How to Water Roses for Optimal Growth in Your Garden (2024)

Roses are some of the most popular and widely cultivated flowers in the world. To produce their best flowers each season, roses need a well considered watering schedule that factors in the varieties you’re growing, the local climatic conditions, and the soil base the plants are growing in. In this guide, I’ll run through my essential tips on when and how to water roses for optimal growth and maximum blooms each season.

When and How to Water Roses – 10 Essential Tips to Follow:

1. Water roses deeply but infrequently. This may mean watering once a week during spring and summer to keep the soil moist.

2. The best time to water roses is in the morning, which helps ensure the leaves have time to dry out during the day, reducing the risk of diseases like blackspot and powdery mildew.

3. Avoid watering roses from above, as this can splash soil onto the leaves, potentially spreading diseases. It can also lead to sunburn if the water droplets on the leaves magnify the sun’s rays.

4. Soaker hoses or drip Irrigation are often the best options for watering roses because they deliver water directly to the roots and help keep the foliage dry. They’re also more water-efficient.

5. It’s important to check soil moisture before watering. Stick your finger into the soil, if the top 2 inches feel dry, it’s time to water. If it feels moist, wait a day or two.

6. Mulching helps retain soil moisture and keeps the roots cooler, reducing the plant’s water requirements. Use organic mulches like compost, well-rotted manure, or wood chips.

7. When you water, do it deeply to encourage roots to grow down, which helps the plant withstand drought better. A good rule of thumb is to water until the top 5 or so inches of soil is moist.

8. In hot, dry, or windy weather, roses will need more frequent watering. After heavy rain, you may not need to water for several days.

9. Newly planted roses have shallower roots and may need to be watered more often, typically every 2-3 days. Gradually increase the time between waterings to encourage deeper rooting.

10. Roses grown in containers or pots will need more frequent watering, often daily in hot weather, because pots dry out more quickly than the ground.

The Importance of Watering Correctly

Like most organisms on Earth, plants depend on water to survive. Plants absorb water from the surrounding soil using their roots. Water helps plants create healthy new stems, leaves, and flowers – forming up to 95% of a plant’s total mass.

Along with carbon dioxide and sunlight, water is extremely vital for photosynthesis. While water is absorbed by the roots, carbon dioxide and sunlight are absorbed through the leaves. Combining these resources produces glucose, a vital sugar used to manufacture cellulose – the basic building block of plant tissue.

When plants absorb water from the soil through their roots, they also take in important nutrients and minerals. These vital nutrients include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen helps produce bushy foliage, while phosphorus is essential for flower development.

Plants also use water to cool themselves down in hot conditions. Using a process called transpiration, plants allow excess water to evaporate through their leaves. This reduces temperature but also stimulates the plant to absorb fresh water from the soil.

Watering Frequencies

In my experience, established roses typically need to be watered about once a week. I usually need to apply a full can of water each week to keep the soil nice and moist. During the summer, I find that I need to water every three or four days if the weather is hot and dry. I aim to water early in the morning to prevent too much water from evaporating before it reaches the roots.

I like to water my newly planted roses every two or three days, especially during the summer. This helps my plants establish a sound root system without suffering from stress. Roses growing in pots need watering more frequently than those growing in the ground.

Do Roses Prefer Wet or Dry Soil?

I find that roses thrive best in rich, well-draining soils that still retain some moisture. As such, they prefer moist soils rather than dry or waterlogged soils. If the soil gets too dry, they will struggle to produce vibrant and lush flowers. If the soil is too wet, they can also suffer from fungal infections and root rot.

Knowing When to Water

I find one of the most common signs roses need watering is when the plants begin to droop or wilt. I like to keep an eye on the flowers and water my plants if the blooms start wilting in summer. I also check the soil regularly and water if the top inch or two feels dry to the touch.

How to Check if Your Plant Needs Watering

To check if your rose needs watering, I examine the flowers and stems to see if they’re wilting. You can also check whether the soil still feels moist using your finger. Push your finger into the soil and water your roses if your finger feels almost completely dry.

Environmental Factors

Hot temperatures, low humidity, and more sunlight are all factors that force roses to use more water. In these conditions, these plants often need to cool themselves down through transpiration. As such, you’ll need to water them more frequently to replace the lost water.

I find that roses are generally happiest in USDA Zones 4 to 10 and grow best in temperatures between 60 and 70ºF. While most roses can tolerate hot temperatures up to 100ºF, this causes them to use more water.

In cooler temperatures or areas with higher humidity, these plants will use less water. Therefore, it’s important not to overwater your roses in these conditions.

Seasonal Factors

Roses use water differently in different seasons, which affects how you should water them throughout the year. During the summer, the plants use far more water as conditions get hotter and drier. In my experience, I often need to water them every three or four days in exceptionally hot or dry conditions.

During the winter, many roses lose their leaves and go dormant. As such, you can cut back on watering. Typically, I’ll water deeply after the first frost and apply a thick layer of mulch to preserve moisture. I then water them sporadically but don’t let them fully dry out.

How to Water Roses

Watering roses correctly protects your plants from diseases and enables them to use water as efficiently as possible. I find that roses prefer to be watered deeply and allowed to dry out slightly. However, take care to avoid overwatering or underwatering your roses.

You can also use a rose attachment on your watering can to reduce the risk of overwatering. Aim your watering can around the base of the plant and thoroughly soak the soil. I try to avoid splashing water onto the leaves or flowers, as this can lead to rot and other problems.

Signs That You Might Be Overwatering

Drooping or Wilting Leaves

If your roses have drooping or wilting leaves, you might be overwatering them. In my experience, drooping or wilting leaves are one of the symptoms of root rot, which is caused by waterlogged soil. In these circ*mstances, I look to improve soil drainage by adding some fine grit, perlite, or sand, to allow the plants to dry out more quickly.

Yellowing Leaves

Yellowing rose leaves are another sign that you might be overwatering your plants. In my experience, this is also a common symptom of root rot. Remove any yellowing leaves and check the soil. If it feels too wet, add sand or grit to improve drainage and wait for the soil to dry out.

Waterlogged Soil

If the soil around your rose stays waterlogged for several days, you may be overwatering. I find that these plants prefer moist soils rather than wet soils. Waterlogged soil indicates that the soil isn’t draining correctly, so mix in some grit, sand, or perlite.

Signs That You May Be Underwatering

Wilting Flowers or Leaves

You may be underwatering your rose if its leaves or flowers are wilting. I recommend checking the soil and watering it gradually over a couple of days if it feels really dry. This rehydrates the soil and should help your rose to perk up.

Dry, Cracked Soil

If the soil around your rose is dry and cracked, you’ve probably been underwatering your rose. Re-hydrate the soil by watering it gradually over the next couple of days. I’d also recommend adding in some more organic matter, such as compost, to improve water retention.

About Roses

Roses are woody perennial shrubs from the Rosa genus of the Rosaceae family. Many of these gorgeous flowers are native to China and other parts of Asia and North America. Hundreds of rose hybrids and cultivars are also available.

There are three main types of roses: old garden roses, species roses, and modern or hybrid roses. These main groups are further divided into various subgroups, such as floribunda and polyantha roses.

Roses have stout, woody stems laden with distinctive thorns. Most roses are deciduous and have alternate oval-shaped leaves with serrated margins. Roses are famous for their large, fragrant flowers with five petals. The flowers are then followed by red berries known as rosehips.

When and How to Water Roses FAQs:

Wrapping Up

Water established roses once a week during spring and summer. Water in the early morning, wherever possible. Newly planted roses should be watered every one to three days until they become established. Water your roses every three or four days during hot, dry summers.

For more, see our in-depth guide on where to plant roses in your garden and whether roses will bloom indoors.