How do your rose bushes look this summer?

Because roses are made up of many species, there is a big difference in survivability when the conditions are more extreme. Types of roses are referred to as hybrid teas, grandifloras, climbers, landscape roses and ‘knock outs’ primarily.

It is important to know how the roses are produced and grown to understand why some are hardier to cold temps (tougher) than others. The method used to start new plants and the variety of the rose makes a huge difference when the weather is more severe and the hardiness of the plant is marginal.

When we understand the way these plants are produced we can see why some plants survive and others do not. Some of the plants are “budded” to “root stock” and others are produced by rooting cuttings. The budded plants have a different root system from the top of the plant which can be a vulnerable point in the plant when it comes to hardiness. On the other hand, the plant produced by rooting a cutting is on its own roots. Therefore the previously mentioned vulnerability is avoided. Knock Out® and landscape roses are produced by rooting cuttings. Much of the top on these plants die back to the ground, and when the dead top is removed, the roots are still alive. This allows the roots to respond quickly sending out many new shoots.

As it is the middle of July, it is time to feed your roses for the second time this year. The first feeding should have occurred in the spring. Avoid any fertilizing after early August to avoid promotion of any late growth that could be damaged by an early freeze in the fall. During dry periods be sure to water your roses so they get a good inch of water every 7 to 10 days. This amounts to a good soaking. Try to keep the water off the foliage to help prevent leaf diseases. This watering is particularly important in late fall so the plants are fully hydrated when going into the late fall months and into winter.

To keep your rose plants free of foliar diseases, you may want to dust or spray them with a fungicide every couple of weeks.

In a normal winter, some roses need a form of winter protection or they can be damaged. Styrofoam rose cones have been available for years to provide protection from winter’s cold temperatures. They are, at best, questionable protection. Mulching and mounding soil around the crown of the plant is recommended.

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