Question
My climbing rose bush is about 2 years old. For awhile it was getting plenty of buds but the buds would open and there would only be about 2 - 4 petals. Now, due to the incredible heat wave we've had in NC, there are no buds at all. I water the bush every couple days with about 5 - 8 gallons of water. I fertilized it in spring. Any thoughts on why my buds are empty?

Thanks,
Maggie

Answer
From your description a bug of some kind is getting into your rose buds. There is a little beetle that looks like a ladybug with a long snout. This beetle lays it's eggs at the base of a rose bud. When the larvae hatch they tunnel their way into the base of the bud and continue to eat the rose petals. Try taking a piece of white paper and open up the bud and see what is inside. If there are worm like bugs then any insecticide for roses will solve your problem. Ortho's Orothene is a good one. Follow the instructions for the Capsid Bug or Rose Midge instructions.
There could also be a problem with the heat. Roses like hot weather but they will re-act if it comes on all of a sudden. Making buds takes energy and with the heat, the rose is thinking of saving itself. First they stop blooming, then they stop making buds, then they drop their leaves and finally the canes die back. That is the routine a rose goes through to save it's roots so it can grow again when the weather is better. In a heat wave you have to water in a different way. I take the hose and with a strong stream make circles all around the base of the rose so that I create a saucer. I then move onto the next rose. When the water has drained away in the first bush, I go back and fill it up again. Climbers take twice the amount of water a hybrid tea does. Often when it is hot the top dries out too quickly. I have been doing this for a month now and getting tired doing it. All you need is yo make sure the little feeder roots which are near the top about 6 inches to 8 inches below the surface get well watered. Never mind about the long roots as they are the roots that keep the rose upright or anchor roots as they are called. Keep in mind that any rose will not look happy in extreme conditions and it won't be your fault. Just don't fertilize or spray in heat above 70' as some roses will get even and drop all their leaves. Hope this helps.