose plants. Avoid wetting the foliage, as this invites fungus diseases.
Use a soil soaker or place the hose, nozzle removed, on the ground and water each area thoroughly.
Mulching
Mulch to keep down weeds, cool the soil, and conserve moisture. Spread a 1” to 3” inch mulch over the soil an inch away from the rose trunk or stem.
Use various materials, including:
- Grass clippings
- Moist peat moss
- Sugar cane bagasse
- Pecan or peanut hulls
- Rice or buckwheat hulls
- Sawdust
- Pine straw
- Stone chips
Pruning
Prune slow growth as it occurs and snips off crossed branches or twigs heading in the wrong direction. Leave major pruning jobs for spring.
Dusting
Spray or dust as a preventive measure at least twice a month during summer.
If any specific insect or disease appears, consult our posts for more pest control measures.
Feeding
Feed in late summer to prepare plants for fall bursts of growth and bloom.
Cut flowers to use indoors, just above a leaf with five or seven leaflets. This will encourage a new branch to grow out from the bush at that leaf node.
Take only a few of the first buds and blooms of newly-planted rose bushes.
As the bushes grow bigger and stronger, more roses can be cut. In the second year, there will be plenty of roses for arrangements.
Remove faded flowers similarly—by cutting the stem back to a five- or seven-leaflet leaf. Do not cut off just the faded flower head at the tip.
Planting
Plant container-grown roses to fill in bare spots or to use as accents in your garden. Set the plants out carefully in set sail (see March issue) and water thoroughly. Peak bloom from newly-set plants will come in fall.
Try some of these container-grown plants in large tubs or boxes on your terrace, where you can appreciate the full beauty of each flower as it opens.
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