In the hottest part of summer, high 90 degree F. and tripple digit heat, I water my not yet quite established roses with one inch of water ever 3- 4 days, if that much rain has not already naturally fallen. That is as long as they are planted in an area with good drainage.

In more moderate growing temperatures, I give them 1 inch amounts of supplimental water once a week, if the rains have not already dropped that much.

My Roses which have been growing in the ground for three years, most times seem better able to survive well with just natural rain events.

Things to think about concerning sudden death of roses:

In the growing season were they infested with disease, or bugs?

Does the soil stay too moist, or is the water table kept too high from runoff water not being able to escape the rose bed?

Did the graft union or the roots become damaged by too deep of freezing soil during the winter?

Are the roses receiving too much shade from 1lam through 6pm daily during the growing season?

In the winter was the mulch refreshed and thick enough to insulate the roots over the winter?

In the early spring, just after the roses leafed out did a late freeze ever occur which caused too much damage to the roses?

If your answers to the above question, reveal that the roses were not stressed by any of these issues, than your roses that have died might not have been in good enough condition when you purchased or before you planted them.

Then again, consider the area where your roses die. Is there a microclimate, in the bed where those roses were planted, which is incompatible with the type of roses, that you tried to grow?

How do you know how much is an inch when you water? I keep seeing to water x number of inches but have no idea how to judge that. I use a soaker hose.

Jim,
I don't think American Pillar would die from too little water. My garden has been in drought for the past two years. I have two large American Pillars. One is along a fence line and only gets rainwater. The other is in a potentially worse situation; it grows at the base of a mature walnut and up into that walnut about 35'. That walnut takes up available moisture.
Last summer my place was in the exceptional drought catagory from July through October.
Both American Pillars came through last summer with no cane loss.

Verticillium wilt can kill roses quickly. If the rose appears not to have rotted in place (and that would bring in a whole lot of different saprophytic fungi), if I were you, I'd contact Cornell and ask if they could check for fungal or bacterial problems on both roots and stems.

It's not lack of water. For this area, roses are extremely drought tolerant. What they do if they don't get enough water is to repeat poorly or not at all. That would actually increase the probability of surviving a winter.

The best way to know if you are watering enough is to check the soil 24 hours after watering... if it is wet 3" down then you have watered enough...

I have had lots of roses die on me. Molineux died suddenly in the middle of the summer. Many have a little green cane in early spring and then just turn brown and die. I am very cautious about buying Austins. A bunch of Bucks died on me, too, and some of the survivors are just barely hanging on. Other roses are quite vigorous. We need a buyers guide of roses that actually thrive in zone 5.

I saw a post on here many years ago from a lady who lived in zone 5 and grew American Pillar. She said it died back to the ground every winter but by summer, it across her fence and loaded with bloom. I think she was growing it on a tall picket like fence. Cannot remember all the details but I recall being impressed that it died back completely but within a few weeks was all across her fence blooming and gave me hope for all my roses that look so bad in February.

well, the way I check to see if a rose has enough water if I am not sure about it,if I have a bud or a bloom on it some where,I bend it over and try to "pop" it off, kind of like breaking a piece of speghetti.if it has enough water it Pops off, but its needing water,it don't pop off.Then its like its wilted,it won't pop off and I end up having to cut it off. Some times use a mosture meter, too,but the first one is my best way for me.

Jean

Come to think of, American Pillar did come down with something after it bloomed. Foliage turned a light green. I gave it a little urea but that didn't seem to make a difference.

Then I admit I forgot about it being a somewhat negligent gardener. Then in the fall it lost its' leaves and looked dead. But I thought its' an old rose and most likely was tough. Well that proved wrong. I should have had a closer look and tried to do something about it.

And thanks for all the comments!

How do you know how much is an inch when you water? I keep seeing to water x number of inches but have no idea how to judge that. I use a soaker hose.

janegael, dig a little hole and place a straight sided (not angled) can or jar under one section of your soaker hose. Then measure the water with a ruler.

I second Ann's comment: Verticillium Wilt can cause rapid dieback of a rose and result ultimately in its demise. Yellowing of foliage and dieback of canes from the tip downward can be a symptom of Verticillium, especially if it occurs during the growing season.