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sanjosegardener

Newbie to gardening and just ordered some bareroot roses from DA (9b)

Hello fellow gardeners, I justed joined this forum after reading through countless threads on roses. I am a newbie when it comes to gardening. Sad to say, I have had a low success rate with container gardening thus far with thr exception of succulents, which seem to really thrive where I live. Yesterday, at a whim, I ordered the strawberry hill, queen of sweden, and Princess alexandra of kent from David Austin to plant in my backyard. Hoping to get some advicewith regards to site selection and watering.


1. location: I know roses requre full sun but temperatures soar over 100 degrees here during the summer and I’m wondering if roses can withstand that kind of heat. Would a site that gets dappled sun for half of the day suffice?


2. watering: DA says to water everyday when first planting the bareroot. How long should I be watering everyday and how much? How much water should I give them during the spring and summer? Is drip irrigation watering ok?

Comments (7)

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    You asked some tough questions Hannah maybe only time and your own experience is going to answer best

    One thing is certain Roses don't like to sit in too much water, '' too much of a good thing" is really true when it comes to watering roses. In the 100 degree heat of course you will want to water often - you will get a feel for how they respond. I'm not at all familiar with drip irrigation, your roses might really enjoy that but it isn't a necessity. Avoiding extremes is key, not allowing the roses to get stressed from either too dry or waterlogged.

    I learned to read my rose's leaves- they will become limp and the rose buds will hang down when roses are really thirsty . They pop back up with a good drink.

    Dappled sun for the latter part of the day sounds perfect, but again you will have to see how they like it.

    My Strawberry Hill bloomed much better with 5 hours sun until my neighbor hung a huge flag that blocked the needed sunlight. She is a ravishing rose in the right spot.

    Do you have any neighbors that grow roses or a local plant nursery to coach you along ?

    Other Forum members are more experienced than me, I hope you will get more pointers.

    Before long you will be posting wonderful photos and giving advice too.



    sanjosegardener Zone 9b thanked User
  • 4 years ago

    I can’t really advise you because I don’t have that kind of heat but did want to say welcome!

    Also, just my opinion but I think any roses living in those temps would appreciate any shade you could offer them

    sanjosegardener Zone 9b thanked oursteelers 8B PNW
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I do have that kind of heat, my roses do better in morning sun and some protection from the scorching sun. regarding water, harder for me to say as we get a lot o

    sanjosegardener Zone 9b thanked CeresMer Zone 7a NJ
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    “At a whim,” I love it, you’re my kind of gardener! Wonderful choices by the way, I’m interested to see how your Princess Alexandra of Kent performs in bloom frequency and color. I go back and forth about getting her (all those petals and that pink just grab me) as I’ve heard mixed reviews here about her turning an awful salmony color for some. I have several DA’s and our temps here usually get to a high of 95 -105… at that point the new growth on all my roses that don’t get afternoon shade fry. I have to cut them back a bit after it passes. They do recover nicely, as if it never happened. I also have drip irrigation and use the Dig brand adjustable micro bubbler. I set it on the 6th notch when twisting to the left. My zone runs for 6 minutes on M, W, F and Sat. When the temp gets above 80-85 consistently, then I water twice a day and everyday but Sunday. I have very heavy clay soil but amend the holes I plant the roses in. I’ve never had a problem with any signs of over watering. In fact, I became so aggressive with the watering after a frightening experience when on a 90 degree day I looked out my window and my Falling in Love hybrid tea rose was bent over limp… canes laying in the ground! She survived and is thriving but I felt like a terrible rose mother. As long as the soil isn’t a constant sopping wet I feel like the roses can take the water… keep in mind that where I live it only rains in the winter… I get no rain for spring and summer so adjust your watering accordingly. Also, drip irrigation only waters a small portion of the roots, so it’s not like the entire bush is sitting in water. It still amazes me how plants survive with this method. Give it a go, trial and error in my opinion is the best way to learn what works for you, your plants and their environment. I’ve had plants that we’re supposed to perform fail and ones that should have failed excel. My supposed winter blooming hellebores mystify me and only bloom in the spring and summer… go figure. BTW, I agree… in no time you’ll be offering advice to others here. You got this!

    sanjosegardener Zone 9b thanked Lara Zone 10
  • 4 years ago

    Welcome!! So good to have you with us!

    sanjosegardener Zone 9b thanked rosecanadian
  • 4 years ago

    Some DA roses will get fried petals in the heat. Mine do in the summer. Best flowering times are spring and fall into winter. Some of them will be great plants in morning sun or even partial sun. If it's not enough sun, the roses don't bloom well and then you move them next December. You can try out locations with large pots the first year but then you have to water all the time. I use inexpensive beach umbrellas when the Temps get over 98. They do much better shaded for a few days of a heat wave. I had burnt leaves when it got over 108. Now I use the umbrellas, shade cloth, old sheets, whatever I can get. I've seen roses growing in a shade house out in the inland empire. It's an adventure and you try your best and see what happens. One thing you MUST do is mulch and keep the roots cool. Roots getting hot and dry makes the plants shut down and stop flowering.