Rose Bush Care

My favorite flower, and I am sure a favorite of many people around the world, is the rose. Rose is the perfect flower to express love and it can even symbolize friendship. Roses have an amazing fragrances that drowse the beholder in its sweet essence. The bright and vibrant colors of a rose dazzle the eyes of the beholder and makes one feel young at heart. Many people think about growing rose bushes in their garden but back out thinking this is the hardest gardening task ever. However, I choose to differ on this part. Pruning and maintenance is quite easy, if you are regular with your schedule. With a little bit of perseverance, patience and discipline, you can make your bushes flourish.

Care and Pruning

Caring for the plant will require you to do different things in different seasons. In the sections below, we tell you what you need to do in each season.

In Summer
During the hot summer, you need to mulch the rose bushes as this will lead to fewer plant diseases. Also, the roses need less weeding and watering, if they are properly mulched. You need to spread 1 to 2 inches of organic mulch around the bushes. Trimming roses is important to encourage more flowers. You may find some rose species produce flowers off and on all season whereas some bloom only in June.

Next, you need to remember to spray. The plant may develop an insect infestation or suffer from a disease. In this case, you may want to prune off the infected part and then use the hose to wash the plant. Then you should bring the correct herbicide or pesticide from the local gardening store and spray it over your bushes.

In Fall and Winter
You should stop feeding the plant with fertilizers in early autumn. This is about one month before the frost date of your region. If you fertilize your plants all through autumn, the plants will produce more flowers that will get nipped by cold in winter. In case you live in a USDA zone 9 and warmer, you won't need to follow extra protection for your rose bushes in winter. If you are in zone 6 to 8 you need to mound the rose bush with several inches of soil. People in zones 5 and colder, need to build a mound around the base with soil. The mound should be at least a foot in height. This should be done a month after the regions last frost date. Then, about two weeks later, you need to wrap the entire plant burlap to protect it from cold.

In Spring
Pruning is carried out in early spring. When you see the first signs of growth, you need to begin pruning roses. You will see tiny buds that look like a swelling, indicating new growth. You need to prune and trim all the dead and damaged branches. Once, these dead parts are removed, you need to cut all the other stems, sparing only about 4 or 5 healthy stems. These healthy stems should be just as thick as a pencil.

Then the rose bush needs to be cut about 1/3 to 1/2 in height. This depends on how tall you want your plant to be. You need to make the cuts above an outward facing bud. This helps in directing the buds to grow up and out. This keeps the center of the bush open for giving shape and circulation of air. Spring is the growing season, and therefore your plants need more nutrients. You need to fertilize the plant with a liquid fertilizer every 3 to 4 weeks. Water the plants regularly as it is very essential during the growth phase. You need to water one inch of water every week.

Caring for a Mini Rose Bush
These are cloned roses of Rosa chinensis minima. They are tiny bushes that grow under 1 foot and are considered to be true roses. These hardy plants display their best in summer and are dormant in winter.

The first thing to remember is to give your miniature rose bush ample of sunlight. Place them in an area that receives full sunlight and remove overhanging branches of the bush that does not allow light penetration. Make sure you do not plant them in the shadow of larger plants or trees. You need to water them every alternate day in spring and fall. In summer, make sure you water them daily. As an alternative to rain, you need to provide the mini rose bush with at least 1 inch of water.

These bushes need a well-balanced fertilizer that is to be fed once every 2 to 3 weeks. When pruning these mini rose bushes, use a pair of pruning shears. You need to trim off the woody stems below the bloom at an angle of 45 degrees. You need to cut about 5 leaves below the dead bloom and remove the dead roses. It is very natural for miniature roses to die off in winter and lose all their leaves. You should however, supply a bit of water in winter when you feel the soil is dry.

Caring for Potted Roses
Many people who live in zone 5 or colder or do not have a garden, prefer container gardening for their rose bush. Growing roses in pots helps keep your patio looking pretty and you can even relocate your pots as and when required.

You need to use a pot or container that is about 1 to 2 gallons in size. You will need a 2 gallon pot for growing miniature roses. You will need larger and wider pots for growing Floribunda, hybrid, shrubs and climbing roses. You need 24 inches high and wide pots for growing large rose shrubs. The pot needs to have a drainage hole in the bottom and you need to fill it with enough potting soil. You need to place the rose plant 3 inches below the rim of the pot. You need to add about 1/2 teaspoon of liquid vitamins, 1 teaspoon of slow releasing fertilizers in the potting soil. Then remove the rose plant from its temporary container and place it gently in the pot. Cover it with potting soil and hold the plant straight. Cover the plant with soil and pat down the soil to remove air pockets, if any. Then after about an hour, you need to add a gallon of water to the pot. The next day, see if the soil is well settled in the pot. You can add additional potting soil, if needed. Make sure the soil remains moist for a week after potting. According to the heat in your area, you need to add water one a week or every day. In winter, move the pots inside.

Caring for Roses Placed Indoors
Growing roses indoors is more challenging then growing them outdoors. You need to place your rose bush in a well-drained pot. It should be large enough to accommodate the growing bush. It should also be deep enough to provide enough room for the roots. Then add perlite and organic compost in equal quantities. You need to fill 1/3 of the pot with this combination soil. Then place your rose bush in the center and fill the pot with the remaining soil. Pat the soil to remove any air pockets. Water the plant thoroughly. Then, you need to regularly water your plants with one inch water every week and dust the foliage and blooms. You need use slow release fertilizer like 5-10-5 or 8-8-8 and feed them with the half strength fertilizer. During the dormancy period of winter, you need to trim the bushes. You should cut away the dead and damaged stems and thin out the inner branches and stems. This will help in improving the air circulation and will also shape the tree. Do not prune excessively or the bush will remain stunted.

As you see, it is not very difficult to grow rose bushes. The only thing required is a regular, persistent and disciplined care taker, who will follow these instructions by the book.