Rose Gardening

September 2006

This month in the landscape rose gardens are getting heavy amounts of rainfall which may increase disease problems or cause roses to start yellowing or dropping older foliage. Usually after September we start to get into our dry season and as moisture levels drop roses will start to do a little bit better.

Fertilize roses though this month to keep them in good condition since earlier rains have leached out many of the nutrients roses like. If you have roses that are growing too fast, this is a good time to prune them back and they will recover within a short period of time.

Also this is a good time for putting out roses into the landscape since with our frequent rainfall they will establish quickly. Make sure that they are planted though in areas that have good drainage since poorly drained areas subject plants to root rot and other problems which you don’t want.

If you have questions about care of your roses this time of year, check with fellow members at monthly meetings or contact your Cooperative Extension Service.

By Gene Joyner, Extension Agent
Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service