
Gardening success depends on many factors and problems can arise unique to your situation. You may wish to first try washing them off with a hard stream of water. Choose a garden spray formulated for aphids. Aphids- these insects sometimes give Drift roses trouble.A spray treat-ment is then applied every 7 to 10 days, alternating between 3 different products, all available at Rockaway Garden Center: Spinosad, Merit, and Orthene or similar product. If you do have thrips, the first task is to cut back the roses as in the winter, removing as much foliage as possible and disposing it in the trash. We would be happy to do this, or the County Extension Office can also help. If you notice these signs, you should bring in a sample for diagnosis. They are hard to find but you will notice signs of mottled new growth and deformed leaves and flower buds. Chilli Thrips- these tiny insects are a big challenge to roses in Jacksonville.Check your plants frequently to catch any problems early.To further prevent the spread of disease, do not compost diseased leaves or cuttings.

Do not mulch heavily though, and keep it at least 6 inches from the base of the plant. Replace mulch immediately to create a physical barrier between the plant and fungal spores on the ground. Rake leaf litter beneath the plant after the first pruning to remove dead and diseased leaves that have fallen during the winter.This limits the amount of time foliage remains wet. If this is not possi-ble, run your irrigation in the early morning as opposed to the evening. Avoid overhead watering, if possible, to help prevent the spread of fungal disease.We can suggest appropriate treatments but most disease and insect problems can be controlled with prevention and cultural measures. Pest and Disease Controlĭrift roses don’t require the same high level of insecticide and fungicide treatment as you may have heard for many roses, but they do sometimes require a little attention. Liquid fertilizer should be used on a monthly basis as Drifts use a lot of energy to grow all those beautiful flowers, and require a little extra fertilization to keep up. Earth’s Total Advantage Rose and Flower fertilizer. We also recommend using a liquid fertilizer such as Dr. A good time to fertilize would be on or around your pruning times. Earth’s Life Organic Fertilizer or Osmo-cote every three months during the growing season. We recommend fertilizing with a slow release fertilizer such as Dr. We do sug-gest deadheading when convenient, however, since removing spent flowers promotes quicker flower cycles and also helps keep a tidy appearance between prunings. Deadheadingĭrift roses are self-cleaning and will continue to flower and look fine without deadheading. Pruning 3– Late Summer/ Early Fall This prune helps to remove some of the older looking foliage after a hot summer and encourages a new flush of foliage and flowers for the fall. After each bloom cycle it helps to trim a few inches from the plant to encourage new growth. Pruning 2– Early Summer In early summer Drift roses can be pruned back again by at least one third.
BEST WAY TO WATER DRIFT ROSES IN GROUND AND ON A SLOPE FULL
This will remove any diseased foliage and help keep the plants full and bushy.

Pruning 1– Mid February At this time we advise taking the plants down to 10-12” or even further. Pruningĭrift roses can simply be sheared to the desired shape and size, while also removing any dead wood. This can be done by the UF/IFAS Extension Soil Testing Laboratory. However, you may still want to have your soil tested to determine pH and adjust as necessary. Much of Florida’s coastal soils have an alkaline pH which roses like. Amending the soil with Jolly Gardener organic compost or a good planting mix is recommended. Plant your roses where they will receive 4 to 6 hours of full sun daily so they will flower in spring, summer and fall, and protect them from salt spray. While Drift roses are very low maintenance, we have found that in our hot and humid northeast Florida climate, a few simple measures will help keep your roses at their peak.
