Rose slug damage.

Thank you so much!

Passionvine, I have been noticing a bunch of us are having problems with our roses not blooming as much, even my marigolds. Wondering if this is another problem?

@kentucky_rose zone 6 anything that reduces the food production can affect flowering. Sawfly damage reduces the chlorophyll production ability of those leaves and, if sufficiently severe, can reduce the growth and flowering of the plant. Weather extremes (too cold, too hot, too dry, too wet) can significantly affect the plant's ability to produce food, grow and flower. With this year's weird extremes across the country, it's no surprise plants aren't responding as they usually have. Our area is a huge straw and other berry producing area. The plants have produced fruit but, because we haven't had the heat we usually receive, few of them taste good. Sugar production requires heat. Cool weather results in fruit without the expected sweet taste. The only roses and hibiscus really flowering in my yard are those closest to walls and fences where they receive increased reflected and radiated heat. Those without that extra heat just sit. Bcees are usually more active at temps above 70 F and we've had little of those temps this year, with few bees in the yard. I do not spray anything so pesticide use doesn't play a part. As both the plants and pollinators evolved together, if one isn't producing food to attract them, the pollinators usually aren't active. Thankfully, the plastic mulch around the berries and the hoop houses over the other types result in more heat and bee activity than we've gotten in the chilly yard. It's interesting driving around town and noticing how flowering trees respond to the surrounding conditions. There are Jacaranda trees along public streets which receive enough heat from the surrounding asphalt to push them into beautiful color. Then, there are those in lawns which aren't warm enough to push color, which are in full foliage with no color. They may flower IF "summer" heat ever reaches us this year.

Interesting that you’re having a cool summer, Kim. It’s plenty warm here!!

We have the world's largest a/c unit just nine, flat miles to the west...the Pacific. There is constant wind and it's always COLD.

I live about an hour south of Kim, and the giant a/c unit is two miles away from me. This July has been the coolest I can remember in the 38 years I've lived here. I'm not complaining at all, because I love our fog, particularly when I'm working in the yard. But it's been quite the thing to have pretty much an entire July be between 68-75 for a high every day. And Kim's city has been even cooler than mine this summer. Our summer highs average ~78, but those are averages, and we've had no big heat bursts. Suffice it to say that I don't post on threads about the brutal heat around the country :-D

O you lucky, lucky people...average summer high of about 78 degrees sounds like Heaven!