Roses should be in full bloom in early August, but it is important for gardeners to act quickly if they still want to keep enjoying these beautiful flowers well into autumn. Many rose species might start to look a little brown or fall off as we head into late summer, which is completely normal, but it does mean that hips will start to form.
Hips are small cherry-sized seeds that will signal to a rose that its flowering cycle is over, so you end up with a bare plant despite it still being the middle of the growing season. However. Marianne Songbird, a gardener and founder of the DIY blog Songbird, has shared that helping roses flower more is really simple, as all you need to do is take a few minutes to deadhead them. Marianne said: “Deadheading roses is a simple yet essential task to encourage continuous blooming throughout the summer. By cutting spent blooms just above a set of healthy leaves or leaflets, you allow your rose bush to direct its energy into producing new flowers rather than developing rosehips.”
Why deadhead roses now?
Deadheading is simply removing faded flowers from a rose as it helps stop the plant from directing its energy into hips or dying blooms that are about to fall off the plant.
If deadheading is done in early August, it helps keep a rose flowering for a much longer time. The task also helps it focus its energy into any new buds that have started growing.
The result will be rose flowers that are healthier, bigger and longer-lasting so your garden will look spectacular even as summer ends.
Taking the time to deadhead now will also help improve air circulation around roses, which helps prevent fungal diseases like black spot, which can really harm a plant in autumn.
It is very quick gardening task that helps prepare roses for the changing seasons, as well as keep them looking beautiful for a lot longer without needing any fertilisers.
How to deadhead roses
To begin, you will need a pair of sharp secateurs. It is also recommended to clean the secateurs with isopropyl alcohol or disinfectant wipes after each cut.
Check the rose flowers for any petals that look faded, brown or are just starting to fall off. Also, look for any thin stems that will not support healthy blooms.
Follow the spent flower down the stem until you find the first healthy green leaf with five leaflets. It will look like one leaf made of five smaller leaves attached to a single stalk.
Cut five centimetres above the five-leaflet, and also try to angle the cut at a 45-degree angle facing downwards, as it will help water run off the plant properly to prevent disease.
Pick up any of the flower cuttings from the ground as decaying foliage can attract pests, and it is that simple to deadhead roses. It should take less than five minutes, but you will be rewarded with bigger and more vibrant flowers well into autumn.