Question of the Week 02/22/2020

Staying on the Rose theme from Tuesday, here's our question of the week Santa Fe!

Q: My favorite rose didn’t do as well last year as it did previous years. Is there anything I can do now to help it do better this year?

A: If a rose isn't doing well there are many factors that are involved.

Powdery mildew, aphids, lack of water, lack of nutrients and lack of sun are all things that can cause a rose to not do well. The first thing to check - is it getting enough sun? When you planted the rose, there was full sun but perhaps a nearby tree has grown over the years and is blocking some of that sunlight.

Some things you can do right now are to make sure it has been pruned (approx. 1/3 off the top) to help stimulate growth. Continue to water it on a regular basis and add a rose specific fertilizing program to make sure the rose is getting everything it needs to thrive.