How to Water Roses in a Heatwave – Keep Them Hydrated to Prevent Wilting and Damage this Summer
Professional gardeners also reveal the watering mistakes to avoid
Roses are renowned for their fragrance, color and versatility in the garden. Whether you have a spectacular climbing rose, a large shrub rose or a miniature rose in a small pot, it's impossible not to fall in love with these romantic and timeless flowers.
But they’ll only look their best if you keep on top of rose care, especially during the hot summer months when they're susceptible to wilting. That's why understanding how to water your plants is crucial for long-lasting, prolific blooms. It's especially important to adjust your watering routine during scorching weather to prevent heat stress (picking up this soil moisture meter from Amazon will help you monitor it more easily).
Here, gardening and rose experts reveal how best to water your rose plants in the backyard, ensuring your prize blooms don't just survive the summer heatwaves, but thrive through them.
When to Water Roses
Knowing when to water plants might seem inconsequential, but timing is everything when trying to protect roses from extreme heat.
'Watering is vital for roses to thrive,' says plant expert Katie Sunderlage. 'The best time of day to water your roses is in the early morning. This ensures the plant can absorb moisture before the sun hits its peak, giving it the hydration it needs to survive scorching summer days.'
While sticking to a rigid weekly schedule works perfectly during the mild spring months, summer heatwaves call for more frequent watering based on how quickly the soil is drying out.
'Newly planted roses need to be watered more than established roses, particularly if they are planted in late spring or early summer,' Katie says.
'I would recommend watering newly planted roses every 2 to 3 days depending on the weather,' Katie adds. 'Once roses are established, they can be watered once or twice a week, as necessary depending on the temperature.'
Using a soil moisture meter (which you can also find at Walmart), you should check daily during hot spells to see whether the top two inches of soil have dried out.
During extreme heatwaves, this could mean deeply watering established roses 3 to 4 times a week, and container-grown roses daily (they dry out much more quickly than those planted in the ground).
Operations Manager at Holland Group, managing the customer service department and purchasing. Katie has been in the green industry since 2005 in the Greater Milwaukee area, earning her degree in Horticulture in 2008. She has been able to share her love for plants working in multiple garden centers, in sales positions and most recently in an online retail platform at Holland Group.
How to Water Roses
When it comes to how to water roses, precision is important. You should always water at the base of the plant and avoid splashing the foliage or flowers.
'It is best to water around the base of the plant, not on the foliage, which will help to prevent fungal disease and other rose pests, says Robin Jennings, rose expert and Manager of Strategic Partnerships at Heirloom Roses. 'I like to water in a circle around the base of the rose so it will stretch its roots out to reach for the water and build a large root system."
Keeping the leaves dry also reduces the risk of leaf scorch during intense afternoon sun. While a watering can with a long, narrow spout (like this one from Wayfair) or a targeted hose nozzle can work for individual plants, during a heatwave, slow and deep delivery is critical.
Something like this soaker hose from Amazon can provide effective hydration. Or, install this irrigation system kit from Amazon to make watering less effort.
During extreme heat, dried-out soil becomes hydrophobic, meaning it repels water. If you see puddling on hard dirt, don't stop watering. Instead, reduce the flow to a gentle trickle, or water in short bursts, allowing the soil time to soften up and actually absorb the moisture.
It's also a good idea to lock moisture in. After a deep watering, apply a 2-to-3-inch layer of organic mulch (like pine bark from Walmart or compost) around the base of the rose, keeping it a few inches away from the main stem to prevent rotting.
Robin Jennings, a city girl from Canada, discovered her passion for gardening in the farmland of Oregon's Willamette Valley. Robin works for Heirloom Roses, where she collaborates with hybridizers to promote the beauty of own-root roses and preserve older varieties.
Watering Mistakes to Avoid
When protecting your roses from extreme heat, avoiding common watering mistakes is crucial.
As mentioned, you should avoid getting the foliage wet. Hot, humid summer air combined with wet leaves allows many rose diseases to thrive, like black spot and powdery mildew.
'A rose will let you know when it has had too much to drink through yellowing and drooping leaves,' Robin says.
However, during a scorching heatwave, underwatered and heat-stressed roses also have these symptoms.
If your rose leaves are yellowing, dropping, or wilting in July or August, do not automatically assume you are overwatering. Push your finger two inches into the soil – if it feels dry, your rose is starving for water.
Don't forget to also adjust watering based on whether it has rained. Just keep in mind that a passing summer shower often evaporates off the topsoil before reaching the roots. Always check the actual soil moisture rather than solely relying on the weather report.
'Roses also hate having wet feet, so make sure they are in well-draining soil,' Robin adds. 'If you have clay soil, for example, you can amend the soil to improve it and give your rose the best chance.'
Soil improvers can help to enhance the quality of your soil, as Robin says, so using something like this rose soil from Walmart is a good idea.
What to Shop
Never underwater your roses again by using this soil moisture meter to monitor water levels in the soil. Insert it in your rose's soil and it will give you an instant moisture reading.
A soaker hose is similar to a drip irrigation system. Lay it across your garden border and turn on your outdoor tap. The porous material allows water to seep through, directly hydrating roots.
Use this liquid rose feed to give your rose a boost after its first flush of blooms. It's formulated to support blooming and can encourage a repeat display in summer.
For more rose-growing advice, consider our guide on how to grow ground cover roses for low-growing varieties. Alternatively, see our advice on how to move a rose, providing you with all the information you need to lift and move rose plants successfully, or for shady yards, see our article on can roses grow in the shade.
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