Beware The Dog Days Of Summer!

Heat is one of the worst enemies that roses face, and the months of July and August can be scorchers. Not only are your roses at risk of heat damage, but the accompanying humidity breeds insects and fungal diseases.

Here's a look at what we can do to keep our roses beautiful and healthy until the cooling days of autumn arrive.

Make sure that your roses have all the water that they need. Remember to water from the roots and not from the top to avoid fungus development and to make sure that your bushes can drink their full.

Water daily when the temperature is at or above 90F. Pot-grown roses may need to be watered twice per day. Avoid watering during the hottest times of day to guard against excessive evaporation.

Spray fungicide on a weekly basis to keep these humidity-born diseases at bay, and cut back canes and foliage which show any signs of infection.

Apply light feedings of fertilizer at least three times per week. Don't over-fertilize as this will cause burning.

Apply 2 to 3 cups of organics weekly, and stop applying your organics during the last week of August.

July and August are prime times for spider mites who thrive in the heat and humidity. Spritz your foliage and buds with water on a regular basis to show these pests that they are not welcome on your roses.

Now is not the time to fall behind on your deadheading chores. Your canes need all of their strength to support new growth, so pay careful attention.

Start cutting back your roses in the latter part of August so they will be ready to produce those huge autumn blooms which are right around the corner.

Trim the stems and branches that are trying to grow toward the center of the bush. This not only increases air circulation, but it removes prime breeding grounds for spider mites and helps to reduce the appearance of fungus infections that thrive in hot, moist areas within your bushes.

If you are planning to exhibit your roses in any of the fall shows, you'll need to carefully time your cane pruning activities in order to allow enough time for recycling to occur.

Here is a chart of the most common recycling times for selected species. Soil condition, temperature, bush health and other planting and growing conditions may cause these times to vary widely, so use this chart only as a guideline.

Slow recycling roses, such as "Uncle Joe", "New Zealand" and "Touch of Class" require 50 to 60 days to recycle.

Medium slow roses, including "Crystalline", "Elizabeth Taylor", "Peace", and "Olympiad" will require 50 to 54 days.

Your average varieties, which include "Color Magic", "Double Delight", "Gold Medal", "Nicole", and "French Lace" only require 45 to 49 days.

Fast varieties, like "Altissimo", "First Prize", and "Fragrant Cloud", will need 40 to 44 days.

"Dainty Bess", "Playboy", "Playgirl", and the other very fast varieties will recycle in just 35 to 39 days.