Summer Rose Care

Using a sharp pair of secateurs, cut back Rose bushes all over by about 30% and also completely remove any dead or spindly stems and spent flower heads. Summer Rose pruning has several benefits, including refreshing and reinvigorating the plant, encouraging a fresh flush of flowers in around six to seven weeks time and reducing the amount of pruning you'll need to do in winter. Perhaps time your Rose pruning so you’ll have beautiful home grown blooms to give your Valentine on February 14^th!

Pro tip! While you have your secateurs out, cut off any stems that have appeared below the graft (bump on the stem). These will be the rootstock, will not produce the same blooms as the original Rose and can eventually take over.

After you've pruned, giving your Roses a good feed will help promote healthy fresh foliage growth and lots of new flowers. Liquid feeding during summer is ideal, as the nutrients will be quickly available to the Rose and you can water and feed at the same time. Yates Thrive Rose & Flower Liquid Plant Food contains a combination of nutrients specially designed to feed Roses, including flower-promoting potassium. Dilute two capfuls in a nine litre watering can and apply around the Rose's root zone.

Rose foliage is susceptible to Black Spot Disease. This disease is favoured by wet and humid conditions and appears as irregular black spots on leaves that become feathery or fringed with yellow margins. Another common Rose disease is Powdery Mildew, which looks like a dusting of white talcum powder over leaves, stems and flower buds. Tender new Rose foliage and flower buds are prone to attack from sap-sucking Aphids and Mites (which love summer's hot and dry conditions) as well as Caterpillars. To control the most common diseases and pests on Roses, spray ready to use Yates Rose Gun over plants every 2 weeks.