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Rose Care
May thru July
May through July continually produce the highest temperatures and the most problems for our roses. Discontinue fertilizing after April and put your roses on a lean diet. Just give them water and shade. The following is a list of items that should be done during this period.
- Check the soil for water every three days. If watering by hand with a hose, use your finger to test the soil. If it is dry down one digit, water your roses. If you are using a drip irrigation system, use the finger check and adjust the time of your watering. It is better to water the roses longer than more frequently.
- Weekly check for insects. Many time you will see small spiders or small bugs on the roses. If they are found, blast them with the hose.
- Leaf cutter bees wreck havoc with our roses. There is little you can do to stop them and they are about the only pollinators we have left so just hope and pray your favorite rose isn't one of their favorites as well.
- Rinse off your roses. Your roses like to have their faces washed too. Rinse them off early in the morning or late afternoon when the temperature drops. Key to this is don't allow water droplets on the leaves to burn the leaflets.
- You may want to provide your roses shade. Some shade during this time of year helps the roses resist the heat a little better. Put it on when the temperatures get over 100F and take it off when it gets below. Don't leave the shade on during October though because you need the sun to develop the roses for the fall shows. Remember, the days become shorter in the fall as well.