Question
QUESTION: I was told by someone that using old coffee grounds helps produce roses, is this true?  I recently planted six rose bushes, at first they were doing beautiful, I had over 41 buds waiting to bloom, within two days the roses either opened and fell apart or drooped, what happened?

ANSWER: Coffee grounds are good for any plants in the garden as they contain a small amount of nitrogen. They also act like a mini compost for the soil. That is all it will do for the roses. They will not help in any way to make the rose bush bloom better. You simply scatter a little amount around the base of the rose and then have to water it in or it won't work. Unless you used a large handfuls on your roses, the coffee grounds would not do what you describe to the roses. Hope this helps.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I recently received several rose bushes that were not doing very well, they were basically just green stalks.  I was told that if I cut them back before fall or in early spring they should be fine.  Do you have any suggestions that would help bring them back to be beautiful, two are called "Midnight Blue"(cv. WEKabpur) by Weeks Roses, and three of them are "Cl. Soaring Spirits" (cv. WEKbecfoj)by Weeks Roses.  Also, what do you recommend for beetle bugs? I have been using "Immunox", and we have bags out.
Thanks!!

Answer
If you live in an area that gets a cold winter, then don't cut the roses back as they could die. If the winter is warm I still would hesitate to cut them. You could cut out any dead or diseased canes but I would leave it at that. Next spring only prune them back to about 6 inches, scatter a handful of any rose fertilizer around the base, place a mulch to keep the roots cool and water, water, water until you see new growth coming then pull back. Roses will do well if they have lots of feeder roots. The main roots are like anchors but the frail little feeder roots take up the water and nutrients. When a rose is not doing well is can be that the feeder roots have been either damaged or killed. So you have to be the feeder roots as it takes about 6 weeks to two months for them to grow back. Cool roots make a rose do much better because it encourages bigger and better feeder roots.
Any insecticide should kill beetles make sure the one you have isn't the fungicide Immunox puts out. Beetles eat mainly at night so if you get up early around 7AM this is the time they are sleeping and if you whack the rose they should fall off easily. You can then finish the rest off by spraying. Make sure you also spray all around the base of the rose as there may be immature ones starting out there too. Usually when you have a spray that contains something for both insects as well as fungus problems, they usually are not as effective as a spray that is for just one thing only. Hope this helps.