Question
Dear Henry,

Thanks for your constant help for the last few months. I appreciated very much. I wish you have a wonderful holiday season and a lucky new year!

My mini roses in the ground have problem almost one week.Their leaves in the bottom turned yellow again, while there are some new leaves on the top growing. Around one month ago, I put lots of grass and pine tree needles around them and almost covered them. When I went to observe them, I had to use my hand to take away some needles, and I found they were in a very warm and humid environment due to those grass and needles around them. I am wondering whether their leaves turned yellow were due to tight surrounding needles I put, and could hardly "breathe"? It was "hot" here this winter and "hotter" at their micro environment. This morning, I took away some yellow bottom leaves and pushed the pine needles a little bit away from them, so the soil and my roses can breathe. I don't know what the exact reason is. Could you please give me advice to stop this? Last time, when my roses were in the pot, and the leaves turned yellow. You told me they needed to be plant in the ground. I did, and they looked good after I planted them. But they are sick again. What is the reason this time?

You don't have to give me answer in a hurry, Enjoy your holidays, and response when you have time.

Merry Christmas!
Lena
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
Dear Henry,

I found and bought the bone meal you suggested. When should I use it? I didn't have it when I planted them in fall like you suggested. It's quite warm here recently, around 70F. Would they dormant like you said? Please kindly advice.
-----Answer-----
Sorry for not replying sooner, Lena.  My internet has been up and down.  I know flowers and soil science, but not a pixel from a pattycake.

Bone Meal is an excellent soil conditioner that releases daily doses of Phosphorous, which is used to build roots and flowers among other good things.

In the spring, when you see the forsythia blooming in your neck of the woods, scratch some of the Bone Meal all around the soil.  Don't scratch too deep or you will disturb the roots - they are very shallow and fine, and you want to build them up not tear them down.

We are having a warm spell.  Deciduous plants use day length and temperature to trigger hormones that will make them dormant.  Do not fertilize.  They need to rest.  Occasional watering is ok, but only if they need it - desert conditions or 10 days or more without rain.  The temperatures are up now, but they will come down when it's winter.  One of the laws of gardening.  What goes up must come down.

Again, I am sorry I was not able to write sooner.  Happy Holidays.

Answer
We have had some unseasonably warm weather, Lena, these past few weeks.  This is bringing many plants out of dormancy and causing spring bulbs to sprout, but most winters bring these kinds of temperature spikes and it is not unheard of.

Roses at this time of year should be dormant.  But dormancy is something that takes time.  It is not a sudden state of hybernation.  In any plant, systems slow down, "antifreeze must be produced, it is a gradual condition.  After all, you don't wake up one morning and see brown leaves at the base of all the trees where there were green leaves the day before.  It takes many weeks for those leaves to turn red and orange and finally to drop off the tree and turn brown.  Ditto, Roses.  It sounds like warm weather hit your neighborhood before your little Rosebush had a chance to go dormant.  I almost wonder if it is getting blackspot with all the moisture and heat.

Keep the mulch on and let your Rose go dormant.  It is the only choice right now.  Be prepared for ups and downs in heat.  Happy New Year.