Roses are more likely to be infected by fungal disease or eaten by pests in spring (Image: Getty)
Rose buds should look swollen and ready to burst open in April, but before you begin enjoying these beautiful flowers, you should be careful when watering them. Watering plants might seem like the easiest gardening job there is, but roses are very vulnerable to disease in spring as spores spread in stagnant water that collects in puddles around the soil.
One of the worst plant diseases roses can catch at this time of year is black spot, which saps all their energy and causes all their flowers to fall off the plant. However, Teresa Byingto – an experienced gardener and founder of The Garden Diary – has shared that keeping roses safe is as simple as long as you know the proper time to water them. Teresa said: “A good rule of thumb is to water in the morning instead of evening. We want to put the roses to bed as dry as possible so evening watering is tricky. Wet leaves are more susceptible to fungal diseases (e.g. black spot and powdery mildew).”
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What is the best time to water roses?
A common mistake gardeners make is watering when it is convenient, which is usually after work in the late afternoon or evening, but this can actually harm roses in the long term.
Roses need time to absorb water, and when watering is left too late they are more likely to stay wet overnight which will create the ideal environment for fungal spores to grow.
Not only does watering later in the day encourage disease, but damp soil will also attract slugs, aphids, and other night pests that are known to eat away at roses.
It is also incredibly important to avoid watering roses after 12pm as this is the highest point the sun reaches and more water will evaporate rather than being absorbed into the soil.
Try to avoid watering roses after 11am if possible, but the ideal time is between 6am and 9am, as it gives roses more time to soak up all the water, so they can withstand the warm weather.
The best time to water roses is before 11am to help them grow healthier flowers (Image: Getty)Why is it so important to water roses before 11am?
Watering plants not only hydrates them, but the moisture helps more nutrients travel down to the roots, which helps roses grow much bigger flowers.
Roses are most active during the day, and when watered in the morning, they make the most of the extra nutrients to photosynthesise and store more energy.
Taking the time to water in the morning might be a struggle for some busy gardeners, but it is one of the most effective ways to help the plant stay healthy in spring when fungal diseases are more common.
It also helps ensure you will get the best blooms possible, as roses that have to sit in water are more likely to begin rotting or become stressed, which will greatly affect how much they flower.
When rose buds are properly hydrated, as they begin to open, they will be stronger, have a deeper colour, and simply look fuller as they grow.
Watering consistently at the same time early in the day also helps flowers stay fresh much longer and are less likely to dry out in summer, so the roses will last much longer than they usually would.
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