The hot days and humid nights of August can take their toll on your delicate roses. Here are some ways to help these beauties through this stressful time or year.
• Water weekly and remove spent blooms.
• Apply a well-balanced rose food.
• A spray program becomes more critical now. Hot weather brings black spot and mildew so apply a fungicide. If temperatures are running 85 degrees or hotter, reduce the amount of fungicide you are using by one-forth to avoid foliage burn.
• Apply the last fertilizer no later than six weeks before the first frost.
• Air circulation and dry nights help.
The most harmful temperatures usually peak in early to mid-August. If your roses survive these critical times you will have four to eight weeks of bloom time remaining.