Question
One of my rose buses is not blooming this year but has bloomed in the past.

It has grown as usual and is getting quite tall with "weak" stems.

It does not get 5 hours of sun each day, but never has.

What can I do?  Thanks.

Answer
Hi Pat-

It really depends on what type of rose you have - if it is a hybrid tea rose - it may only bloom (mostly) on new wood.  In this case - prune it low to the ground about 1 ft. to 1 1/2 ft. off the ground (at least 6 inches above the bud union/bud graft).  This will stimulate new growth and with it lots of blooms.  Another thing - what type of fertilizer do you use?  Roses need lots of fertilizer and lots of water to bloom.  I recommend time-release fertilizer every 3-4 months, and once a month Miracle Grow.  Or, you can use cow manure every few months (or fish emulsion once a month) and then use Miracle Grow about once a month also.  If the edges of petals or leaves have a brown tinge - that means you are over fertilizing so cut back a bit. What USDA zone are you in?  In the summer, roses do well watered about twice a week (every other day in extreme heat).  If you water - use a soaker hose for deep watering, or if you water by sprinkler - make sure it is over 20 minutes so the water has time to soak deeper into the ground.  Quick surface watering is not good for roses (encourages roots to grow close to the surface of the ground, and so the roses dry out faster, are less drought tolerant).

Also - since you planted the rose - have tree branches grown and filled in and is the area more shady than before?  If so, trim those branches!

Hope this helps.

Have fun smelling the roses -

Carlene
aka the Flowerlady