Time to let roses sleep

Summer is certainly upon the valley – and based on past experience, it’s only going to get hotter before it gets cooler. I didn’t need to tell you that at the beginning of August, did I?

Since high summer temperatures and less-than-ideal conditions for roses are inevitable for the next couple of months, let’s get ready.

Those gardeners who have taken my advice are letting their roses continue their summer dormancy – this period should last until about mid-September. After all, why make them produce blooms when they’re struggling to stay hydrated? Let the roses ‘do whatever they do,’ that is, j...