Fair Care for Roses  Now that roses have wowed us with their big burst of blooms, what comes next? The answer is simple, and it has nothing to do with types, varieties, and whether or not the rose in question will make more blooms this summer. All roses want to do right now is grow, so our job is to help them do just that. Because growing roses can get technical at times, we often fall into the trap of thinking of roses as bud-producing machines. Sure, roses please us by putting substantial energy into the development of elegant blossoms, but their integrity as plants comes first. Don't even think about blooms right now, except maybe to say thank you for the few that are lingering on. Instead, consider your plant's situation in terms of light, food and water. Inviting the Sun Light is the fundamental energy source for all green plants, and roses need lots of it. Prune your plants to remove canes that have gone gray with age, those that are a mess offaded blossoms, and stems arising from below the graft union of grafted plants. But with every cut, consider how your pruning will increase the amount of light that remaining stems receive. Summer rose pruning is a balancing act: Good light penetration reduces possible problems with blackspot and other fungal diseases, but retaining leaves keeps the plants better equipped to make use of solar energy. Think about this as you snip. Root Zone Requirements Rose roots work hard, too, and this is an ideal time to feed plants with an organic rose food. I like to rake back the mulch and spread granular fertilizer over the soil. Then I install a soaker hose before replacing the mulch, because you never know when a summer drought will descend. But with fair care, my roses are ready for anything.
Rose Classification Primer In some gardeners' minds, roses have a reputation for being fussy plants that require special handling. Reputations are often earned, and, indeed, some roses do require lots of special care to thrive. However, there are many roses that thrive with reasonable care and will reward you with gorgeous blooms. What's more, there's a rose for just about every garden situation. Climbing roses can frame a doorway or tumble over a picket fence. Low-growing types can be used as a hillside ground cover. A hedge of shrub roses creates a beautiful privacy screen. Miniature roses can be used to edge a walkway, much like you would use annual flowers but without the yearly planting. Roses also fit beautifully into any garden style, as much at home in a rambling cottage garden as in a formal rose planting. The key to success is choosing the correct rose variety.   continued
Quick Tips Manage Insects Japanese beetles, June bugs, rose chafer, and a wide assortment of other garden beetles are at their worst in June. Japanese beetles are especially destructive on roses. Hand-pick and drop them into a bucket of soapy water early in the morning when they are lethargic. Or, spray at 10-day intervals with as safe an insecticide as possible, such as neem, and treat the soil with milky spore disease to kill the beetle grubs. Consider Soaker Hoses Watering roses with a soaker hose is more efficient than using a sprinkler or hose, plus it helps prevent water splashing from the soil onto the foliage and spreading fungal diseases. Since roses thrive when the soil throughout the root zone is kept evenly moist, a heavy mulch placed over the soaker hose further improves water conservation. When purchasing a soaker hose, check to see that it's not so stiff that it's difficult to use. A simple drip irrigation system is another option.  more tips & resources  back to Regional Gardening Guide