Mixture? Clay with 3" of manure is fine; manure with 3" of clay is not.

The manure should be enough fertilizing for the first season.

Roses become semi-dormant in summer when they run short of water; however, if they are making new growth, they are not semi-dormant.

If you say where you live, we can make some recommendations about watering. Please add your location to your username

If your roses were only planted a month or two ago, they are still trying to grow roots. As this happens under the ground, you will not see it. I would give them water, water, water, and nothing else. Let them have some time to settle in. NO FERTILIZER until they are putting out a lot of top growth. Also, I presume you are somewhere in Tennessee ? Where? It really helps to know where you are gardening - roses are very place specific, unlike what they tell you.

Jackie

I'm in Knoxville, TN. We've been getting a lot of rain lately, so I hadn't been watering them as much. I assumed if you put your finger in the ground and it was still damp, they don't need water - should I just water them every day (unless it's raining) regardless?

Here's what they look like...

i just went out to take these and it looks like there are a few small buds on them I didn't see two days ago, which I guess is a good thing... The proud land seems to be growing in two different directions though, which is odd. I am very, very new to gardening, so I appreciate all of your help.

For first year roses, they look very happy to me. Lot's of new growth on most. Angel face slows down during the heat of summer, so not to worry.

They look fine. Good for you! Measure your water. They need around 1" of rain per week or 4 gallons of irrigation in your climate--5 gallons during the hottest week of July.. Give the water ration once a week for established plants or 1/2 of it twice a week for new plants.

You should remove the grass over a square yard and put down 2"-3" of mulch. Shredded hardwood bark is abundant in our area.

"Star Rose" is the producer company and not, I think, a variety.

'Angel Face' has blackspot disease and will probably defoliate unless it is sprayed preventatively with fungicide. They will all get it, but AF (charming though it is) is one of the worst. You are in an area with high disease pressure. Posters here can recommend varieties that are usually resistant. Most people growing the kind of roses you have, and in an eastern climate, spray fungicide regularly. If you are comfortable using synthetic chemicals, I recommend Bayer Disease Control for Roses, Flowers, and Shrubs applied with a tank sprayer every 2-4 weeks. Some Lowe's have it, or look online. Do not get any of the Bayer combo products ("All In One" etc).

Are there any fungicide that aren't in the Bayer brand? I know most Bayer products are absolutely miserable for bees, and I do not want to do anything to possibly kill off any more of them. So good to know to look out for blackspot. Thank you.

Those look like nice healthy new roses. Patience, patience, patience. They'll grow and bloom when they're ready.

Just as a side note. Yes, some roses will go dormant in the summer but that's usually in places where summer is extremely hot and dry. They shut down to reserve their energy and reduce water loss. Maybe someone who lives in SoCal or Arizona will chime in and explain it better.

If you need to spray a fungicide (and if you grow roses like Angel Face, you will definitely need to spray for BS), I think you are fine with the Bayer fungicide several of us have mentioned: Garden Disease Control for Roses, Flowers, and Shrubs.

The problems come from the other Bayer products--the combo types. That is one reason we warned you away from them.

Kate

Edited to add: I meant to also say that yes, roses can go semi-dormant in the summer. Here in Kansas, July and August are often unbelievably hot--days and weeks in the high 90s and 100s. By August, just about everything outside has gone into a rest cycle to conserve water and energy. When cooler weather returns, they start blooming normally again.

Fungicide-only products like Bayer Disease Control have little or no effect on beneficial insects. Insecticides such as Merit (Imidocloprid, contained in the Bayer combo products) are harmful to beneficials and can encourage spider mite outbreaks.

In an area bad for blackspot, most roses are susceptible. Plants will look bad and will be weakened by lack of foliage to manufacture food energy. The choices are to choose resistant varieties VERY carefully (ask here) or to spray fungicide preventatively.

But insecticides are not necessary in most areas. The main exceptions are if you have chilli thrips or rose midge (which we don't have in Southern Appalachia).

This is why many of us say yes to fungicide but no to combo products.

Use the Bayer Disease Control product. Its not a 2 or 3 in one, its just for disease control (it has some illustrations of spotty/diseased leaves). This has no insecticide and is a great product that is very effective and affordable. I highly recommend it, just be sure to get the correct one. They make different products, this one is the good one to use. Bayer Disease Control

Just wanted to update and let you all know that the magic of water is real. It would seem that I wasn't watering them enough, as I started watering them more often per your advice and they have taken off! Thanks so much for the help!!

wonderful! Enjoy your roses.

Enjoy your roses!