Rose Care in Summer: What to Do in July

It's the Hottest Part of Summer In the Northern Hemisphere

Depending on where you live July can be a tough month for roses. If you are in a warm area they may even shut down for a while. That's why adding summer blooming perennials to your garden is important because they give you something beautiful to look at during the dog days of summer.

Cold-Climate (Zones 2-4)

1. Fertilizing. This is likely in the middle or your peak bloom season so keep the fertilizer going. When roses are in their full flush of bloom they can be heavy feeders. Use a mixture of granulated fertilizer like our Rose Tone rose food and mix with a liquid, foliar one like Sea Magic. Together they will give your roses all they need. As your season is short it's best not to use a time-release fertilizer.
2. Deadheading. Keep deadheading your roses to encourage more blooms
3. Pruning. If you have spring flowering roses the time to prune them is after they bloom. For your repeat flowering roses keep an eye out for dead wood and cut that out.
4. Pests. Keep an eye out for pests like aphids and the like. You can hose them off with water or use something mild like insecticidal soap.
5. Health. If you see disease you can spray the infected areas with Bonide Captain Jack’s Copper Fungicide available from Jackson & Perkins.

BUY COLD-HARDY ROSES FOR ZONES 3, 4, AND 5

Moderate-Climate (Zones 5-7)

1. Fertilizing. Continue to feed with a liquid foliar feed like Sea Magic. This is also a good time to put down another round of granular like Rose Tone to set your roses up for the fall bloom. Don't use a time release because you don't want to be pushing growth in the fall when the roses are trying to go dormant.
2. Clean Up. July is a good time for a summer clean up. Go through your roses and remove dead and weak growth and don't be afraid to trim them down by 1/3 if they are getting leggy and tall.
3. Pruning. If you have spring flowering roses and they are done blooming this is the time to prune them. Most of them bloom on old wood so they will need to start putting out new canes for next year's flowering.
4. Mulch. Check your mulch levels. If they are low top dress lightly to help keep the soil moist and the temperatures even.
5. Pests. Keep an eye out for pests like aphids and the like. You can hose them off with water or use something mild like insecticidal soap.
6. Health. If you see disease you can spray the infected areas with Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide available from Jackson & Perkins.

Hot-Climate (Zones 8-10)

1. Fertilizing. More than likely your roses are in a state of semi-dormancy from the summer heat so it's best to stop feeding them during July. Just let them rest.
2. Clean Up. July is a good time for a summer clean up. Go through your roses for dead and weak growth and don't be afraid to trim them down by 1/3 if they are getting leggy and tall.
3. Mulch. Check your mulch levels. If they are low top dress lightly to help keep the soil moist and the temperatures even.
4. Pests. Keep an eye out for pests like aphids and the like. You can hose them off with water or use something mild like insecticidal soap.
5. Health. If you see disease you can spray the infected areas with Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide available from Jackson & Perkins.

BUY HEAT-TOLERANT ROSES FOR TEMPS 85℉ PLUS

Written by Paul Zimmerman of Paul Zimmerman Roses Consulting for Jackson & Perkins.