| ROSES DIDN'T FLOWER AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE BEST SOIL AND NUTRIENTS TO GIVE. THEY GET 4-6 HOURS OF SUN. |
| There are several reasons why roses may not flower, but the most common are lack of sunlight and improper pruning. Most roses prefer full sun all day long or for at least six hours a day with those hours including noon. With reduced light, additional fertilizer beyond average amounts is not likely to increase blooming. The best way to judge how much to fertilize and whether or not any other amendments such as lime would be beneficial is to run some basic soil tests and measure the existing conditions. Your county extension (727-7850) should be able to help you with the tests and interpreting the results. If the rose by any chance is one of the old fashioned types of rose that bloom only once a year, on old wood, then a hard pruning in the spring as one would normally do for a hybrid tea rose would actually remove all the blooming wood and consequently cause the rose not to bloom at all. The reason I mention this is that in my experience a rose in shade should still be able to produce a bloom or two. I hope this helps you troubleshoot the problem. |
