How can I resuscitate my dying roses?
My roses flowered brilliantly during the warm, dry weather earlier this summer, but now they are miserable and a lot of the flowers are dying off without even opening. Any suggestions as to how I can help them to recover?
M Murphy, Cork
Roses generally flower best when growing in a warm, bright, open but relatively sheltered spot where they can enjoy a deep, fertile soil enriched with mulches of well-rotted manure and a few handfuls of organic, slow-release pelleted fertiliser. The cool, rainy weather of late hasn't been kind to them, damaging and disfiguring petals and creating the kinds of growing conditions conducive to the spread of a range of common fungal diseases such as rust and black spot. Wet weather also causes a condition known as flower-balling, where the outer petals get so wet that they form a leathery skin around the bud, preventing the flowers from opening properly. This is often followed by the appearance of grey mould on the afflicted buds.
From your description, it sounds likely that this is what's affecting your plants. There's no cure for it as such, but the good news is that it's typically a temporary problem that will resolve itself when the weather improves. In the meantime, the best solution is to rigorously deadhead all affected flowers to encourage the production of new healthy flower buds, and give plants a fortnightly liquid feed.
To reduce the chances of this happening in the future, try to encourage an open growth habit through careful pruning techniques and avoid growing other plants too closely around them. Also bear in mind that certain varieties of rose, typically older kinds, are more vulnerable to this problem.
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Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
How to make the best of light and shade in your garden
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[ How to keep your garden blooming all summer long Opens in new window ] Conversely, there are light-loving species – for example, zinnia or celosia – that can be grown easily in otherparts of Europe and the US, but struggle to flourish in an Irish garden, even when given the brightest, sunniest spot. Heat aside, we just can't reliably give them the consistent levels of intense sunlight they relish. Some light-loving species that can be grown easily in other parts of Europe and the US struggle to flourish in an Irish garden. Photograph: Alamy/PA The same goes for certain kinds of fruit and vegetables, including some slow-to-ripen varieties of beefsteak tomatoes; aubergine; peppers; kiwi; and melon. It's not only heat that these need to truly flourish, but also plenty of long, bright, sunny summer days, never guaranteed here in this northwesterly corner of Europe On the plus side are those many species that thrive in our temperate, maritime Irish climate, from shade-tolerant ornamentals such as hosta, primula, fatsia, foxgloves, aquilegia, tellima, hydrangea, and narcissus, to many kinds of edibles including rhubarb, lettuce, beetroot, salad leaves, brassicas, peas, currants and apple trees. Hosta, one of the many species that thrive in our temperate, maritime Irish climate. Photograph: Alamy/PA The lesson to be learned? Just like an artist or a photographer, becoming intimately acquainted with the ever-shifting quality, intensity and direction of light is key to the art of good gardening and part of the secret to unlocking the potential magic of our outdoor spaces. 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To submit an entry, please email by Thursday June 25th. Specialist Plant Fair Weekend, Mount Stewart Gardens, Co Down - Saturday June 27th and Sunday June 28th (10am-6pm).
RTÉ News
4 days ago
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Irish Times
22-06-2025
- Irish Times
How can I resuscitate my dying roses?
My roses flowered brilliantly during the warm, dry weather earlier this summer, but now they are miserable and a lot of the flowers are dying off without even opening. Any suggestions as to how I can help them to recover? M Murphy, Cork Roses generally flower best when growing in a warm, bright, open but relatively sheltered spot where they can enjoy a deep, fertile soil enriched with mulches of well-rotted manure and a few handfuls of organic, slow-release pelleted fertiliser. The cool, rainy weather of late hasn't been kind to them, damaging and disfiguring petals and creating the kinds of growing conditions conducive to the spread of a range of common fungal diseases such as rust and black spot. Wet weather also causes a condition known as flower-balling, where the outer petals get so wet that they form a leathery skin around the bud, preventing the flowers from opening properly. This is often followed by the appearance of grey mould on the afflicted buds. From your description, it sounds likely that this is what's affecting your plants. There's no cure for it as such, but the good news is that it's typically a temporary problem that will resolve itself when the weather improves. In the meantime, the best solution is to rigorously deadhead all affected flowers to encourage the production of new healthy flower buds, and give plants a fortnightly liquid feed. To reduce the chances of this happening in the future, try to encourage an open growth habit through careful pruning techniques and avoid growing other plants too closely around them. Also bear in mind that certain varieties of rose, typically older kinds, are more vulnerable to this problem. READ MORE
