Water Deeply and Infrequently
Deep Soak: Give your roses a deep, thorough watering at the base of the plant. Shallow, daily watering keeps roots near the hot surface, causing unnecessary stress.
Timing: Water early in the morning to minimize evaporation. Avoid getting water on the leaves and blooms during the heat of the day, as this can cause foliage burn. Wet leaves left overnight or for long periods can promote fungal disease
NOTE: This is for established roses. Newly planted roses need to be watered more frequently. Potted roses will dry out even more quickly in the summer heat so checking on them daily is very important. For a few other watering tips, see How often should I water my roses?
Insulate and Protect
Mulch: Add a 2 to 3-inch layer of organic mulch (like bark chips, straw, or compost) around the base to lock in moisture and regulate soil temperature. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the main cane/trunk to prevent rot.
For potted roses, move them to a cooler location with morning-only sun.
NOTE: It's important to note that wooden mulch uses nitrogen as it breaks down. The regular addition of fertilizers and soil enhancers in spring and fall is of great benefit to keep a nutritional balance. Follow the link for more information on fertilizers and soil enhancers.
Adjust Your Maintenance
Hold off on Fertilizer: Do not apply fertilizer during a heatwave. Pushing the plant to grow in extreme temperatures diverts energy away from basic survival, leading to fertilizer burn.
Leave Burnt Foliage for Now: While it might be tempting to clean up crispy, burnt leaves and flowers, leave them on the plant during the worst heat. They act as a natural shield, protecting the lower stems and developing buds from sunscald.
Deadhead Lightly: Snip off severely wilted or dead blooms just above a healthy five-leaflet cluster, but avoid hard pruning until cooler weather returns.
Post-Heatwave Recovery
Once the temperature drops and conditions improve, you can safely give your roses a light prune to clean up any dead, brown stems or burnt foliage. It is a great time to resume a gentle feeding routine with balanced rose fertilizer to spark a new flush of blooms.
Over time, roses with deep, established root systems that receive infrequent but deep watering will handle these heatwaves well, continuing to perform and bloom beautifully throughout the season.
