Caring for Roses

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My husband picked up a copy of Victoria Classics Gardens of Bliss for me! I was so happy and grateful that he did. It had a lot of information in it about flowers which of course is my favorite thing.

One article that caught my eye was the two page spread about caring for roses. It is so great that I knew I needed to share this on the blog.

photo credit Brigitte Tohm

* Choose sturdy, proven rose varieties. You’ll find plenty of versatile and resilient shrubs appropriate for your climate, as well as for the conditions in your garden.


* When adding a rosebush to your garden, give it plenty of room to grow and reach mature size.

photo credit Dan Dumitriu


* Plant roses where they will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. All-day sun is best.


* Dig a planting hole twice as wide and just as deep as the nursery pot or root mass of your new plant.


* Roses thrive in enriched soil. Improve soil before or after planting with several shovelfuls of composted manure worked into the area around the plant.


* Feed plants monthly with rose fertilizer during the growing season. Stop feeding by late summer to avoid promoting tender new growth that could be damaged by freezing weather.

* Water roses weekly if nature doesn’t provide soaking rains. Always water after fertilizing. Preserve soil moisture by spreading a 2-inch layer of mulch (compost, shredded leaves, and chopped bark) on the ground around the base of the plant.


* Keeping plants healthy helps prevent pests and diseases. Stopping to enjoy your roses enables you to spot the first signs of problems. Take a non-chemical approach to troubleshooting; A blast with the garden hose often eliminates insect pests. Cleaning up leaf litter minimizes diseases.


* Snipping off spent flowers keeps roses growing strong. Stop cutting by late summer and help plants slow their growth and prepare for winter. In late winter or early spring, trim off any damaged canes (stems). Remove brown canes and show no signs of life when the rest of the bush appears green.



* If you live in a cold climate, help your roses survive by covering the base of each plant with compost heaped to 12 inches. In spring, uncover the plant when it begins to show new growth. 


Give roses at least three years to become fully established in your garden. If the plant thrives, savor your success. If it doesn’t, replace that rose with a different variety, and try again in another part of the garden. 



Photo by Ksenia French on Unsplash




These are wonderful tips, aren’t they? To read the original article see here.