Roses are tough, but they do need sunshine and the more the better. In open, sunny gardens roses will grow happy, healthy and relatively disease-free. In full shade they will struggle to grow and never reach their full potential.
A: If your roses are on the north side of a building, then they might get direct sunlight late in the afternoon because of where the sun sets in the summertime. That late afternoon direct sun can be very damaging if they have been growing on the shady north side all day. Healthy plants handle heat better.
Ensure plenty of sunlight
Roses thrive on direct sunlight. For best results, a minimum of four hours of direct sunlight is recommended. However, even when planted against a north wall (meaning no direct sunlight) roses can still perform well. To see a list of roses suitable for shaded areas click here.
Plant roses where they will receive a minimum of 6 hours of sun per day. Morning sun is especially important because it dries the leaves, which helps prevent diseases. Roses grown in partial sun may not die at once, but they weaken gradually, producing subpar blooms and overwintering poorly.
Light. While roses like six hours of sun per day, it does matter what part of the day those six hours come from. Six hours of morning sun is preferable to six hours of afternoon sun, for two reasons: Rose foliage prefers to be dry.
Roses prefer morning sun on the eastern side of buildings best. This helps the roses get enough sun in the cool mornings. Flowers tend to not last as long in the hot afternoon sun. Regardless of morning or afternoon sun, it is most important to make sure roses get enough sun.
Soil, temperature, and surrounding plants affect how much water a rose needs. In temperate climates, weekly watering is usually enough and two inches of water per week (4 to 5 gallons) may be all that is needed. If the soil is sandy or the garden is hot, dry, or windy, more frequent watering may be necessary.
1. Give your roses 1 to 2 inches of water each week -- in single watering session -- from early spring through fall. Increase the frequency to every three or four days in hot and dry weather.
Acceptable blooming can really only be achieved with 4 to 5 hours of direct sunlight. The most shade tolerant roses may bloom adequately with 3 to 4 hours of direct sunlight. It should not be dappled or very early morning sun.
Too much water can make the foliage chlorotic and rot the roots. Too little water will cause the rose to produce few blooms and might even kill your rose in the long run.
In cases where the leaves do not shade the stems you may see dark patches on the sunny side of the branches (sunburn). Heat Scorching is a watering issue - the plant has not had enough water to defend against an extreme weather event or is simply not being watered enough. Please read our guide to watering your roses.
In very hot temperatures many rosarians who live in desert areas use shade cloth to protect their plants. If you only have a few plants to be shaded, you can use a light-colored umbrella, an umbrella covered in foil, or move the roses to a patio.
Roses are excellent plants for growing in pots. English Roses, with their shrubby, bushy habit are ideal for growing in large pots and containers. Unlike many other potted plants, English Roses will flower in fragrant flushes throughout the summer and into the autumn.
Controlling Insect Pests
Aphids and sawflies often can be controlled when you spray roses with water. A strong blast from the garden hose will dislodge the pests, which you should do in the early morning.
Blooms will be smaller. Most plants will produce fewer roses. A shady garden most likely will not produce a Queen of show, because hybrid teas and grandifloras grown in the partial shade usually won't have cane or bloom diameters necessary to compete with roses grown in full sun gardens.
Overwatering. Rose bushes can also droop from too much water or soil with poor drainage. You can tell if your rose bush is overwatered because the leaves will turn yellow and droop. Waterlogged soil can lead to root rot and cause the plant to die so be careful not to overwater your rose plant.
How long do roses last without water? The woody stems of roses are more robust and can last longer than the flower itself. Like most flowers, can last up to three days without water before they will need to be replaced; this is how long roses will survive after being plucked from the plant.
When the temps are in the mid to high 90s to 100s (32-37 C.)
Soil should be kept evenly moist throughout the growing season. The amount and frequency of watering will depend on your soil type and climate. Roses do best with the equivalent of 1” of rainfall per week during the growing season. Roses growing in sandy soils will need more watering than those in heavier clay soils.
Most roses need regular feeding throughout the growing season. For newly-planted roses, add plenty of compost to the hole at planting time, and then provide a liquid fertilizer (synthetic or organic) about a month later, after they're established.
Bare root roses should be planted between November and March, while containerized roses can go into the ground at any time of year. If possible, opt to plant roses in bare root form in winter or early spring to give your new roses the best possible start.
First and foremost, and possibly the most obliviously, heat simply dries out plants and plants receive damage from desiccation and will also “wilt” from a drop in their internal turgor pressure (the pressure exerted by water on the cell walls of plants which keeps them standing upright with plump leaves and flowers).
Watering in the heat of the day shouldn't hurt the plants -- it actually cools them off -- but it's a far less efficient use of water as much of it will evaporate before reaching the roots. Avoid getting plants wet late in the day unless it's the only possible time you can water them.