WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Rosa x 'Noamel', WUCOLS IV

How often to water Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 7.6 gallons a week. Flower Carpet Appleblossom is a low, spreading shrub rose with semi-double flowers that open pink and pale toward white. Plants grow 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, and their bushy habit works as a groundcover. They bloom freely from spring to fall without deadheading, and their glossy green leaves stay attractive through the season.

ShrubRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose, month by month

Your city
Plant width
4 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry 3 inches down under the mat of canes in summer means Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose needs water
  • Flowering slowing in a hot, dry spell can follow a dry root zone
  • Leaves drooping in afternoon heat can indicate thirst
  • Rust, mildew or black spot on leaves wet from sprinklers points to overhead watering, not thirst

How to water it

  • Water at the base with drip, never overhead, to keep leaves dry
  • Let the top couple of inches dry before the next deep watering
  • Plant in full sun in fertile, moist, well-drained, slightly acid soil
  • Mulch to hold moisture
  • Cut back in late winter for a shorter, bushier plant if you like

Through the seasons

Water new plants regularly through the first summer. Established plants want moderate, steady water at the root zone and mulch to keep it moist, since they bloom nonstop from spring to fall. Avoid overhead watering, which invites leaf disease. WUCOLS rates Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose moderate water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast, in South Inland and in the high desert. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the low desert.

In pots

Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose works well in containers and hanging over the rim of a raised planter. Use a fertile, well-drained mix. Water when the top inch or two is dry, until it drains through. In summer heat, check pots every day or two. Water the mix, not the leaves, to avoid leaf disease. Empty the saucer. In winter, water only when the mix dries.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.761.52.33.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Flower Carpet Appleblossom Rose: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.780.780.74–
Feb0.530.650.810.870.93–
Mar0.871.091.151.31.46–
Apr1.181.521.41.611.89–
May1.462.081.611.952.39–
Jun1.612.481.742.292.85–
Jul1.612.671.982.513.04–
Aug1.492.391.862.332.79–
Sep1.241.81.491.862.14–
Oct0.871.181.151.331.46–
Nov0.470.560.840.90.93–
Dec0.310.340.650.680.65–
Year1217.1115.518.4121.27–

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose in summer?

In July, established Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley, about every 11 days on the south coast and about every 9 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose needs about 1.1 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 4.3 gallons a day for a plant 8 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not evaluated in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Does Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose need deadheading?

No, it blooms continuously from spring to fall without deadheading. Steady water supports bloom. Mulch helps.

Can Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose be a groundcover?

Yes, its low, bushy, spreading habit makes a good groundcover. Plant it in masses. Water with drip under the canes.

Does it need full sun?

It prefers full sun and tolerates some shade with fewer blooms. Shade dries the soil more slowly. Water less there.

What diseases affect Flower Carpet roses?

They have good disease resistance, but rust, powdery mildew and black spot can appear. Avoid overhead watering. Remove damaged canes.

Do deer eat Flower Carpet roses?

Deer and rabbits will browse the plants. Protect them where animals visit. Fencing helps.

More plant watering guides

Sources