Beware The Dog Days Of Summer!
By Angie Noack, Fri Dec 9th

Heat is one of the worst enemies that roses face, and the monthsof July and August can be scorchers. Not only are your roses atrisk of heat damage, but the accompanying humidity breedsinsects and fungal diseases.

Here's a look at what we can do to keep our roses beautiful andhealthy until the cooling days of autumn arrive.

Make sure that your roses have all the water that they need.Remember to water from the roots and not from the top to avoidfungus development and to make sure that your bushes can drinktheir full.

Water daily when the temperature is at or above 90F. Pot-grownroses may need to be watered twice per day. Avoid wateringduring the hottest times of day to guard against excessiveevaporation.

Spray fungicide on a weekly basis to keep these humidity-borndiseases at bay, and cut back canes and foliage which show anysigns of infection.

Apply light feedings of fertilizer at least three times perweek. Don't over-fertilize as this will cause burning.

Apply 2 to 3 cups of organics weekly, and stop applying yourorganics during the last week of August.

July and August are prime times for spider mites who thrive inthe heat and humidity. Spritz your foliage and buds with wateron a regular basis to show these pests that they are not welcomeon your roses.

Now is not the time to fall behind on your deadheading chores.Your canes need all of their strength to support new growth, sopay careful attention.

Start cutting back your roses in the latter part of August sothey will be ready

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to produce those huge autumn blooms which areright around the corner.

Trim the stems and branches that are trying to grow toward thecenter of the bush. This not only increases air circulation, butit removes prime breeding grounds for spider mites and helps toreduce the appearance of fungus infections that thrive in hot,moist areas within your bushes.

If you are planning to exhibit your roses in any of the fallshows, you'll need to carefully time your cane pruningactivities in order to allow enough time for recycling to occur.

Here is a chart of the most common recycling times for selectedspecies. Soil condition, temperature, bush health and otherplanting and growing conditions may cause these times to varywidely, so use this chart only as a guideline.

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

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

Your average varieties, which include "Color Magic", "DoubleDelight", "Gold Medal", "Nicole", and "French Lace" only require45 to 49 days.

Fast varieties, like "Altissimo", "First Prize", and "FragrantCloud", will need 40 to 44 days.

"Dainty Bess", "Playboy", "Playgirl", and the other very fastvarieties will recycle in just 35 to 39 days.

About the author:Angie Noack is a home and garden strategist with a sharp edgefor technology. With her unique ability to combine these twoskills, she's able to help gardeners save time and increaseproductivity. You can find her online at http://www.dairyrose.com.