Question of the Week
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My roses look ratty. What can I do?
With the heat, yes, they can look a little ratty right now, but most of our roses will repeat bloom quite well. Although their best blooms are in spring and fall, they can repeat through the summer with a little bit of care.
It's important to keep the foliage healthy and fend off diseases like black spot and powdery mildew. When roses lose leaves, they can't make carbohydrates, which is required for good bloom production and re-bloom.
You also want to watch for mites or caterpillars.
First, plant varieties that aren't so susceptible to these problems or aren't prone to them. Consider Earth Kind roses that stand up to our conditions.
But if you've got a variety that you really love and that has these problems, look at neem oil products to control fungus and insects, and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for caterpillars.
Be sure to deadhead old flowers, unless you want the hips, and clean up all infected leaves and put in the trash. Disinfect your pruners between plants. Keep them watered with a deep soaking when they need it.
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