Roses are a beautiful addition to any summer garden, but keeping them thriving as the weather begins to cool can be challenging. 

August tends to be a transitional time for roses as it is the last flush of flowers before their blooms begin to die off in autumn as the growing season comes to an end. 

However, taking the time to deadhead roses now will prevent the plant from spending energy on dying foliage but redirect it into producing more beautiful blooms, which can lead to a prolonged flowering period. 

Rhiannon Odey, a gardening expert from Easy Garden Irrigation, has shared that deadheading roses as well as other summer flowers is a very important gardening job for the end of summer to help keep a garden flourishing. 

She said: “Deadheading is essential to keep your garden vibrant well into autumn. Focus on dahlias, roses, summer perennials, and annual bedding plants to prevent them from going to seed and to promote continued blooming.” 

How to deadhead roses 

Deadheading, the gardening job of removing dead or damaged flowers from a plant, is incredibly easy to do and should only take you a few minutes in the morning. 

All you need to do is look for the first set of healthy green five-cluster leaves below a spent bloom, as this is where a new bud usually emerges. 

Then simply cut at an angle above the leaves at a angle, as this prevents moisture from collecting on the cut surface which also stops rot or disease from forming. 

Rhiannon said: “When you notice a flower beginning to fade or droop, grab a pair of sharp, clean shears and make a diagonal cut just above the first set of healthy leaves.

“This technique not only tidies up the plant but also encourages it to channel energy into producing new growth.”

Make sure to also collect any spent flower cutting and dispose of them properly, as not only can use foliage encourage pests but it can release too much nitrogen into the soil and affect the plant’s health. 

Within the next couple of weeks, you should begin to see the first signs of growth and have a stronger, healthier and more vibrant rose bush that will continue to flower for much longer. 

When to deadhead roses in summer 

Deadheading is an easy task that is necessary to help create healthier roses but doing it at the wrong time can be disastrous. 

Rhiannon said: “By removing spent blooms and preventing seed head formation, you also reduce the risk of disease and pests that target weakened or decaying plant tissue.

“However, avoid deadheading right after rainfall or during extreme weather, as plants are most fragile during these times.”

Deadheading also promotes more air circulation in plants which helps prevent both pests and diseases, but fungal infections are very common in summer and spread through moisture. 

This is why it is best to only deadhead on a dry day when it has not been raining and the plant is not wet to prevent common rose diseases such as black spot from making their way into your garden. 

The ideal time to deadhead roses is on a dry morning before 10am when the weather is much cooler. High temperatures will put stress on the plant, which can cause it to wilt or make flowers fall prematurely.