Plants grown in containers dry out much faster than plants grown in the ground. Depending on the size of the container and the soil mix, that could mean watering every day...or at least every other day.

And you never want to water a set amount. Water until the water drains out the bottom of the container freely. You should be fertilizing pretty frequently for containerized roses as well. Weekly or every other week.

Sun will not bother them. It is the lack of sufficient water that is causing the wilting and edge browning.

Got it! Thanks a lot @gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

Where the weather gets very hot you may need to water containerized plants twice a day on the hottest days. It helps if you can set them in a tray of pebbles.

You're in a hot dry climate and the roses are potted so you may need to water them often. Pots dry out fast. If they look wilty, water. If the soil is dry one inch down from the top, water. If the temp is over 90, water. Water is THE most important thing a rose needs. Keep them in the sun. Roses want full direct sunlight. But water them often! If your pots have good drainage holes and a good quality potting soil it is nearly impossible to over water them so water them often.

I live out in the Inland Empire about an hour from LA and I water my container roses once a day. If it's super hot, I top off with another quick spray of water later on in the day.

Thanks a lot everyone! While we are talking about containers, I am planning to move them to a bigger pot (10 gallons). How are these? I was recommended in another thread that I should get a container that is NOT flat at the bottom where there are holes and that I should get the ones that are a little raised from the bottom to allow for proper drainage. Are these containers good? Notice how the holes in these are on the sides even though the bottom is flat and it doesn't have holes in the bottom (in the 10 gallon kind).

How long are you planning on keeping these roses in containers? Will you ever be able to plant them in the ground? If you plan on leaving them in pots for years, I would not use 20 gallon black plastic pots - you could cook them in full sun in a hot climate. Since you just got these roses, and just planted them in 4 gallon containers, I would leave them alone (with lots of water as everyone says) for at least 6 months. They need to recuperate from being transplanted, and need to be left in peace to grow some roots. If they were mine, I would leave them alone for 6 months, or until I saw roots growing out of the bottom of the containers. If I then wanted to transplant them again into a bigger container where they would have to stay for years, I would get a non-glazed normal clay colored CLAY container, and it would be way bigger than 20 gallons - maybe 40 or 50.

If, on the other hand, you will be able to plant the roses in the ground, a 20 gallon plastic pot would probably be OK for another year or so until you can put them in the ground, but not black. Drainage - I do not put any of the pots my potted roses are in directly on the ground, cement, etc. There are many things you can buy to put under the pots (from cheap to expensive) to help them drain. I try to keep my pots up on these sort of things at least 1 1/2 inches above whatever surface they are on.

Glad your roses perked up when you gave them more water. That is how we all learn about roses on here - asking for advice, and then seeing what works! Good luck, and keep us advised about how you do with these roses.

Jackie

Thanks a ton @jacqueline9CA for a thorough advise! I do plan on keeping them in containers for a few years. I still live in an apartment and don't know when I would move to a house. I would give them rest for a few months till I see roots in them and then plant them in bigger bots later in the year. I will water them thoroughly and keep you all posted. Fingers crossed.

I did place an order for a bunch of nursery pots. haha! Will cancel them for now. :D

A 40 to 50 gallon container for growing roses is overkill! They sell 10'+ trees in smaller containers than that!! You can grow roses easily in a 20G pot or even smaller for a number of years without too much concern of becoming root bound.

And I'm not sure an apartment balcony would support the weight of a single 40G clay or pottery container, let alone a bunch of them. You are looking at 2-300 pounds of dead weight per pot!! Fully water saturated will weigh even more!

The lightest weight (and also relatively inexpensive) pots you can get are the plastic resin ones sold any any big box. They come in a range of sizes and colors. Just pick a light color as well - a beige or terra cotta - that will provide more than enough heat protection.

And you'll actually be able to shift the dang thing!!

How big in diameter is a 20G pot, if I may ask? I know horticultural gallons are different (smaller) than regular gallons. Answering own question: random google search says bottom is 17" -- that's pretty big.

Just shy of 18" across and about the same in depth. Actual volume is closer to 18 gallons.

Oh wow! Thanks a lot gardengal48! I didnt even think about the weight and didnt quite imagine how big a 40 gallon pot would be. That was an excellent point. I did order some 10G pots few days ago. They are black though. Should i return them? Do you suggest getting 20G pots for my roses? I am about to run to a nursery. Haha! More roses. I am obsessed.