Roses are the stars of a garden, and it’s only natural that we would want them to flower as much as possible. If you have repeat bloomers and want to help them along, there are some easy steps you can take to make it happen.
Before rose hybridization was popular, most plants bloomed once per year, usually in the spring. This made them a popular flower for June brides. But, because of their limited availability, it made them more expensive.
Old garden roses only flower once per year, but most modern roses flower more than once, and some bloom several times per year. Even these take a break between blooming cycles. That period is typically between five and eight weeks, depending on the variety, but there are a few ways to ensure more frequent, bigger rose blooms.
Let’s talk about what makes these roses rejuvenate in the fall. Then, you can set to work pampering your plants in hopes that a new flush of flowers is forthcoming.
Pinch or Prune
Late August through September is the perfect time to do a bit of pruning or pinching of your rose bushes. Pinching in the spring will encourage branching, and increase the fullness of your shrub. In the fall, it encourages fresh growth after blooming. This new growth is where buds will form.
Pinching is a term for light pruning by hand. You can do it with your hands if you choose, but a sharp pair of hand pruners will come in handy here. You will get a cleaner cut. The more you cut, the longer it will take for the plant to produce buds, so be careful about overdoing it.
How to Do It
Lightly prune the outer branches of your shrub. You can cut as much as one-third of the plant’s height, but remember that the more you cut, the longer it will take to bloom again. Cut the canes at an angle to allow water to run off rather than pool.
Thin out any twiggy growth that will take nutrients away from new buds forming. Remove any dead branches or foliage, as well. Remove any spent flowers that may be holding on still.
Fertilize
In general, fertilizing too late in the year is a negative thing. It will encourage the plant to put out new growth that gets damaged in the cold. With repeat blooming roses, because we want them to flower again, they need that new growth.
Repeat-bloom rose varieties always produce a second flush on new growth. Fertilizing and pruning in late summer, and even very early fall, will give your shrub a boost of new growth. Don’t fertilize after October, though, as it will encourage new growth too late in the season.
How to Do It
Always water your plants before you fertilize. This protects the roots from buildup or fertilizer burn. Water deeply the day before, and water again after applying fertilizer.
Make sure to choose the right formula. Too much nitrogen will make the bush put on a lot of green growth, but it won’t help buds form. You need phosphorus for that. Phosphorus is the middle number in your fertilizer ratio.
You can use a bloom boosting fertilizer, or one of several products that will achieve a similar purpose. Bone meal is high in phosphorus and makes a great rose fertilizer when it’s blooming time. Worm castings are another organic fertilizing agent that will encourage blooming via higher moisture and nutrient content in the soil.
Roses also benefit from other nutrients. Some additional nutrients to look for include iron, zinc, manganese, calcium, and magnesium. Many formulas made for roses will contain all the necessary nutrients so these are great to use.
Don’t Forget to Water
Roses need a fair amount of moisture. They don’t like wet feet, but they form deep roots, and so they need deep watering. Over the hot summer months, this need increases as the plant fends off heat stress.
In hot climates especially, you’re likely to need to supplement rainwater during the hottest months. If your shrub is suffering stress from the heat, it’s not going to produce much new growth because it needs to conserve energy.
How to Do It
Most rose experts agree that you should water your plants deeply, but infrequently. Don’t just give them a sprinkle every other day. It’s good for the soil to dry between waterings, as it makes the roots go looking for water. This leads to deeper, stronger roots.
Water close to the ground to conserve water and direct it in the place it needs to go: the roots. You don’t want to overwater, but overwatering has more to do with frequency. Watering deeply once per week is usually enough for established roses in the summer.
If you live in a climate with plenty of rain in the summer, don’t worry about watering an established plant. Newly planted roses need water regularly to establish those strong roots.
Water for longer than you think you should, you want the water to soak down through the root system. Overhead watering is fine as long as you do it early in the day. If you use a sprinkler to water, don’t fret about moisture on leaves, just water in the morning.
Check and Treat for Pests
Another part of the nutrient puzzle is pest control. Insects can rob your roses of the nutrients they need and drain their reserves. Pest infestation is another factor that causes stress to a rose bush, which takes energy away from producing blooms.
How to Do It
Pest control should be an ongoing task in the garden. The earlier you catch an infestation, the more easily you can deal with it. Inspect your shrubs regularly to stay ahead of issues with pests like aphids, sawfly larvae, and thrips, among others. Controlling mites, for instance, prevents the fatal rosette disease.
Environmental controls are best, as they don’t harm pollinator populations and other beneficial insects. Most garden pests have plenty of natural predators. By encouraging those beneficial insects to stick around, you have natural control for the nuisance insects.
Plant plenty of nectar plants around your roses to draw insects like lacewings and predatory mites into the garden. Lacewings will lay their eggs where there is food for their young. Lacewing larvae, as well as ladybug larvae, are voracious aphid predators. In fact, they love to munch on many of the insects that we want to eradicate.
If an infestation gets out of control, There are ways to deal with each of the more common rose pests. Neem oil is effective often, as are insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils. Avoid using these while the plant is blooming. Spray at night when pollinators are absent so that it dries by morning. Remember, a light mist is usually enough to be effective.
Mulch
Mulch is great for roses. It serves many purposes, such as maintaining a more consistent temperature. Mulch will not only help protect your rose’s roots from excessive heat. It will also keep them warmer as the temperature drops. This insulating factor reduces stress.
Mulch holds the soil in place, and keeps the soil moist. It keeps weeds at bay, and as it breaks down, it improves the health and structure of your soil.
How to Do It
This one is pretty simple; just apply a layer of mulch around the soil of your rose bush. Leave a bit of space between the mulch and the base of the plant to minimize the risk of fungal disease.
It’s best to use an organic mulch. Wood chips, straw, or shredded hardwood mulch are all good options. Non-organic materials or gravel are not the best for mulching flowering plants, as they do nothing for the soil. Rocks heat up and can stress the roots in hot temperatures. Temperature moderation can help ensure more rose blooms.
