- Author: Rosie D
Are you ready for autumn to begin and be done with the heat of the summer? I am looking forward to the fall and it can start anytime in my book! However, looks like we are (still) in for warmer than “normal” temperatures for the foreseeable future.
So, what to do in the rose garden this month? Towards the middle of the month, you can lightly prune your roses. This is not the major pruning you will do in February. Instead, you can cut any spent flowers or hips to the next set of leaflets that have either five or seven leaves. (Some roses have five leaves on their leaflets and other varieties have seven.)
This is a light trim only. Prune by cutting ¼ inch to ½ inch above an outward-facing bud eye. What is a bud eye? It is the small bump found where the leaf meets the stem/cane on the rose bush. If any canes have died during this summer (hint - they are black all the way to the soil), clip those off at the base. Only trim a maximum of 1/3 of the overall size of the bush.
If you see that by trimming the bush, there will be very little foliage left on it, don't trim it at all. Leave it alone and see how the rose bush looks in the spring. Having no foliage on your rose bush is the quickest way to kill it. What typically happens is that, when a rose is cut back with no foliage on it during this time of year, the canes will turn black and the plant slowly dies. I learned this lesson the hard way, when I first started growing roses many years ago. The safest thing is to leave your roses alone if trimming them will leave no foliage on them at all.
Again, always make sure your pruning shears are sharp and clean. Wipe with an alcohol wipe between each rose bush. Don't use bleach on your pruning shear blades as it can damage them. The alcohol wipe won't, and it will kill any diseases on the blade so they don't affect your rose bushes.
If your roses are on drip irrigation, run your system in the early morning or evening (on the days we can water) to give your roses a chance to thoroughly hydrate. Check your irrigation system to see that it is operating correctly and none of the emitters are clogged. If an emitter is delivering more or less water than the other emitters on the line, change it out for a new one. That one emitter can affect the whole system. Replace it when there is a problem.
If you grow roses in pots, make sure that they are getting enough water. If the soil has pulled away from the pot, water can run through the pot but not hydrate your plant. Make sure your potting soil allows water to get to the plant. You should re-pot your roses every couple of years. The longer the soil is in a pot, the less porous it becomes in the root zone. New soil would be in order. Don't do this now. Wait and put this on your spring chore list when your rose is dormant.
Towards the middle of the September, it is time to feed your roses. You can use a rose food (8-10-8), liquid fish or seaweed fertilizer and alfalfa meal. If the fish fertilizer smells like fish and you have a lot of neighborhood cats, you may want to use the seaweed fertilizer instead.
Alfalfa meal (not the pellets which contain sugar/molasses and can attract rodents) contains a chemical called triacontanol. It will stimulate new growth in your roses. Make sure you water the bushes before you add the alfalfa meal. Add about a cup of alfalfa meal to the soil for large, established roses and about a ½ cup for large, established mini roses. Water again afterward. Never fertilize a dry or stressed plant.
If you are using an organic rose fertilizer, apply the recommended amount (it is on the label), after the 15th of the month. You can also put down some compost. Make sure you water after putting down the fertilizer. If you wish to use liquid fish/seaweed fertilizer, mix according to the package directions. You can do this every other week up until the middle of November. Then it will be time to start giving your plants a rest for a nice bloom next spring. You should have lovely blooms for Thanksgiving, and I even have had lovely blooms for Christmas (depending on the weather).
It is still important to watch out for spider mites. You can hose those off with a good blast of water and make sure to blast the underside of the leaves as well. It is still too hot to use horticultural oil. You will burn your plants.
Pumpkin Patch roses
Until next time . . . "Autumn leaves don't fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar." - Delia Owens, "Where the Crawdads Sing"
- Author: Rosie D
Is everyone ready for some fall and winter weather? This summer's heat has been horrendous. I know I went over how to care for your roses in hot weather last month, but I thought I would stress again how to care for your roses during this miserable summer. After a brief cool down (if one calls 99 F cool), we are going to get into the triple digits again in the first part of August and climate experts are predicting August to be another very hot month.
How do you help your roses survive this heat? Make sure you water deeply on the days you can water. Cycle your watering. It is best if you stagger your water times, so it gives the plant an opportunity to absorb the water and have the water go down to the roots. I went over how much water your roses need (average amounts during summer) in Rosie's Corner June 2024. You can find that article on our website: Rosie's Corner June 2024.
Mulch (about 3 inches of a good organic mulch, not rubber) around the base of your plants to help conserve water and keep the roots cooler during this weather. Now it not the time to feed your plants. They are just trying to stay alive. Let them flower but don't prune or deadhead them after flowering. Especially if you don't have them covered with a shade cloth or umbrella. You can let the flower petals fall off and just leave the remaining flower to form a hip. You can give your plant a light deadheading when the weather is cooler.
Go ahead and cover your plants with either an umbrella or solar screen. That will help your plant to not get sunburned. This year, I did this for some of my roses and what a difference solar screening made. At the left is a picture of my “test” rose, Pretty Jessica. As you can see, no sunburned leaves and the flowers are gorgeous. On the right is a picture of a rose in my garden that was not protected. That rose is Jubilee Celebration. There is quite a difference in the way the roses look.
Below is a picture of sunburned leaves on my rose. Do not remove those burnt leaves. They will provide some shade for the plant/canes.
You can tell the difference between the green leaves of the rose that was shaded, and the burnt leaves of the one that was not.
The members of the Tucson Rose Society cover their roses with shade cloth (about 60-68% screening). Their roses bloom all summer long. As we continue to experience the difference in our climate due to global warming, I will be covering all my plants in the future throughout the summer season. You can see the difference it makes.
As far as critters (bugs) go this month, continue to be on the lookout for spider mites. (For reference, see UCANR spider mites.) They do love this time of year. Spray them off with water. Don't use a horticultural oil. It is too hot outdoors and it will burn your leaves even more severely than the sun is doing right now.
If your roses are in pots, move them to a shady area under a tree or patio. You can also cover them with shade cloth. The temperatures under trees are about 5 to 10 degrees cooler. Make sure you water them in the morning and in the evening on days you are allowed to water outdoors. Let's hope for cooler weather soon!
Until next time: “Do not watch the petals fall from the rose with sadness, know that, like life, things sometimes must fade, before they can bloom again.” - Anonymous
/table>- Author: Debbie DiNoto
This month we will look at when and how to water your roses. Especially now that the weather is starting to heat up and the rains are probably done until the fall. We live in a Mediterranean climate. Winter rain and summer dry.
I am always asked how much water does a rose need? Ah, the typical Master Gardener answer is, “It depends!” It depends upon the time of year and the type/size of the rose. The typical hybrid tea (we are talking a big, tall and mature plant) will take 6 to 9 gallons a week if the temps are below 80 F (as in spring and fall). A rose bush, such as a floribunda, about 3 feet wide and tall, will need about 3 gallons a week if the temperatures are below 80F and it hasn't rained in a long time. In wintertime, when the temps are much cooler, they will take much less water, especially if we have rain or the plant is dormant. During this and last year's winter, I didn't have to water at all because of the rain we had.
When the temps are over 90 F consistently, they will take about 12 gallons a week (not daily!). Again, this will depend on the size of the rose. Mini roses will take much less water than a full-size hybrid tea. Roses are pretty drought tolerant and can take less water, but they may show signs of stress. Roses in pots will probably require more water during summer.
How can you tell if your rose is stressed by not getting enough water? They will drop their leaves, decrease flower size or show early signs of dormancy.
The amount of water a rose needs will also depend upon the type of soil you have (get your soil tested!). If you have clay soil, it will hold water, so you will need less. If you have sandy soil, the water will permeate more quickly through the soil, so your roses may need more water. If you have nice loamy soil, the recommendations above will suffice.
So what is the best way to deliver water to your roses? It is important that you deliver water efficiently. That means making sure there is no overspray if you are using sprinklers. If you are hand watering, use a water wand that you can turn off at the nozzle. When you are done watering one rose, you can stop the water flow before moving on to the next.
OK, here is where we get into the math of a drip system. How do you estimate the number of emitters each rose plant needs? It is not that difficult. If you use one-gallon emitters, that means that they will deliver one gallon of water per hour. If you place four one-gallon emitters per plant (an emitter in the front and back and one on each side of the plant), that plant will get four gallons of water per hour. We can water 3 days a week until the end of summer. So, if you run your system for an hour each day we can water (either Sunday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday depending on your address), your plant will get 12 gallons of water per week (three days per week x four gallons of water each day, equals 12 gallons per week).
OK, so one more bit of math. It is better for your plant not to get a gallon of water all at once. You want the water to soak into the soil surrounding the plant. I divide that hour of watering into three sessions of 20 minutes each. I stagger those times and water around 5 a.m., 7 a.m. and again in the evening after 7 p.m. Doing this allows the water to reach the roots of the plant. It also encourages the roots to grow deeply rather than on the surface. That is much better for the health of your plant.
Now, if the temperatures are going to be consistently over 107 F for several days, I may water a fourth cycle. I would add another cycle in the morning but keep the one at night as close to 11 p.m. as possible, so my plant can have some water for the next day or two when we can't water.
Mulch will moderate the temperature of the soil and maintain moisture. It will also keep weeds away from your plant! I prefer to do less work in the garden during our hotter than Hades summers. This is a way to make that happen! Don't use rubber mulch. Don't use mulch that has been dyed. Use a mulch that will break down over time and enrich your soil. I like fine wood chips the best. I will often have 2 to 3 inches of fine wood chips over an inch or two of compost around the plant. That way, I am feeding the soil, which the plant appreciates.
Now there are two thoughts as to whether to let your roses go dormant or not during a hot summer. For us, that generally means from the middle of June until at least the middle to end of September when the temps are finally cooler. If you choose to let your roses go dormant:
- Don't feed your roses.
- Make sure your watering system is operating efficiently and continue to water as described above.
- Apply 4 inches of mulch over the entire bed.
- Don't prune your roses.
- You can deadhead them or just remove the spent petals and allow hips to form.
- If the leaves burn on your plant, leave them on the plant to help shade the canes from burning.
There is another school of thought from folks who grow roses in Tucson. Grow your roses under shade cloth, when the temps are consistently over 95 F. June is often the hottest month in Tucson. They use 65% shade cloth as a canopy over their roses. In essence, they create a canopy structure with pipes and shade cloth. It is big enough to cover the roses and still walk under them. Some put a misting system on the pipe as well to increase the humidity.
They continue to feed their roses and don't let them go dormant. I have seen wonderful results. Beautiful growth and flowers all summer long. They remove the shade cloth in the fall, winter and early spring. In Tucson, they are still able to water their roses daily (if necessary and if they don't have monsoon rains that day). We don't have that luxury, unfortunately.
So, I will be trying a modification on this method. I just installed a pergola on my patio that will provide some relief during the summer (about 40% or so), near my rose bed. I may add an additional solar screen between my pergola and roses, so they get more relief from the blazing sun during the hottest part of the day. I will let you know how my “experiment” works!
Until Next Time; “I feel as if I had opened a book and found roses of yesterday sweet and fragrant, between its leaves.” – L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island
- Author: Rosie D
Wasn't April glorious? My roses have just been beautiful this year and I am so thankful! I found that they were slow to open this spring, but I moved several of them, so that could be one of the reasons why. Plus, the weather has been up and down, hot and then cold, sunny and then rain and hail. A mixed bag this spring.
For me, the dreaded Hoplia beetle population has been lighter this year than in the past. I found that the Hoplia beetles in my yard prefer my pink California native poppies over my roses. Yes, native California poppies come in colors other than orange. Who knew? Since my poppies were very prolific this year, I didn't mind them being on the poppies as opposed to my roses. I also have very few light-colored roses in my yard, and they prefer light-colored ones over dark-colored roses. Those dreaded beetles had been around a couple of weeks before the roses opened, giving them less opportunity to destroy the flowers. They should be gone by the beginning of June for another year. Thank goodness!
Since we are having warmer days and cool nights, it is perfect weather for spider mites. They can quickly destroy a plant in a couple of days, so check the undersides of leaves for them and give them a good hard spray of water to get rid of them. Invite lady beetles into your garden by planting native California plants. Spider mites and aphids are some of lady beetles' favorite foods!
If you can, try to fertilize your roses before the end of the month. Use organic fertilizers if possible. They will feed your soil as well as your plants. Roses like a constant supply of nutrients including micro-nutrients such as copper, manganese and magnesium in addition to nitrogen (the N on the fertilizer label), phosphate (the P on the fertilizer label), potassium (the K on the fertilizer label), to develop strong blooms and roots. Remember more is not better. Follow instructions on the bag. If you haven't put down a layer of compost, that can be done too.
Make sure you have a good three inches of mulch around the dripline of your roses. It will help to keep weeds at bay, retain water and keep the roots cooler in the upcoming summer weather.
This month, I have included pictures that show how I have blended California native plants with my roses. Enjoy!
Until next time … "Do not be impatient with your seemingly slow progress. Do not try to run faster than you presently can. If you are studying, reflecting, and trying, you are making progress whether you are aware of it or not. A traveler walking the road in the darkness of night is still going forward. Someday, some way, everything will break open, like the natural unfolding of a rosebud." - Vernon Howard
- Author: Rosie D
Bugs!
Do I spray insecticides for them? Nope! I grow my roses in a no-spray garden. There are a couple of ways that I get rid of them. One, I hit the plant with a strong blast of water from my hose. Make sure you spray the underside of the leaves. That will knock the little buggers to the ground, and they are too lazy to climb back up. Two, I squish them with my fingers. Now don't go euuuwwwwww! It works! Use gloves if you wish. Three, I have California native plants in my yard. They attract beneficial insects like ladybugs who love to feast on aphids. So, try doing these things to help remove aphids in your garden.
Hoplia beetles start as grubs in the soil. They grow slowly over the winter and then come out of the soil in the spring. They love to eat the flowers of your roses (their preferred diet) but will attack other flowering plants as well. You know you have them if you see holes in the petals of your roses. They will often hide in the center of the flower.
The best way to handle them? Pick them off with your hand and squish them or drop them in a bucket of soapy water. I have never been able to master the soapy water trick (I need a third hand for that), so I don leather gloves and squish them! Since they like light-colored roses, planting dark-colored roses might be helpful. You can also just cut off the flowers and dispose of them.
Unfortunately, sprays don't work to kill these little buggers. They love to hide in the interior of the blossoms, so it is difficult for the spray to get on them directly. If you do choose to try to use an insecticide to kill them, do not do it when bees and other beneficial insects are present as it will kill them as well. In about six weeks or so, the beetles will be gone for another year. One must have patience as a gardener. Dealing with Hoplia beetles is a good lesson in patience. By the way, I do try to get out and squish them twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. It's an effective way to check on my garden and it is a great way to unwind from the day.
If you choose to use a chemical for spider mites, both horticultural oils and soap will work. Insecticides don't work on spider mites. They are a mite which is different species. So, check the label to see if the designation, “miticide,” is present. Pesticides claiming they are “for mite suppression” are usually weak and will not perform well or will require multiple applications.
Do not use them when bees and other beneficial insects are present. Do not use a dormant or horticultural oil when it is going to be over 80 degrees that day as it can burn your plants. Don't use it if it is going to rain. If you are going to use these chemicals, you must dress the part and use eye protection, a face mask, gloves and preferably suit up. Dispose of any leftover chemical properly and wash up/shower afterward (including washing your hair).
Fungal diseases
Another fungal disease you might see on your rose bushes is black spot. It looks just like the name says, black spots with sometimes feathery margins on your rose leaves. The spores of this fungal disease spread by splashing water, so don't sprinkle your rose plants at night. There are also rose varieties that are black spot resistant. So, look for those if black spot is a problem in your garden.
When your roses have completed their first bloom, it will be time to deadhead and feed them. You should get a nice second bloom about six weeks after the feeding.
Alice Hamilton! This antique rose is named after Alice Hamilton who was an American physician, research scientist and author. She was a leading expert in the health field and is considered to be the mother of occupational health in this country. This during a time when women could not vote! She became an M.D. at age 24 in 1893 when she graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School. She was the first woman appointed to the faculty of Harvard University in 1919. I could go on and on about this amazing woman, but I hope you check out her bio and her rose.
Until Next Time…”Teaching you how to grow a garden is better than giving you a thousand roses.” Matshona Dhliwayo