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Rose
Care Tips for September
by Baldo Villegas,
ARS Consulting Rosarian, Sacramento, CA (USDA Zone 8/9)
September is a transition month. Early September is usually like August ...HOT! However, by the end of the month I hope that the fall weather will kick in and bring us the cooler temperatures that roses love and reward us with terrific blooms that will rival those seen in the spring months. I am looking forward to the fall as we have not had a normal bloom cycle this year. We started with prolonged cool and wet weather this spring and then we had the hottest July weather on record. Somewhere, we missed the spring weather! Our roses are still trying to recuperate from the hot weather so it is very important to keep up with some basic rose care during September.
WATERING should still be a high priority in the rose garden. Potted roses should be watered on a daily basis while those in the ground should be watered about every other day depending on the soil moisture conditions.
DEADHEADING needs to continue for prolonged bloom this month and into the fall. For the past month I have been deadheading or cutting spent bloom from all of my roses in order to encourage new growth. Often I've had to recut some canes as the deadheading that I did since early August resulted in burnt growing tips and blind growth. This was certainly due to the intense heat and the inadequate watering that some of the rose beds during July and August. While deadheading I am also doing some LIGHT PRUNING by removing any diseased, damaged, and crossing canes and by removing twiggy and nonproductive growth. Why wait until winter to remove some unproductive canes when the roses will be actively growing this fall?
FERTILIZATION should also be continued into the fall months! While some local rosarians discourage the continuation of fertilizers past September I usually continue them at the same level through October as we normally get two full bloom cycles during the fall months. Roses, in my opinion, prefer light dosages of fertilizers over an extended period of time, even into the fall months. Since our roses really never go into dormancy, they continuously need a supply of nutrients available to them. Continue applications of fertilizers for great color and bloom size. I generally apply water soluble fertilizers applied through a hose-end sprayer about every two weeks and alternate it with organic fertilizers and organic soil amendments.
It is also very important to continue to CHECK FOR PEST AND DISEASE PROBLEMS before they really take off in the rose garden. The most common problem at this time of the year has been SPIDER MITES. The common species on roses is the two-spotted spider mite. Spider mites are usually most common in May and June and large populations can severely defoliate the roses. In order to detect spider mite infestations, look for stippling of the leaves caused by the sucking mouthparts of the spider mites. Also, look for the silken webs on the undersides of leaves which spider mites use to attach their eggs. Spider mites can also be controlled by washing the undersides of the leaves 2-3 times per week with water. To do this, use a water wand and direct the jet of water to the underside of the leaves. They can also be controlled with miticides such as insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, neem oil, and the miticides Avid and Hexakis (Fenbutatin-oxide). Hexakis is available only available in the Ortho line of products, particularly Isotox Formula IV and Orthenex Garden Insect and Disease Control. Diseases have not made their appearance in my garden yet. With the cooler temperatures later in the month, one should start to see POWDERY MILDEW. Also, if the foliage remains wet for longer than four hours, other diseases like BLACKSPOT and RUST might show up in the garden. For these fungal diseases, fungicides like Immunox, Banner Maxx, Daconil, or Funginex, might be helpful in preventing infections on your roses. Don't forget the WEEDS. Hopefully by now you applied a thick layer of mulch to the rose beds and have been pulling any new weeds that have poked through the mulch layer. If needed, apply a pre-emergent herbicide right on top of the mulch as the winter weeds should be sprouting soon.
September is also a great month for PLANTING more roses. Some area nurseries usually clear their rose inventory starting Labor Day weekend. This might be a good way to buy some great roses at reduced prices! Make sure that the plants are free from pests and diseases and that the plants are not showing any sign of wilting or stress. Since I am interested in miniature roses, I recently received some hard to get minis from Bridges Roses in North Carolina. Some of the minis that I got included Doris Morgan, Miss Charleston, Dr. John Dickman, Merlot, Fancy Dancer, and This Is The Day. My other source of great new minis is Robbie Tucker's Rosemania.com. I have all the new introductions coming in at the end of the year!
I am looking forward to the following UPCOMING ROSE SHOWS and related activities. Not only will I enjoy the camaraderie with fellow rosarians but I will also get to see some of the most beautiful blooms that this area produces. I plan to have my digital camera and a pad of paper and a pencil to take lots of notes during these rose events:
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Copyright© 1995-2003 by Baldo
Villegas
Last updated: Septiembre 2, 2003