Patty, first, what kinds of roses are they? Where do you live? Are they planted where they get at least six hours of sun daily? Can you post clear photos of the damage to the leaves so we might be able to help you diagnose which bugs might be eating them?

The sticky substance is undoubtedly 'honey dew'. It is the secretion of sugar water from sucking insects. You probably find it on the upper sides of some leaves. If you look on the bottoms of the leaves above the sticky ones, you should find insects sucking the sap from the leaves. After they process that sap, they "pee" it out as sugar water. If left there long enough, it will likely turn black. That's called Black Sooty Mold. It grows in the sugar water "pee".

Before you give them any fertilizer, we need to know what kinds of roses they are. If they are once flowering, you may not have enough winter chill to make some of them flower. Fertilizer isn't going to force then to flower. If they aren't getting enough sun, fertilizer isn't going to make them flower. If they are climbers, they are not likely to produce more flowers until they are larger.

There are a lot of unknowns. With more information, perhaps we might be able to help you solve your problems. Kim

Rose, they're not a hybrid or anything, just picked them up at HD and as far as growth, they're thriving.

I live in Austin, and our winter was very mild. I put them in last year and I didn't get any flowering as I cut them back because of the severity of the drought. This spring we've had a lot of rain, so that's why they've grown so well, but don't understand them not flowering.

As for sun, they get tons, almost all afternoon. They're under a bed of mulch, so are being kept quite moist, and rain has been plentiful as well.

They're not climbers, just bushes with lots of thorns(I wasn't thinking!)and they've grown in height as well as multiple branches, with abundant dark green leafing,

Have not fed/fertilized. I let Mother Nature do what she needs to do before getting involved. Thanks for trying to help. ;o)

Feed your roses one of the --Tones (Holly Tone, Rose Tone, Plant Tone) every month or 6 weeks. Make sure you water it in well. Give the roses regular watering--you want the soil moist but not soggy wet.

And make sure they are getting at least 6 hours of sunshine a day.

There--that should do it. They should be blooming in about a month or so.

Kate

Kate, sounds like you know your stuff! They get 6 or more hours of sun, and water isn't a problem either. Will feed and call you in the morning.......a, wait a month and see! Thanks again. ;o)

Both Kim and Kate have given you good advice with the information you've provided. But we need more information to give you more specific help.

There are many classes of roses, Hybrid Teas (HTs), Floribundas, Shrubs, etc., there are many others. Knowing what yours are will help us determine why they are not blooming and how to get them to bloom for you. Do you know the names of the roses you purchased? They all have names. Where did you purchase them? At a nursery or a big box store like Home Depot? Were they in plastic bags or potted when you bought them? Do you have pictures of them? All of this information will help us help you.

It sounds as if they are green and growing so that is a good sign. Now we just need to find out why they aren't blooming. Oh, and pictures of the leaf damage will help us determine exactly what insects you are dealing with.

As for feeding, DO IT! Roses are heavy feeders and chances are they're not getting enough just from the soil unless it's been, and continues to be, heavily amended with organics. I scratch in a slow release dry fertilizer around the base out to the drip line in the spring but I foliar feed once a month through out the season. Any kind of good balanced flower fertilizer will do. Don't use lawn fertilizer. It's not the right balance for roses.

Just curious to what type of soil Austin Texas has?
Clay, sandy, etc.?
Because when you mention leggy and no blooms it
sounds like a sun issue...
But you say it gets enough sun...
OR sandy type soil that doesn't hold nutrients very well...

Let us know how it does in the future after feeding it with
fertilizer... Thanks & best wishes....

When you cut them down last year, due to the drought, how FAR down did you cut them?

And what color was the one bloom you have had?

If they were cut down to 3-ft or 4-ft -- forget I asked.

But if you cut them WAY down -- say within inches of the ground -- and if you then could not water them, because of drought -- it is possible that your nice tall roses could now be rootstock.

Believe me, I understand drought! I'm in Southern California, and Drought R Us.

Jeri

In fact, you might want to go out and look at your rose plants.

Look down at the bottom, and tell me where the nice tall new canes are growing from.

Jeri

Good thinking JeriJen! :)

I'm still curious about this, so I hope PattiCakes will follow up.

Jeri

1) i am from india.
2) i have one light orange rose plant and a pink rose plant
3) orange rose is 4 year old and it is still not flowering it has good leaves,long branches.i haven't see a single bud on it since 4 years.
4) on the second hand i have another pink rose plant which has no problem
5).i give water daily and proper sunshine is there,then why my rose plant is not blooming.it is supposed to be orange rose as told by gardner.
i am sending the pick of that rose plant

i have the same problem as you have