My Rose Bush Will Not Bloom

Rose bushes are often the focal points of flower beds, but sometimes they don't want to bloom.

Although rose bushes require a lot of attention and care, the big beautiful blooms they produce often make all the trouble worth it. There are frustrating times, however, whena rose bush does not want to bloom and when you don't know why. Fortunately, knowing a few things about what causes roses not to bloom can remedy the situation and help get your rose bush to start producing flowers again.

First Year and Pruning

It is not uncommon for roses that are climbers or ramblers to not bloom during their first year. This is because all of the plant's energy is directed towards growing and becoming established. Avoid continuously cutting back this type of rose each year since blooms generally form on second-year wood. Remember that while giving the plant a good pruning may make it look better, it may also prevent blooms from appearing during the next blooming season.

Sunlight and Watering

Rose bushes need to stay healthy if they are to continue to bloom. This type of plant typically requires at least 5 hours of sunlight a day and a thorough watering at least 2 to 3 times a week. This is especially important during the warmer and dryer months of summer. Check plants to see how much direct sunlight they are receiving each day and make sure that the ground is damp but not overly saturated. If sunlight or irrigation is a problem, consider moving the plant to a better area when it is in its dormant period in late fall or early spring.

Fertilizing

Over-fertilizing a rose bush is often one of the main reasons that it will not bloom. The American Rose Society recommends using a weaker strength chemical fertilizer more frequently on newer plants rather than giving it the full amount that you would give an older, more established, rose bush. To keep established rose bushes healthy, use a granular rose food with an N-P-K of 10-10-10 every four weeks or as directed on the packaging label.

Blind Shoots

Blind shoots is a condition that affects rose bushes in which a shoot appears on a rose bush, but the flower buds do not form. It is actually a stem without a flower. The reason for this is not exactly known; however, studies indicate that the temperature or amount of light that a rose bush receives could be a factor. There is also a theory that the rose bush has simply produced too many stems and cannot form the corresponding blooms. Although there does not appear to be a way to prevent this from happening, blind shoots that are deadheaded or pruned just as if they had a flower growing on them will often have a larger growth of blooms from the side buds during future blooming periods.

References

• Every Rose: Rose Info
• Heirloom Roses: Rose Information
• The Rose Parade; What To Do With Blind Shoots; Robert B Martin Jr.; October 1996
• American Rose Society; Fertilizers: When and How; Jill Barnard