Are roses blooming but always drooping and you can’t see the flowers? This is a problem that many gardening enthusiasts encounter. To solve the problem of roses blooming with drooping heads, you first need to find the cause and take targeted measures. Today, I will share some effective ways to improve rose bloom droop.
Common causes of drooping rose blooms and how to deal with them
Roses with drooping blooms are usually caused by the following two main reasons:
1. Variety
There are many varieties of roses, some varieties have relatively thin and soft branches, while the flowers are large, so the branches cannot support the weight of the flowers when blooming, which leads to drooping. For example, the very popular rose variety “Zhenzhou”, its beautiful flowers, heat and sun resistance, loved by gardening enthusiasts, and even known as one of the “Guangdong three treasures”.
However, even with such an excellent variety, ‘Zenith’ also suffers from drooping blooms. This is due to its long, thin branches and large flowers, which make it prone to drooping when in bloom.
Here are some common rose varieties that tend to droop:
- Shrub roses: Misaki, Pat, Silver Jubilee Celebration, Drops of Heart, Autumn Blush, Vineyard Song, Poet’s Wife, and others.
- Vine roses: Golden Celebration, Abraham Darby, Lady of Charlotte, Grand Parade Rose, Pink Da Vinci, Pink Lonza Gem, Wedgwood, Blue Shade, Rouge Buckle, and more.
If you don’t like rose varieties with drooping blooms, choose varieties with more upright branches. Example:
- Shrub roses: camellia ladies, Swedish queens, dream halo, Monet, Heavenly Fantasy, Coral Jelly, etc., as well as balcony roses such as Juicy Balcony, King Neptune, Scarlet Goblin, and Romantic Baby, or rose-type cut-flower varieties such as Carolla, Antique Snow Hill, and Peach Snow Hill.
- Vine roses: Red Lonza Gem, Romantic Vine Baby, Angela, Purple Gown Jade Ribbon, etc.
It is important to choose the right variety for your growing environment. For example, some vine roses are beautiful even with drooping heads, allowing the flowers to hang down naturally for easy viewing. In addition, if you plan to grow your roses hanging, you can also choose varieties that are easy to droop.
It is important to note that some varieties of roses that droop easily can be improved with good care, while some varieties that don’t droop easily may do so if not properly cared for.
2. Maintenance reasons
Many gardening enthusiasts may find that the same rose varieties perform completely differently under different maintenance conditions. This means that whether or not a rose will have a drooping head depends greatly on how we care for it.
If we are able to keep the rose’s branches strong, it will stand up better. On the contrary, if there is insufficient fertilization and the branches grow thin and weak, they will not be able to support the weight of the flowers, and even varieties that are not prone to drooping will become droopy.
Care advice for shrub roses:
- Re-prune shrub roses each winter to encourage the sprouting of strong new shoots in the spring.
- Maintain an adequate supply of fertilizer and water during the growing season to ensure healthy, strong branches.
- If not pruned properly in the winter or fertilized in the spring, branches will become thin and weak and tend to droop when in bloom.
Care advice for vine roses:
- You do not need to prune heavily in the winter, but you do need to prune out thin, weak branches.
- Do a good job of traction in the winter so that the rose sprouts strong new branches in the spring.
- Strong new branches are less likely to droop when they bloom, while thin, weak branches are more likely to exhibit drooping.
Bonus tip: Use bracket support ahead of time
As roses are coming into full bloom, if you notice that your shrub roses have soft branches with lots of buds, we recommend that you support them with a stand in advance. You can opt for a climbing vine stand, or a simple DIY stand made from plastic-coated wire. Finish bracing your roses before the buds show color so that the flowers will be neater when they bloom.
Note that if you wait until after blooming to add support, the flowers may look twisted in the short term, which detracts from the viewing experience. However, after two days or so, the plant will gradually return to perfect shape.