In the Garden - September 2026
Will this heat ever let up? That has been my question—and probably yours—for many weeks now. I have done a good job keeping my roses hydrated thus far. I know that many of you have braved every heat wave that this summer has thrown our way. Fortunately, spider mites and Japanese beetles were not much of a problem for me. Drought still exists in parts of North Carolina. Clemmons has had some rain, but not enough to suit me. I guess it will take a tropical storm to get water levels back to where I can stop worrying about all the water-related issues that have plagued many of us.
My calendar has been kept up to date. Has yours?
I have decided that a few of the roses need to be either shovel-pruned (dug up and discarded) or put into the rose transfer portal, which means dug up, potted, and given to another grower. I must admit that some roses do better in another location. In the past, I have dug up roses that just did not grow well for me and given them to a neighbor. Surprisingly, these giveaways performed better when given a new home. This gives me an idea and a suggestion for something in our March 2027 meeting. Maybe the WSRS needs to create our very own Rose Transfer Portal. In our area, February and March are good months for transplanting roses. If you have a rose that just did not do well, even when you did everything “right,” please do the following: Dig up and pot the rose in a three-gallon container (or whatever container you have) and bring it to our March 2027 meeting. You can “transfer” your rose to another member or guest. A bare-root rose would be fine, too. Just be certain that the roots have been kept moist. Make your plans now.
Returning to the heat we have all endured: the relentless temperatures over the past two months have likely sped up bloom times for roses we plan to exhibit in one or both upcoming Carolina Classic Rose Shows. With luck, cooler weather will arrive soon enough to slow the blooming process and help those members who plan to exhibit during these shows. Until then, keep watering and hope for the best.
My rose maintenance plan from now thru mid-October will be to liquid-feed every 7–10 days with either Miracle Grow for Roses or Bloom Booster. I will not apply any more granular fertilizer. A third application of alfalfa tea will be applied right after Labor Day (it is brewing now!). Epsom salts, added to the tea, will green up the leaves.