I Have Knock Out Roses That Are 3 Years Old;…
Fae Asked
I have Knock Out roses that are 3 years old; they bloom beautifully the first of the season and then they don’t bloom anymore. The first year they bloomed every six weeks like they should. They do show signs of insects damaging the leaves. We have been watering them during these hot summer days. I also sprayed them for bugs.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Fae: Assuming your roses are getting a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight, there are a couple of possibilities why your roses are not blooming well. Since they did bloom earlier in the season, that is a good sign but something has happened since then to cause them not to produce new buds. One possibility is that they are stressed from the insect damage. We saw a lot of rose slug damage this year, which is not typically detrimental to the shrubs but it does make them look bad. It gives the foliage almost a skeletonized appearance. At this stage they are long gone and the plants should be recovering from the damage. You mentioned that it looked like your roses has insect damage; it important to identify the problem so you know what you are dealing with, and control measures will be more effective. Spraying is not always the best way to go when we do not know exactly what we are dealing with. Specific products are made for specific pests so what you sprayed may not have been effective. You can always take a sample to your local garden center with a knowledgeable staff or to your County Cooperative Extension Service to have the insect identified. Another possibility for the lack of blooms is lack of nutrients. Have you fed your roses this summer? If not, they will benefit from a dose of your favorite fertilizer. A well-balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 is fine, or one that is made specifically for roses such as Rose-Tone. Compost would also be beneficial. Always follow label instructions when feeding plants because over-feeding such as in the case of your roses can cause them not to bloom. It has been a very hot summer so keep watering if Mother Nature does not provide enough moisture.
