Question
I live in the Mojave desert in California.  It is August and the temps are between
100 and 115.  I have a miniture rose bush in the yard that has lost all of it's
leaves.  Some of the stems seem dead, it gets watered daily, can you give me
some suggestions on what could be causing this problem?

Answer
Roses are a lot like people in that some really love the heat and others don't. Many roses will only do well when the temperatures are high while others simply wilt or fry up and die. Mini roses are the same as the big ones but they do have a problem in the heat. Their canes are thin and tend to dry out much quicker. You may have got one that dislikes the heat. What I would do to save it is cut it right down to 3 inches plus cut out any of the dead canes. Then move it to an area that doesn't get the afternoon sun. Continue watering it daily and when you see new growth sprinkle a little rose fertilizer all around the base and I am sure you will see a big difference. I know that you are not supposed to re-plant a rose when it is growing but as the plant is dying it is worth a try. Cutting it down will help it survive as the roots don't have to support a big bush. Hope this helps.