Many rose growers like to retire and enjoy the fruits of their labor in August. But now it's time to start planning for fall. You can fertilize your roses again, but not after August 15th. Foliar fertilization can continue until September. The point is to avoid new succulent growth that doesn't have time to harden off before it freezes. If you have properly pruned and cleaned the shrubs, you should have little or no black spot disease. If you cut off the spent blooms and water the beds well, the rose bushes should grow taller and wider and prepare for a spectacular bloom in September. We explain in this article which rose care should be carried out in August!
If the temperatures drop and the nights get cooler, the buds will have time to develop into larger and more beautiful flowers. This, combined with the nutrition provided to the rose bushes by the lush greenery, can only result in a wonderful and colorful display of blooms. Now is the time to tackle any projects you might need for the winter.
Rose care in August: Fertilize
It's time to fertilize the ornamental plants for the third and final time this growing season.The roses shouldfertilized in August, but not later than August 15, since the rest period begins at the end of August. Dig a shallow circle around each rose bush and add a cup of organic fertilizer. Water thoroughly. When you're done fertilizing and watering, go back and water again - half a liter per bush. Fertilize miniature roses with no more than one cup of fertilizer. Always water thoroughly. You don't need as much fertilizer - and you don't want to burn the roots.
Roses need lots of water and fertilizer throughout the season. The abundance of flowers is the reward! If your roses have pale green foliage, weak, spindly stems, and small flowers that start at the bottom of the plant, the rose bush may be nitrogen deficient. Nitrogen is necessary for plant cell growth and plant respiration.
Continue watering the plants
Maybe you have yellow leaves on your rose bushes this time of year? This could be due to the humidity in our area, or if the yellow leaves are at the bottom of the bush, they could be older leaves. Pick any yellow leaves on the rose bushes and any in the ground around the bush. With good watering, new leaves will appear soon. August is usually hot and dry. You should water the plants one centimeter per bush per week. Two centimeters is better. Continue watering the roses until mid-October if there is insufficient rainfall.
Check for diseases and pests
Rose care in August must also be carried out in relation to diseases. ControlYour rosesin AugustSpider miteson the lower leaves of rose bushes. The leaves are lighter in color because the mites suck out the sap. Using the garden hose, spray under the leaves from the bottom to halfway up the rose bush. Spider mites do not normally reside at the top of the bush. Spray again in three days and again in three days. In 9 days you should have broken their breeding cycle. Check in a week or two to see if the mites have returned. If yes, repeat the procedure described above. Generally the spider mites are gone by early September unless there are very warm days.
Warm days at the end of August and September with cool nightscan cause mildewfavor. If weather permits, you should spray weekly. Organic growers use milk and baking powder with success. Simply mix half a liter of milk with two tablespoons of baking soda in five liters of water and spray generously over foliage and stems. This remedy can be used all year round. You should be able to avoid problems with black spot and mildew.
If your rose bush looked healthy last week and you suddenly notice a cane with wilted leaves, it is most likely oneCancer disease. If the cane is not green but dark in color, you should cut the canker cane out of the rose bush. Cut down to the part of the cane where it is green. In some cases this may extend to the ground. Cancer is usually caused by aDamage to the rose bushcaused.
Remove spent flowers
Continue removingfaded flowers. Spent flowers should be cut off 4 cm above the highest fifth petal. A new “eye” forms in the axil of the fifth leaf and produces the new rose bush. Spent flowers should no longer be cut off in the second week of September. This is another process of hardening the rose bush for the winter. It's okay to cut roses to take home or share with others. Leave some of the flowers on the rose bush. If the petals fall off the flower, it is a rosehip and should remain on the bush. It's okay to cut off a few rose hips for decoration.
Mulch rose beds in August
During the hot days of August it is very helpful to use the rose bedto mulch. Try a two- to three-inch layer of compost, dry grass clippings (fresh or green clippings remove nitrogen from the soil), or dry cow manure. Adding dry mulch deters weeds and conserves water in the soil.
Rose care in August: Pruning
Roses that don't come in Julywere circumcised, can still be cut until mid-August. In very cold areas, pruning does not need to be carried out until the end of August. Plants cut in July will sprout and corrective pruning can be done. Pay attention to which eyes have sprouted heavily and cut them back. Competing shoots are then easier to recognize and can be cut out.
Caring for climbing roses in August
Rose care in August is also a mustfor climbing rosesbe performed. To make room for new growth, older branches can be removed and the remaining shoots from the previous season can be tied to a support as horizontally as possible. Tying it horizontally activates all the eyes along the stem, which then form shoots and flowers. The result is many more flowers than if the stems were allowed to grow upright, resulting in flowers only appearing at the end of a stem. When tying the stems to a support, be sure not to overtighten them as the stems will thicken as the season progresses. The stems can also be tied to other stems, not just the supports.
Once the main shoots are tied, the side shoots can be reduced to about 10-20 cm on each trunk. If you leave a stump with 2-3 eyes, new growth will develop quickly and the best flowers will come from these shoots. You should not hesitate to cut off unnecessary shoots or side shoots. If possible, also remove the leaves.