September Rose Care

In about 2 more weeks (Mid-September) the nights should start cooling down as the humidity moves out of Arizona. This is a good time to start fertilizing again. But because it gets so hot during the day, if you are going to use Miracle Gro, as I do, the best time to fertilize is, as the sun is setting and not hitting your rose bushes directly. That way the leaves are not burnt by the fertilizer. In September, I feritilize at half dose, using the Miracle Gro sprayer, so about six seconds per plant. Fertilizing now will give them time to dry over night, so you won’t burn the foliage on the plant.

This time of year, I also start lightly pruning my roses. Mostly, I just take off the candelabra’s. Cutting the rose bush down to about waist height. I remove spindly and dead canes, and branches that are crossing each other.

I continue to give the rose bushes a nice cool spray bath about once a week early in the morning. For me that’s usually Saturday or Sunday. You can do this until you prune in the December or January.

You should start seeing some really nice blooms toward the middle to end of October. Yeah!!!

I swear you and I were connected by the Universe about 45 minutes ago... or I was listening to you type. I was just outside giving a light trim to 3 of my 4 roses. I didn't take as much off as you're suggesting... think I'll tackle this again in two weeks.

Thanks for the tips, Alan!

Hey! Glad I could help. I won't start the light pruning for another two weeks as well. The way time has been flying this year, that will be here before we know it. There are times I wish I only had 3 or 4 roses...lol! I can only prune little sections at a time unless I want to fill my dumpster up with only rose clippings...lol!

Alan

I agree that September is a good time to fertilize. And up here October is a good time to prepare for frost.

I sprayed my roses with Freeze Pruf and all the new foliage that came out at the end of September is still happy despite our getting frost for most nights over the last ten days. Maman Cochet is growing like mad... which makes me worry. Frost can kinda creep up on you: I think it killed my two year old brugmansia.

Steve,
My heart skipped a beat when I read about losing your Brug. It must have taken a lot of planning a effort to keep it alive through a cold winter for even 2 years. Will you try another one?

I just bought some fertilizer and systemic for my roses today. I've had thrips in the last 3-4 bloom cycles. Haven't been successful at getting rid of them.

Susie,
Thanks. A few days ago I moved it into the garage - where it spent last winter - and have watered it lightly. I saw some small, new, green leaves on it today. My thinking now is that frost killed most of the foliage, but didn't have much effect on the wood. It's not uncommon for the lowest temperatures to occur just before dawn and to be short-lived. Good thing, too. I've been thinking of planting another, but the last time I looked, Jean Pasco wasn't in Logee's catalogue.

For thrips, one approach is to plant Lagerfeld, not as a decorative plant, but as a trap. I've had roses on Lagerfeld ruined for weeks on end, while roses on plants literally brushing up against it were totally unaffected. Not 100% sure it would work. But it's an easy solution if it does. BTW, I haven't tried this, but I suppose you could dust the flowers on Lagerfeld with Rotenone. Or you could simply hope that it makes it easier for the bugs that feed on thrips to find them all huddled together there.