It may sound too good to be true, but with proper care nearly every rose bush can bloom all summer. We have asked our professionals in lawn care in Dumfries VA to share with our readers their secret to those magazine-worthy repeat bloomers they are able to pull off so exquisitely on our clients’ properties every summer. Their little-known secret is not such a big secret among professional gardeners, but here it is: Fertilizing, trimming, and watering done right.
Caring for Your Roses Like the Pros
Roses, especially repeat bloomers, need to be fed with a multi-purpose fertilizer at least three times per year. It is best to first fertilize in early spring, during the first bloom, and in the summer up to late July or mid-August (depending on the climate in your area) multiple times after each deadheading session (more on that in a bit). Applying fertilizer later than that may work against your roses as they are trying to go dormant and you are unnecessarily keeping them awake.
After each fertilizer application, water the plants thoroughly for the nutrients to easily permeate the soil. We recommend using slow-release fertilizers, as they are designed to properly feed the plants without going to waste in the soil right after watering.
Pruning is another maintenance work you’ll have to perform to help your rose bushes bloom over and over again all summer, and beyond. Deadheading, or the routine removal of dead blooms, prompts the plant to direct its resources to producing new flowers rather than to making hips and seeds. Look for a 5-leaf cluster and cut away the spent flower just above it.
Start the deadheading work after the first flush of flowers and continue throughout the summer after each bloom cycle. In early fall, allow the plants to grow a first set of hips, which they need for reproduction. After that point onward, our pros in lawn care in Dumfries VA recommend removing hips only if you notice fungal growths to prevent disease proliferation.
Watering: Blooming roses need plenty of water, and if the skies aren’t delivering it, you should take care of it. A rosebush usually needs one inch of water on average. You can adjust that amount depending on the weather and soil. Sandy soils absorb more water than the clay-based ones, so adjust irrigation accordingly. Stick to this maintenance routine until you stop fertilizing the roses.
Keep in mind that with some rose species, perpetual blooming in the summer is not doable. The so-called June bloomers bloom only once a year and there isn’t much you can do about it. Also, in really hot climates such as Texas’ and Florida’s, it is not possible to achieve a long blooming season in the summer because of the scorching hot temperatures. But you can turn your rose bushes into repeat bloomers over the rest of the year, with a slightly different fertilization schedule.
Our Pros in Lawn Care in Dumfries VA Can Take Care of Your Bloomers
Our team of technicians can expertly care for your rose bushes and keep them blooming repeatedly throughout the summer for you to enjoy the nice weather and leisure time with your loved ones. Our crews are trained to take care of any type of flowering bush and tree, making shrub installation, trimming, fertilizing, and overall maintenance a breeze year-round.
Request a no-obligation Free Estimate of our lawn care service or contact us directly at (703) 493-1811 for the fastest service today! Our staff will be happy to address any of your questions and concerns.
