6 Tricks to Keep Roses Blooming All Summer Long, According to Pro Gardeners

After putting in all the time and effort caring for rose bushes, it only makes sense to want them to flower as much as possible. But to stimulate roses to rebloom throughout their growing season can take additional care and expert attention.

Hence, we chatted with pro gardeners to share their advice on the best ways to inspire roses to bloom all summer long.

Water Roses Regularly

First off, know how often to water roses. Make sure your roses are on a regular watering schedule, as they are heavy drinkers.

“Roses are one of the most nutrient and water-intensive plants in your average garden,” Ward Dilmore, the founder and head landscape designer at Petrus Landscape, says.

Roses thrive on having lots of water, so the more water, the more blooms you can expect. In the summer, roses should be watered at least every other day in a cooler climate, Dilmore recommends. If you live in areas like California, they should be watered daily.

Thus, you’re going to want to switch up the amount of water you give your roses depending on the season and how warm your region’s climate is.

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Add Fertilizer

Spring is the perfect time to fertilize roses. Just when the roses start to push out their new leaf growth for the season, add a balanced fertilizer around the base of the plants, Dilmore explains.

“After a rose’s first spring bloom, another round of fertilizer can be added to the base for the next bloom cycle,” Dilmore says.

This can be repeated after each bloom cycle until the fall and should keep your roses blooming all summer—if not all year, he says. In terms of fertilizer, you can buy one specially formulated for encouraging blooms.

“Just make sure it is a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus,” he adds.

Deadhead Spent Blooms

After a rose has wilted, deadhead the bloom to make way for more flowers. According to Wes Harvell, a rosarian and the rose category manager at Jackson & Perkin, deadheading roses prevents seed formation and signals to the plant that it should produce more flowers.

“For the best results, snip spent blooms just above the first five-leaflet leaf every few days,” he says.

If you don’t deadhead your roses, the flowers will produce a seed pod or hip and not a new flower.

Inspect Roses for Pests and Disease

Pests and disease limit your rose’s bloom potential. So, inspect your rose leaves weekly and treat issues like black spot or aphids right away with the appropriate methods, Harvell says.

“Healthy foliage ensures the plant can focus its energy on blooms, not recovery,” Harvell says.

In other words, treat the problem as soon as possible so your rose can direct its energy into making flowers. Plus, quick treatment will ensure the problems don’t spread to other rose bushes nearby.

Prune Your Roses

Just as with deadheading, regularly pruning roses can encourage frequent blooms.

“It may seem intimidating, but your roses will be grateful to you for disposing of anything that doesn’t allow them to bloom to their fullest potential,” Tyler Francis, lead farmer and co-founder of April & Ashley, says.

To prune your rose bushes, use clean pruners to avoid spreading disease, particularly when going from bush to bush, Francis recommends. Cut out any dead, dying, diseased, or crossing canes, he adds.

“Lastly, take out thin, spindly branches that don’t have the strength to support healthy blooms,” Francis says.

Pick the Optimal Location

This last bit of advice may be too late if your roses are already established and in the ground. But, if you are planning another collection of rose plants, start them off on the right foot with the best location to encourage numerous blooms. When it comes to the top criteria for the perfect location to plant your roses, look for sunlight and well-draining soil.

Roses crave sunlight, so aim to plant them in a spot that gets at least six hours per day, Francis says. If planted in a shady site, your roses may not bloom as prolifically, he says. And lastly, avoid ground that’s often flooded and choose a site with good drainage to help keep the roots dry.

“If roses had a pet peeve, it would be having wet feet,” Francis explains.