why are my rose buds turning papery before fully opening?

[r2acer]

yellow rose bush - dont know name - very prolific

[Clanad]

If the unopened buds are drooping from the stem and have a bubbly white substance coming from near the base of the bud/stem, you have aphids. The stem may have other areas with the fizzy looking stuff. Not much you can do for the buds, but the plant should be treated. You can use any good, recommended chemical but we like a soap based bug killer, since it's more environmentally friendly. The brand of choice here in the U.S. is 'Safer'... may not be available in the U.K. but your garden shop can recommend something.

Additionally, look at the underside of some leaves to see if there's some very small reddish looking spots that move... if so, these are common spider mites and they can be equally as destructive. The insecticide you choos will get rid of them as well.

If the plant looks reasonably healthy other than the symptoms you describe, continue to water moderately (about an inch per week) and feed some nitrogen rich fertilizer (maybe 10-10-10) for another couple of weeks or so, but taper off as the weather begins to cool...

[boxtops]

Could it just be lack of water, the buds are drying off before the flower opens? roses like water!

[r2acer]

Many thanks for answers - dont think its aphids. It looks healthy enough and has a mass of buds but opnly about 30% open. Have watered but perhaps not enough - will try feeding again.

[foxyferret]

Sometimes the weather has this effect on rose buds. If you have rain for days, then suddenly a dry spell, the buds are firstly soaked then the outer petals dry up in the sun and go papery. I have a very similar sounding yellow floribunda rose, sounds just like yours. Loads of buds but a lot of bud blast, about half open and the rest just go brown.