Ten Essential Steps for Ensuring Beautiful Blooms Year After Year
Growing roses can be surprisingly straightforward, and with the right care, anyone can enjoy their stunning blooms. Plant your roses in a sunny spot with good drainage, fertilize them regularly, keep the soil evenly moist, and prune them in early spring. Be vigilant about common diseases like powdery mildew or black spot.
If you’re hesitant to start a rose garden, rest assured that roses are no more challenging to care for than other flowering shrubs. Follow these ten essential steps to learn how to grow roses successfully:
1. Start with the Roots
You can purchase roses either potted in soil or as dormant bare-root plants, each with its own advantages:
- Container Roses: Ideal for novice gardeners, container roses are easy to plant and establish quickly. They can be bought at local nurseries throughout the growing season, allowing you to plant them when conditions are optimal, preferably on a cool and cloudy day.
- Bare-Root Roses: Offering a greater selection of varieties, bare-root roses are more economical and can be ordered online. They require soaking their roots overnight in water before planting and need to be kept moist for the first few months after planting.
2. Choose Your Roses Wisely
Roses come in various classes, from micro-miniatures to grandifloras, and from groundcovers to climbing roses. While it might be tempting to plant a wide assortment, a few well-chosen varieties will provide more satisfaction and a cohesive garden. For lower-maintenance options, consider shrub or landscape roses, like the Oso Easy line.
3. Find the Right Site
Rose bushes thrive with six to eight hours of sunlight daily and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. In hot climates, protect roses from the intense afternoon sun, while in colder climates, planting them near a south- or west-facing fence or wall can minimize winter damage.
4. Get the Timing Right
Plant roses in the spring after the last frost or in the fall at least six weeks before the first frost. This timing allows roots to establish before winter dormancy. Bare-root roses are typically available in early spring and should be planted soon after purchase, while container roses offer more flexibility in planting time.
5. Plant Properly
Ensure a good start for your roses by planting them correctly:
- Dig a hole deep and wide enough for the roots.
- Mix garden compost or other organic matter with the removed soil, using some at the bottom of the hole.
- Place the rose bush in the hole, ensuring the crown is at ground level in mild climates, and 2-3 inches below in colder climates.
- Partially fill the hole with the soil mixture, add a slow-release fertilizer, water thoroughly, then finish filling the hole and water again.
- Mound loose soil around the canes to protect the rose as it acclimates.
- Space multiple rose bushes at least 3 feet apart.
6. Fertilize Regularly
Roses need regular fertilization for impressive blooms. Organic methods, like monthly applications of compost and composted manure, provide a steady nutrient supply and encourage beneficial soil microbes. Slow-release fertilizers, such as Jobe’s Organic Fertilizer Spikes, are also effective.
7. Water Wisely
Keep the soil evenly moist during the growing season. Watering needs vary based on soil type and climate, with roses in sandy soils requiring more water than those in clay soils. Avoid wetting the foliage to prevent disease, using a soaker hose or watering can directed at the soil.
8. Prune Like a Pro
Pruning improves rose health and appearance. Major pruning should be done in early spring, removing dead or damaged canes and cutting back a third to a half of the previous year’s growth. Light pruning throughout the season keeps roses well-groomed. Deadheading, or removing spent blooms, encourages reblooming in some varieties.
9. Keep Them Healthy
Prevent diseases by choosing disease-resistant varieties and improving air circulation around plants. Powdery mildew and black spot are common issues that can be mitigated by watering at ground level and ensuring good air flow. Insect pests like aphids and Japanese beetles can be controlled with neem oil or insecticidal soap.
10. Show Them Off
Roses are perfect for cutting and displaying. For the longest-lasting blooms:
- Cut stems when the buds start to open, using sharp pruners.
- Cut in the morning or evening when the plant is well-hydrated.
- Recut stems before placing them in a vase to eliminate air bubbles and improve water uptake.
- Remove lower leaves to prevent rot, but keep upper foliage to help draw water.
- Change the water daily and recut stems every few days.
By following these steps, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful and healthy rose garden that brings joy year after year.
