Roses are like the perfect jewelry to match a special outfit. Their grace and elegance add so much oomph (that is a fun word to type) to a garden! Grow Roses with ease using these simple tips we've laid out below!
1. Right Location
*East, South, or West (not the North side of the house as there is not enough sunlight for these beauties!).
* More specifically, Roses need AT LEAST 4-6 hours of sunlight a day, minimum! Think of them as sunbathers- they love to soak up the sun.
*Also, try to plant Roses where you can also enjoy them from inside. These guys look amazing as a grouping in front of a bay window, for example! I have yellow roses I adore planted right outside my front door, so their cheerfulness greets us many times a day.
2. Soil and pH
*Spend your time and energy on this and you will have tons of Roses.
*Roses do not like "wet feet" (or super soggy, wet roots). In our area, we have lots of clay soil, which does not drain properly and gives Roses those wet feet.
*Amending the soil is necessary if you have clay, and it is so easy to do! Pick up a bag of soil conditioner at our Nursery. Basically all you do is dig your hole for your Rose, place some soil conditioner into the hole (a little goes a long way- approximately 1/4 of our size bags per shrub), mix the clay in with it and break the clay up very well using your shovel, then plant your Rose as normal. Soil conditioner only goes in the base of the hole where the roots will be. Told ya it was easy-peasy!
*You can also keep the soil healthy by adding worm castings to the soil.
*pH: around 6.8 is great for Roses. They love more alkaline soil verses acidic soil. Blueberries, Hollies, Rhododendrons are just a few of the plants that love acidic soil. If you are not sure of the general pH of your soil (I can tell ya without a doubt, my soil is more alkaline- I always add pine straw and acidic fertilizer to my Blueberries each year to get them to produce!), you can purchase a pH sensor- a good mid-grade one is around $60.
3. Water
*Roses love water! A drip water system works great.
*You will want to water them every 3-4 days the first Summer after they are planted when we are not getting good rain. A deep watering is necessary to make the roots grow down deep (and these principles apply to all plants and trees).
*If you are using a hose and manually watering (as I do), try to keep the water directed at the base of the plant. It lessens the risk of fungus and other diseases than if you're watering the leaves and every part of the plant.
*Again, make sure you have good drainage in your soil (which is where the soil conditioner helps trememdously!)
4. Fertilizer
*Worm castings, again, is an awesome fertilizer for Roses. It is also organic.
*Otherwise, any fertilizer that is low in acidity (remember, Roses love alkaline soil) should work well.
*You typically fertilize Roses in our area three times a year- around the end of March, the end of May, and the end of August.
5. A Few Other Quick Tips:
*After you've planted your new Roses, add mulch on top. It not only finishes your look aesthetically, but it locks in moisture (in a good way!) to keep your Roses hydrated this Summer, as well as locks in heat in the Winter to keep them cozy and toasty.
*June bugs are coming out at this time of the year and they love to munch on Roses. You can treat your Roses with a Seven Dust spray, but if they do not bother you much, they are only around for a few weeks and then they die off. We consider them at the Nursery to be cleaning our Roses, and we do not spray them. They do not harm the plant and actually promote new growth!
*If you are interested in how and when to prune your Roses, check out this blog post we wrote a few months ago about just that subject!
We are enjoying this season very much at the Nursery! Come by and have fun shopping soon- there is a wonderful selection and so much is in bloom!