Summertime: Guard Your Roses Against The Heat

The months of July and August can be scorchers. As heat is 1 of the worst enemies that roses face, they are at great risk for summer heat damage. The accompanying humidity also breeds insects and fungal diseases. Let's take a look at what you can do to keep your roses beautiful and healthy until those cool autumn days arrive.

1) Make sure that your roses have all the water they need and that your bushes are able to drink their fill. To avoid fungus development, remember to water from the roots and not from the top.

2) When temperatures reach 90F or higher, water every day. Container-grown roses will probably need to be watered twice a day. Guard against excessive evaporation by watering during the cooler parts of the day, ideally in the early morning and early evening.

3) Apply light fertilizer feedings every other day; at least three times a week. Take care to not over-fertilize, as this will result in burning.

4) Through the last week of August, apply 2 to 3 cups of organics every week, and then stop.

5) Spider mites thrive in heat and humidity. Spritz your foliage and buds with water regularly to ward off these offending pests.

6) Trim rose stems and branches that are trying to grow toward the center of the bush. This increases air circulation and removes the prime breeding ground for spider mites. It also helps to reduce the growth of fungus infections that thrive in hot, moist areas within your bushes.

7) Control humidity-born diseases by spraying a fungicide once a week. Cut back all canes and foliage that show any signs of infection.

8) Keep up with your deadheading chore. The canes need their maximum strength to support new growth.

9) Start cutting back your roses in late August. This will get them ready to produce those huge autumn blooms.

10) If you're planning to exhibit your roses in the fall, you'll need to carefully schedule cane pruning to allow enough time for recycling to occur. Here is a list of the most common recycling times for selected species. Temperatures, soil conditions, bush health and other planting and growing conditions may cause broad variances. As these times can vary widely, use this information as a guideline only.

• Fast varieties, like "Altissimo", "First Prize", and "Fragrant Cloud", need 40 to 44 days to recycle.


• Your average varieties, including "Color Magic", "Double Delight", "Gold Medal", "Nicole", and "French Lace", require 45 to 49 days.


• Medium slow roses, including "Crystalline", "Elizabeth Taylor", "Peace", and "Olympiad" require 50 to 54 days.


• Slow recycling roses, such as "Uncle Joe", "New Zealand" and "Touch of Class" require 50 to 60 days to recycle.


• The very fast varieties, such as "Dainty Bess", "Playboy", "Playgirl", will recycle in only 35 to 39 days.