Roses have long been recognized as one of the most romantic flowers, with thousands of them being given as gifts of love around the world. The joy of growing roses is second to none, with competitions being held to judge the best blooms. Growing roses is different to growing many other flowering plants, but the effort of carefully nurturing rose bushes pays off tenfold.
There are a great number of varieties and colors of roses, from climbing vines to tall thorned stem roses. The colors range widely, from the most pristine white to deep, dark blood red roses, each having its own beauty. Some say that the color and variety of rose you like the best is indicative of your personality.
Sunshine – Roses like the sun and most varieties require at least 6 hours of sunshine a day to flourish. For this reason roses are not likely to grow well in shady areas. Choose your planting area carefully, as once planted and ‘settled’ roses do not respond well to being relocated.
Water – Every plant requires water but roses require at least an inch per week during their growing season. Roses respond best to watering of the soil they are planted in rather than directly onto the plants. Overwatering is to be avoided though, to ensure the rooting system doesn’t being to rot in the ground.
Disease – Roses do not have strong resistance to disease and pests, so adding fertilizer designed to boost their resistance is essential. Fungi will attack if adequate measures are not taken to avoid it.
Pruning – Just as bushes need trimmed to ensure healthy growth, so too do roses require regular pruning. Unhealthy branches need to be removed to allow nutrients to go to the growing branches and rose buds.
Location – Roses like rich soil with good drainage. In addition to 6 to 8 hours of sunshine per day, roses need plenty of room so when choosing a location to plant ensure that each rose bush has at least 3 square feet in which to grow.
Deadheading – Once roses blooms begin to die off you can elect to remove them. The sooner dying blooms are removed the better chance the remaining blooms have to source the nutrients they need to keep flourishing. Snipping off the dead blooms will not only be healthier for the rest of the plant but will ensure your rose bushes remain as attractive as they can be for as long as possible.
Indoor Roses – Roses are a stunning addition to any outdoor garden but your rose growing experience doesn’t have to end at the front door. Miniature roses are very small replicas of the outdoor varieties and can add a splash of color to your home. Miniature roses are reasonably easy to grow in containers, and provided they get the benefit of sunshine on a regular basis, will continue to flower for some time. Miniature roses can be grown on a patio or porch and moved inside and outside as desired.