For many of us summer is a season for beach vacations, pool parties, or music festivals. While we’re busy having fun, we sometimes forget about our roses. Let us help you get back on track with your rose care routine with these Top 7 Summer Rose Care Reminders:

1. Water, water, water

Water is the single most important resource for your roses. In between summer rainstorms be sure the irrigation is still running smoothly. Check to see if you need to increase or decrease your timing.

2. Deadheading

Removing the spent blooms is still just as crucial during summer as it was back in spring. Regularly removing spent blooms will help your rose bushes continue to produce new growth. Need to know how to properly cut old blooms? Find it here: https://www.witherspoonrose.com/blog/may-rose-care/

3. Use water-soluble fertilizer

A water-soluble fertilizer is okay to use on your roses during summer as a quick fix to green up the leaves or boost bloom production. When used according to the label’s instructions, you’ll see the added benefits.

4. Weed and Mulch

A good 2–3 inch layer of mulch will benefit your roses from weed control to moisture retention. Plus, it just looks nice!

Weeds can host unwanted insects aside from making the garden look raggedy. Hand-pulling is the safest and most effective way to remove them. Remember, roses are extremely sensitive to weed killers! Even if you think you’re being careful or spraying “far away” from the roses.

5. Pin or stake floppy canes

Climbing roses can become untidy quickly. As new canes emerge or old canes continue to take off, pin or tie them periodically to lessen the workload of one big job.

Large bushes or shrub roses can also become untidy quickly. Deadhead judiciously or give them a summer cutback in between bloom cycles; cut unruly canes back or stake them for extra support.

6. Scout for insects

Summer rose insect pests can wreak havoc on your roses if discovered after a big outbreak or left untreated all together. Spider Mites are the most popular when it gets hot. You’ll notice a coppery appearance to the leaves along with webbing on the undersides of the leaves. Hose ‘em down with water from the garden hose to help drown them. Read more about spider mites here: https://www.witherspoonrose.com/blog/spider-mites-a-mitey-problem/

Keep an eye out for budworms in August; they’re small green worms found eating the buds or inside the folds of the flower petals of open blooms.

7. Continue to spray for blackspot

If blackspot has crept in because you’ve let the spray routine go for a few weeks, you can stop it sooner than later. Blackspot is effectively treated with regular fungicide use, especially with Captan. Follow the label instructions and remember to spray early in the morning before temperatures reach 86 degrees (which is when you can burn your roses!).