If you are one of those who think that just spraying your flowers with a hose is good enough to keep your roses lovely and blooming you better think again. Many people just don’t realize that how and when you decide to water your roses is actually one of the most imperative and often ignored aspects of basic rose care. Here are some hints and simple guidelines for helping you to keep your roses healthy, supple and beautiful year-round.
First of all you should know that when you set up your watering schedule that early morning watering is best. This is because if you water your garden in the middle of the day or in the afternoon a good portion, in not all of the water will be evaporated before it can even reach the roots. A lot of gardeners say that they also prefer early morning watering because it allows the plant to become hydrated while the rising sun helps dry the leaves relatively quickly. If you wait to water your garden in the evening, the water will not evaporate, but your plants will be at a much greater risk of developing mildew due to the fact that leaves may remain wet for several hours. We realize that not everyone’s schedule will allow for a regular early morning watering schedule. If this is true for you, and you have to water your plants in the evening, try to avoid getting the leaves wet if at all possible. Standing water on the leaves will make your plants susceptible not only to mildew, but insects, pests, and multitude of fungal diseases
All flowering plants require a good deal of water and roses, being a flowering plant are no exception to this rule. They need as much as 2 inches of water each week. So it should come as no surprise to you or anyone else that summer is one of the times you’ll find yourself watering the most. Expect to water more than once a week when summer comes depending on the climate where you live, type of rose plant, the location of the plant, and its soil structure.
You should also use a rain gauge to see how much water is reaching the soil naturally, and plan your own watering schedule accordingly. The easiest way to check if your plant is receiving enough water involves simple observation. If the leaves limp or sagging your roses probably need more water, if the leaves yellowed, and starting to fall off this could be a sign that you’re over watering, and the plant is in need of oxygen.
Although water is vitally important to your roses you need to know that they do not tolerate standing in puddles of water, they have need of drainage, so it is critical that you don’t leave your plants in standing water. Find a healthy balance for your roses to be kept consistently moist, but not overly saturated.
Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more about floral arrangements and flowers online at freshfloralbouquetsdotcom