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Hi. I posted the issue I was having with my roses in my introduction. I've taken picturesto post here. But to sum it up we just bought a property with mature roses mini hybrid and some regular ones. We moved in in Feb. When the weather starts warming up here in the Mojave desert.. we fed the rose food twice now....one just yesterday. So it seems like the last time I pruned them...perhaps mid July killed them is that possible?

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Hope that works!!!

How long have they been looking like that? What are your temps like now? Roses do go dormant for the winter. I know the desert is hot in summer, but if you are in high desert in can be cold by now. Anyway, I think the dormancy is triggered at least partly by hours of daylight...

Unfortunately they have been looking like that for at least a month. I am sorry to say I don't know exactly when they got that bad. I believe I "pruned" them in July and that is when they began their downhill decent. It is still in the mid 90's during the day and hasn't gotten below 55 at night. They are seeming like there is new growth, but I've heard that you can't prune roses enough, so I went against my gut instinct and prune dthem when it was way too hot.

First. Forget whatever you might have read anywhere else, any other time, no matter who the authority, about rose care before you moved to the Mojave Desert.

Second. Run, do not walk, to the nearest source for the Sunset Western Garden Book or any of its little brethren, esp. one on roses. Sunset understands western climates as no other publisher in the English language does. Learn what your Sunset climate zone is, then see what Sunset recommends for rose care in said climate zone.

Third. Whatever Sunset says to do, do it. Your roses will be happier, and you will therefore be happier.

Sunset saved my...ah..."behind" when I moved to California from Georgia after college. I came from a four-season, "normal" place to the weather-wise very weird San Francisco Bay Area, where it never rains in the summer, only rains in the winter, and planting of trees must occur in October. Sunset to the rescue.

I hope you can bring some of your roses back to good health!

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

Thanks so much for the tip! I am currently running to Home depot!

Upon closer examination I have seen holes, or burrows piercing through the trunks of all of my rose bushes. I know I was supposed to keep an eye out for Japanese beetles, which I haven't seen any on my roses but there are tons out back on my pomagranites, But I have seen termites on occasion on the property. Has anyone else experienced death by termites?

I don't think termites would ordinarily attack live rose bushes. If they did, I think it would be the roots. Termites don't like to be in the open air.

But there is something called a rose stem borer.

I don't grow roses, because I'm an organic gardener and traditional roses can be difficult to grow organically, there are so many different pests and diseases that attack them.

Thanks for the tip. I can't understand it all. It's a lot to keep up with!!! I appreciate it!

Okay...I thought I would update you all in my continued dilemma with my miniature roses shrubs.They continued to wither and this spring they did not respond well to the warm weather and plethora of water and attention I've been giving them.

I started breaking off the obviously dead parts so the bush can bloom where it may.

I found a couple of maggoty looking squirmy bugs with a kind of a hammerhead look for eyes. They were white and maybe an inch to an inch and a half long.

I would like to know what it is so I can prevent them from overtaking my others. Thanks so much.

Roses are hard to grow organically. They are a little bit high maintenance especially if they are hybrid teas.

The most carefree roses I have are the shrub roses and landscape roses.

Almost every other kind, hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora need some TLC.

Since so many pests bother roses, I use systemics. Bayer tree and shrub takes care of most pests and the bane of roses black spot for up to a year. Systemic Rose control 3 in 1 will feed the roses and do the same for 6 weeks. You need to read the label for precautions and directions for use. The really bad part of this is that it is definitely harmful to bees and beneficials and you need to be very careful of runoff.

Roses need to be pruned, usually after a bloom cycle. Major pruning usually is done in winter. You want to prune roses in a vase shape to help open up the center. Cuts should be made cleanly and if you can sterilize your tools with a torch to prevent transmission of disease. I try not to prune roses drastically. I generally remove dead branches and branches growing in the wrong direction first. I try to cut above an outward facing bud to direct growth. Most plants should not be pruned more than 1/3 at a time. Give it a chance to recover before prune more. You can always come back to shape the rose, once you make the cut, you have to live with it so study your choices.

OH YEAH! Roses are heavy feeders. They need to be fed regularly.

https://www.rose.org/site/epage/75481_766.htm
https://www.rose.org/pruning-roses/
https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/50134/1/6953.pdf
https://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/p ... c1173.html