Want to keep your roses flowering until early autumn? If you know what to do with roses in August, you can encourage another flush of blooms.
Learning how to grow roses is incredibly rewarding, because the repeat-flowering varieties look (and often smell) beautiful from spring through to the first frosts. This month is a crucial time to pencil in care tasks that’ll keep the plants in bloom – especially in light of the ongoing heatwaves.
‘August is about maintenance rather than major intervention,’ says Andrew Jackson, award-winning garden writer, designer and creator of The New Build Manifesto. ‘A few minutes spent deadheading, watering deeply and removing diseased leaves every week will reward you with another flush of flowers well into autumn.’
Here’s what to do with roses in August.
What you'll need
A top-rated rose fertiliser that's specially formulated to boost flowering.
A large, sturdy watering can to help you keep your plants hydrated.
A compact pair of deadheading snips with a locking mechanism.
1. Give them enough water
Watering might seem like an obvious gardening task, but it’s one of the most important things you can do for your roses in August. You’ll need to be a little more attentive when it comes to watering roses in hot weather, though.
‘In the current climate, roses need to be watered early in the morning and during the evening,’ advises Philip Harkness from Harkness Roses. ‘Water straight to the roots and not on the plant itself, as this can cause leaf burn.’
Deep watering is generally recommended during drought weather. Andrews says, ‘During dry spells, water deeply once or twice a week rather than little and often.’
Since hosepipe bans are in place in many parts of the UK, it’s wise to use a large watering can like this affordable 10L Ward watering can from Argos to water your roses.
2. Deadhead them
If you want your roses to keep flowering, deadheading is a crucial August task.
‘Like all plants, roses are biologically programmed to produce seeds,’ explains Topher Martyn, head gardener at Syon Park. ‘By cutting off old flowers before seeds are set, you will frustrate this basic urge and compel the plant to produce more flowers. Sounds a bit mean, but, after all, roses are all about flowers!’
So, how do you actually deadhead roses?
‘Deadhead when the flowers have finished blooming by looking down the stem and cutting just above the first five leaves you see,’ says Philip Harkness. ‘This will encourage a new bud to grow.’
These Darlac deadheading snips from Amazon are ideal.
3. Watch out for pests and diseases
Pests and diseases often thrive in hot weather, and a fair few of them can become problems for roses in August – so you’ll need to keep a close eye on them this month.
‘Keep an eye out for common issues like black spot, aphids, and mildew,’ says Lechuza's horticultural expert, Ross Dyke. ‘Remove any infected leaves as soon as you can, and ensure good airflow around the plant.’
Luckily, a tonic spray can keep them at bay.
‘Spray a foliar feed such as Uncle Tom’s Tonic directly onto the foliage to prevent disease and keep them healthy,’ says Philip from Harkness Roses. ‘Use it first thing in the morning or in the evening, every two weeks during the blooming season, and not in direct sunlight.
You can buy Uncle Tom’s Rose Tonic from Amazon.
4. Feed the plants
A foliar feed is ideal for keeping diseases at bay, but you can also fertilise your roses with a high-potash feed in August to encourage late flowering.
‘It’s worth continuing to feed repeat-flowering roses with a high-potash fertiliser if you haven't done so since their first flush,’ says Andrew Jackson. ‘This helps fuel late summer blooms.’
This advice only applies until the end of August, though.
‘Stop feeding towards the end of the month in colder parts of the country so soft new growth has time to harden before autumn,’ adds Andrew.
Vitax Organic Rose Feed, which you can order from Amazon, contains a high-potash formula to foster healthy, vibrant blooms.
Keep on top of watering, deadheading and feeding this month, and repeat-flowering roses should put on a show for the rest of the growing season.
