Yes, You Can Grow Roses

Frequently Asked Questions about Roses

Frequently Asked Questions about Roses How often should I water my roses? When roses are first planted, they need consistent and frequent watering . If it is not raining after you plant your roses, water them with a drip irrigation system or slow drip of the hose until the soil is moist at least 1 inch below the surface. Putting mulch in place when you plant your rose will keep the soil from drying out quickly. Keep the soil moist until the roses are established. Roses should become fairly well established in a month and completely established in a year. While many roses are drought tolerant, they will not bloom with insufficient water, and severe drought is stressful and can kill a large plant. Water your roses deeply when there is no rain; then let the soil dry out before watering again. Generally, established roses don’t need deep watering but about once a month. Unless you are spraying on a foliar food like seaweed and fish emulsion, try to avoid water on the leaves. Water your roses at the base of the plant, and let the water soak into surrounding soil. Keeping the leaves dry will discourage mildew and black spot and other fungal problems. As with all other garden plants, how often the roses need water will depend on the weather. If it is hot and dry, water more often. If it is cool and dry, water less than when it is hot. If it is rainy, don’t water! Can roses get too much sun? No. Roses love sun. They soak up the rays and convert them to lovely flowers. Most problems come from too little sun, not too much, so look for the sunniest part of your garden when you are planning to plant roses. Frequently Asked Questions 47 Will roses grow in the shade? Yes, but they probably won’t bloom, and who wants roses that don’t bloom? Roses need a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day. Select your spot for planting after you have watched it for a while. Make sure it gets enough sun and isn’t competing with trees and other large plants for water and nutrients. Some hybrid musk roses can thrive in as little as four hours of sun a day, but even they prefer more sun. If you have a sunny patio, consider growing your roses in containers that can be moved around as the sun changes its location as the seasons change. If you have a completely shady garden, enjoy a friend’s roses and don’t frustrate yourself by trying to grow roses where they don’t want to grow. It will only cause problems. How big will my roses get? Probably bigger than you think. Most lists of roses will tell their mature size, but keep in mind, this is their ideal size. Left alone, many roses will An old-fashioned hybrid perpetual, Souvenir du Dr. Jamain likes a little shade to develop its deep color. It is noted for its fragrance. Photo by Kathleen Lapergola 48 Frequently Asked Questions get much bigger. Some, like Mutabilis and Lady Banks, will get huge. Your soil and climate will also determine the eventual size of your rosebush . Roses growing in good soil in warm climates will get bigger than roses growing in cold climates or poor soil. Although you can control the size of your rose by pruning and trimming, you don’t want to do that all the time. Read the descriptions carefully, and if possible, look at bushes growing in your area. Will roses grow in containers? Yes indeed! If you choose roses that are naturally small, they will be very happy in containers. Even medium-sized roses will grow well in large containers. Container-grown rosebushes will usually be smaller than their cousins that grow in the soil, but they can be maintained easily and are a great choice for porches, patios, decks, or spots where the soil isn’t prepared or suitable for rose growing. Remember that container-grown plants need more frequent watering and feeding than those grown in the soil. Do roses need to be separated from other plants? Roses love to be around other plants. Planting roses near herbs is an especially good way to discourage pests on the roses. A mixed border is a beautiful addition to any landscape, and roses fit in nicely with...