It's tough to compare the season's first rose blooms to the roses in late summer and fall. The rose plants have had a whole season with lots of water, nutrition and sunshine, bringing picture-perfect rose bushes with glossy green foliage and spotless flowers, perfect for enjoying from the garden or in arrangements.

Here are some late summer rose activities:

  Cutting Roses 

Don't hesitate to cut roses for indoor enjoyment; it does the plant no harm, and multiplies your enjoyment. However, avoid cutting roses after early Fall in your area; every cut on a rose bush encourages new growth, which could get nipped by a fall cold snap. So cut all the roses you want up until then, and let the plants gear down for winter.

A beautiful bouquet of roses will last much longer if you follow a few simple cutting instructions: 

• Select buds with just one or two petals pulling away to get the longest vase life.
• Cut early in the morning before it gets too hot, or in the early evening. Immediately plunge the cut stems into a deep bucket filled with warm water to extend their life in vases, make a fresh cut underwater before you arrange them. This works for all flowers.
• Add a drop of bleach or a 1/4 cup of 7-Up/Sprite (not diet!) to the vase water to further extend the flowers longevity.
• Put the vase out of any direct sun in a place where you'll see it often, and enjoy!

What is the best way to prepare my roses for fall? 

Generally, it is a good idea to stop fertilizing roses in the Fall as the trees are changing color in your area. If you fertilize beyond that date, you can get a flush of new growth -- just when the plant should be winding down and preparing for winter dormancy. Also, stop deadheading (removing the spent blooms) in late summer. Instead, let those blooms stay intact and form seedpods, or "hips." The formation of hips signals the rose to slow growth. It's important that roses are in a full state of dormancy before the really cold weather hits.

For more rose tips by region and season click here.

 
Let's be friends...The AARS is now on Facebook and Twitter!

    How can you get in touch with us on Facebook?

• Sign up for a Facebook account if you don't already have one and then click here.
• Become a fan of AARS and get all the latest news and information.
• Facebook offers one place to find up-to-date information about rose care as well as pictures and videos.

      What is Twitter?

• Twitter is a social networking and micro blogging service that allows you answer the question, "What are you doing?" by sending short text messages 140 characters in length, called "tweets", to your friends, or "followers." You can share information with people that you wouldn't normally exchange email or IM messages with, opening up your circle of contacts to an ever-growing community of like-minded people.
• Long story short- you can follow the All-American Rose Selections for the latest news and rose advice instantly at http://twitter.com/AARSroses
• Join the tweeting garden community and make sure to 'follow' us!

Yes, "America's Got Talent," but is also has amazing Public Gardens!

We are kicking off an exciting All-American Rose Selections (AARS) program called, "America's Best Rose Gardens." This fall, AARS will kick-off a nationwide competition to determine the top ten public gardens in the United States.

The AARS wants your opinion, and will ask everyone to vote for their favorite public garden on the AARS website, www.rose.org. Voting will start in Spring 2010. And good news, the total votes for each garden will be measured against the gardens annual visitors-so every garden, big or small, has an opportunity to win.

The top scoring garden will be awarded the AARS "America's Best Rose Garden" plaque and receive a $2,500 donation from All-America Rose Selections to support the garden and its contributions to its community. The nine remaining gardens will receive an awards plaque and be featured in AARS public relations and marketing campaigns promoting "America's Best Rose Gardens." The winning gardens will also be featured on our website. The winners will be announced in the Summer of 2010.