WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Rosa 'Noala' PP14441, WUCOLS IV

How often to water Flower Carpet Coral rose in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Flower Carpet Coral 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 Coral is a spreading shrub rose with coral flowers, part of a group of low, compact roses grown as flowering groundcovers. Its bushy, wide habit covers banks and bed fronts, and the glossy green leaves stay attractive all season. It blooms profusely from spring to fall and does not need deadheading.

ShrubRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water Flower Carpet Coral 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 Coral 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 that crumbles dry a few inches down under the spreading canes in summer means Flower Carpet Coral rose wants water
  • Coral blooms shrinking or fading fast in heat can follow dry soil
  • New shoots drooping by midafternoon point to a dry root zone
  • Powdery white coating on leaves points to mildew from damp foliage, not thirst

How to water it

  • Water at the soil line with drip, keeping foliage dry
  • Soak the root zone, then let the top couple of inches dry
  • Plant in full sun in fertile, well-drained, slightly acid soil
  • Mulch the bed to hold moisture through summer
  • Remove damaged or diseased canes when you see them

Through the seasons

Water new plants regularly until they spread. Established plants want moderate, steady water at the roots and mulch to keep the soil from drying fast, since they flower nonstop from spring to fall. Overhead watering invites leaf disease. Across the north-central coast, the Central Valley, the south coast, South Inland and the high desert, WUCOLS gives Flower Carpet Coral rose a moderate water rating. The low desert has no WUCOLS evaluation for it.

In pots

Flower Carpet Coral rose can trail over the edge of a large pot or raised planter. Use a fertile, well-drained mix. Water when the top inch or two feels dry, until water runs from the base. On hot days, check pots every day or two. Avoid splashing the leaves. Do not let the pot sit in water. In winter, wait until the mix dries before watering again.

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 Coral 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 Coral rose. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than Flower Carpet Coral 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 Coral 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 Coral rose in summer?

In July, established Flower Carpet Coral 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 Coral rose need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Flower Carpet Coral 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 Coral rose change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Flower Carpet Coral 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.

Can Flower Carpet Coral rose cover a slope?

Yes, its spreading habit makes it a useful groundcover. Plant in masses on banks. Run drip lines along the slope.

Does Flower Carpet Coral rose need deadheading?

No, it blooms continuously without deadheading. Petals drop on their own. Water steadily for the most flowers.

How tall does Flower Carpet Coral rose get?

Flower Carpet roses grow 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Coral is a spreading form. Space plants so they knit together.

Should I water Flower Carpet roses from above?

No, overhead watering helps leaf diseases spread. Water at the soil instead. Morning watering lets any splashes dry.

Do Flower Carpet roses need winter protection?

Winter protection matters in cold climates. Check your local frost risk. Mulch still helps.

More plant watering guides

Sources