What to do in the Rose Garden for the month of June? Lots! It will depend on the weather. I am sure by now most everyone has heard that we are statistically in for a strong El Niño this year. It probably won’t start until August or so, but it may affect the “typical” weather we get in Fresno during the late summer and fall. You can always check weather out with UCANR’s climate scientist Daniel Swain, on his blog Weather West. He writes scientific papers on the climate and has a YouTube channel where he explains what is going on in terms I can understand. Interesting stuff!
One of the things to do in June (and other months as well), is to check your irrigation system to make sure it is working properly. My roses (including those in pots) are on drip. I just do a quick check to make sure water is appropriately going through the emitters and that my timer has the correct day/times for watering in my area.
Roses can be pretty drought tolerant but may show some signs of stress during the hot summer months.How much water does each rose need? A typical Master Gardener response is; it depends. It depends on the rose, how big it is, the weather, etc. However, the “average” mature hybrid tea rose will take about 6-9 gallons of water a week (not daily!), if the temperatures are below 80 F. In the wintertime, when temps are much cooler, they will take a lot less.
If the temperatures are above 90F consistently (meaning daily!), they will take about 12 gallons a week (not daily!). This, of course, depends upon the size of the rose. Mini roses will take much less water than a full hybrid tea.
The amount of water will also depend on your soil type. Clay water retains moisture, so you may need less. Sandy soil does not retain moisture, so you might need more. In loamy soil, the recommendations above should suffice.
Mulch is a great method for maintaining water in the soil. I recommend at least three to four inches of mulch around the dripline of your rose bush. What is a dripline? It is where the outer canopy of leaves forms around the base of the plant. The tiny “feeder roots” (roots that absorb most of the rose’s water and nutrients), live and thrive at or just beyond this line. Mulch will moderate the temperature of the soil and maintain moisture. Bonus – it will also help to keep weeds away! Great news for those of us hand weeding during our hotter than Hades summers. I don’t want to be out there pulling weeds if I don’t have to. Don’t use rubber mulch. Don’t use mulch that has been dyed. Use a mulch that will break down and enrich your soil.
Continue to deadhead your rose bushes. Now is not the time to prune them. If, during the heat, the rose shows signs of leaf burn, leave those burnt leaves on the bush so that they will help to protect the rose canes from burning. I have “covered” most of my roses with a large arch and shade cloth. This makes a huge difference during summer. I now have great blooms and the leaves don’t scorch. This is what I call the “Tucson” method for growing roses. Members of the Tucson Rose Society use 65% shade cloth as a canopy over their roses. The canopy is high enough to allow them to walk underneath. In their dry desert environment, some will add a misting system as well. Their roses thrive in their summer heat with this method.
If you don’t have your roses covered, I would wait to feed them until at least the middle to the end of September depending on our weather.
Rose news
Did any of you watch the Chelsea Flower Show in May? David Austin Roses always announces their new roses during the show. This year’s new rose is the Sir David Beckham rose. His daughter, Harper, commissioned this rose for Sir David’s 50th birthday.
This rose piqued my interest. It is gorgeous! The blooms are cupped. The outer petals are white with a hint of peach and open to white petals inside. It is a semi-double rose, so pollinators can get to the nectar and pollen, important as Sir David Beckham is a beekeeper! It supposedly has a nice scent as well. David Austin roses describe the scent as a “honeyed musk scent with notes of nougat and clove coming through as the flower opens out.” All righty! I am a bit curious as to what that is like in person.
I am not sure when this rose will be available on this side of the pond. In the past, due to our quarantine rules and David Austin Roses only releasing new roses in England for a period of time, it normally takes two years before the roses are available in the US. It is anticipated that the rose will debut in the USA in 2028.
Until next time – “If I had a rose for every time I thought of you, I’d be picking roses for a lifetime.” - Swedish proverb
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Written by UC Master Gardener Debbie D.