How to Grow Roses

I don't think there is anything that defines a successful gardener more than a beautiful rose garden. With a wonderful spicy scent and big colorful blooms, roses are a great addition to any garden. The trick is using the types of rose bushes that are best for your gardening expertise and available time. Types of roses range from the large and desirable tea roses, or florist roses, to the antique roses and tougher than nails Earthkind roses. New container grown and bare root rose bushes wrapped in plastic and packed in sawdust will be arriving at your local nurseries soon after the winter holidays. Before planting bare root roses, wash of all packing material from around the roots and soak the roots in water for 12 hours.

All roses like their soil consistently damp but not waterlogged. Add water when the soil is dry in the upper 1-2 inches. Water roses slowly, letting the water soak in to at least 12 inches deep. Never give roses a quick shallow watering that will make the bush form roots near the surface that will be susceptible to heat and cold stress. Drip irrigation is best, because you can put it on a timer and the leaves and blooms stay dry. Water on the blooms and foliage will invite disease and fungal problems. Mulch placed around the plants 2-3 inches deep will hold moisture in the soil. Don't pile mulch around the main stem or trunk. Leave a one-inch gap between the mulch and the main stem because rotting mulch can spead mildew problems to the rose bush.

Use organic fertilizers that contain molasses and manure to enrich the soil and add organic matter. If using straight manure, be sure it is well aged or it will burn the plants. Organic fertilizers can be used any time of the year. Fast acting inorganic or chemical fertilizers will keep the plants healthy during the growing season but should not be used during the dormant season. Roses like a little more phosphorous than most plants so if looking for a chemical or inorganic fertilizer look for one that is specific to roses or one with the middle number of the ratio higher such as 5-10-5 or 4-8-4. Apply as directed on the fertilizer container label during the growing season beginning in March, but not after August or during the winter when the cold weather and shorter days slow the plants growth.

Roses prefer a Ph of 5.5 to 6.5 so get your soil tested if in doubt. New plants should not be pruned the first year until dormant in the fall. When cutting for fresh flowers on tea roses, don't cut any more branch than is needed. Always leave at least 1 pair of 5-leaflet leaves on the branch from which you are cutting the flower. For tea roses, a light pruning in the fall is recommended with another more thorough pruning in the spring when you can see where the new growth is going to be. Never cut tea roses down to less than 18 inches unless you are removing dead wood. If you have a climbing tea rose, allow 1 or 2 main canes to come up as leaders and trim any other canes to the ground. The best blooms will appear on side shoots from the main canes. Trim off blooms as they fade to increase yield. Cut at a 45 degree angle above a leaf node with the top of the angle above the leaf node and on the outside of the branch. You want to train the new growth away from the inside of the plant.

Antique and native roses may never need a pruning. But if pruning is needed, prune after a bloom period. This is also true for climbing antique roses that bloom several times a season. The Lady Banksia rose can get huge and unruly. To tame, cut those wild canes that are growing too high and wide to the ground or back to a main stem, leaving the plant with a more natural look. Cut the Lady Banksia rose back after the bloom period in the spring if it becomes too large.

Cleanliness, air circulation and sunshine are important to all rose bushes. Fungi and mildew will survive over the winter in dead leaves around plants so keep the area around the plants clean. Regular pruning and correct spacing of at least 4 feet between plants will also help with disease control. Roses need at least 6 hours of sunshine per day to perform well. Many problems can be solved with one of the pest and disease control products available at your local nursery, but where the plant is placed, and the care you give it throughout the year, will increase your chances of success.

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