Are you feeling the heat. Our roses are feeling it even more, all day long.
The challenge has been the daily watering. We all know that roses are thirsty critters, and in my neighborhood there has been virtually no help from the clouds this summer. Every one of my roses gets five gallons of water a week. I feel like my watering wand is permanently attached to my right hand.
During heat like this there are a few things you can do for your roses. Water. It sounds obvious. But should we automatically start watering more during heat. Not necessarily.
Do not assume your roses need more water. High humidity is one reason. Roses can bring in some moisture through their leaves if the humidity rises to steam room levels. More water to the roots in that moment might be too much.
Roses also shut down when it gets very hot. It is a self defense mechanism they use to get through hot and dry spells. Shutting down means they do not need as much food and water to survive. It is similar to their winter dormant period. If your roses stop making buds or blooms, do not fret. Some roses stop blooming because they are focusing on staying alive in tough conditions.
The best thing to do is keep an eye on them. If they look droopy then give them more water. If they are not droopy, leave them alone. If you see a few more yellow leaves than usual during hot weather, that does not always mean something is wrong. Plants lose moisture through their leaves when humidity is low. Shedding a few leaves can mean less moisture is lost.
There is also a window when you can safely water. Hold your hose. Do not grab it and spray during a hot bright sunny day in an attempt to cool the plants down. Water droplets under strong sunlight can act like a magnifying glass and burn the leaves. Try to water early in the morning. If that is not possible, water in the evening and avoid wetting the leaves.
At the same time, there are moments when overhead watering can wash dust from the leaves and cool them. Every book warns against this. But when it rains, we do not stand over the roses with an umbrella. Attention matters more than rules.
Hot summers also bring thrips. They are tiny thread like insects that get into blooms and spoil them. Petals can become distorted. Edges turn brown and dry. Brown stains appear within the blooms. If you breathe into a bloom you may see their small bodies scatter.
I keep a misting bottle labeled with Monterey Garden Spray and water. I lightly mist the blooms between regular spraying. A trigger bottle of Bayer Rose and Flower Insect Spray Merit also works. A light spritz is enough. Try to catch blooms as they are cracking color.
Continue to care for your roses by making sure they get enough water, not too much and not too little. Do not heavily fertilize to force flowers. Shift your priority to helping them endure the heat. A liquid water soluble fertilizer such as fish fertilizer can be used as a supplement, but use it sparingly.
Layering compost between the soil and mulch can help during hot months. I added compost first and then mulch. It helps hold moisture closer to the roots.
There has been joy in the garden despite the heat. I saved rose petals for ten days, four shopping bags full, stored in our 1950 vintage I Love Lucy refrigerator in the cellar. These older fridges keep blooms fresh because they are not self defrosting. The petals were for Sues wedding on August 14th. It was good to see them used that way.
Today it is raining. The ground has been so dry that it almost feels relieved. The rain began gently. I hope it soaks in rather than running off the surface.
Until then, keep watching. Water with care. Accept that roses can go dormant in hot dry weather.
And remember to water yourself.
Comments are closed.