Yellow leaves on roses are beautiful plants that can bring a lovely color to your garden and provide you with beautiful flowers. But, if you notice yellow leaves on your roses it may indicate a problem with the plant that needs to be addressed immediately. Whether the cause is due to a deficiency, watering too much, a lack of sunlight or a disease, there are many ways to fix these issues.

Probably the most common reason for yellowing rose foliage is over-watering. This is especially true in hot weather. Roses need to be watered frequently during a heatwave, but it is important that the soil stays moist, not soaked and soggy. I recommend using a soil moisture meter before watering to determine how moist the ground is and to avoid over-watering. Roses can benefit from being watered with a drip hose or soaker hose, if it is possible, to ensure the roots are getting a steady supply of water and not just water running off the leaves and into the soil.

The Rose Lover’s Guide to Dealing with Yellow Leaves: Causes and Solutions

Another common issue is nutrient deficiencies. The iron deficiencies (also known as iron chlorosis) are most common, but nitrogen and magnesium can also cause yellowing leaves. It is important to test the soil, or use a good balanced fertilizer made for roses that has been applied correctly, to correct these problems before the leaves start to fall off of the plant.

Lastly, heat stress can also cause yellowing leaves on the rose. The plant will often recognize that it isn’t getting enough sunlight and will drop the lower leaves to put the energy into its blooms.