Keep your roses healthy during the dragging heat

Temperatures continue to be warm and it is important to adapt one’s approach to keep roses thriving as many plants (including roses) tend to shut down under extreme temperatures.

Don’t prune off the blossoms from the July bloom cycle; let them fade and wither. You can remove the spent petals, but leave the rest. The plants will respond by forming fruit – that’s what the rose hips actually are – and those will release hormones that slow the plant’s metabolism, signaling that it’s time to rest, not to put energy into blooms.

By doing so, you will prevent the plant from initiating new...