Rose Plant Care

Roses have been treated as a symbol of love and beauty since time immemorial. According to the evidence collected from fossil remains, these plants are almost 35 million years old. From that period, roses have undergone many changes till date. Today, we have roses in various colors, shapes and sizes. Even rose plants come in a very wide range, from the miniature plants with a height of around four inches to the climbers, which can reach the tops of trees. However, there are many people, who still think that rose plants are very fussy and it is difficult to care for a rose plant. But on the contrary, if you know the right way to maintain rose plants, it is very easy to grow them.

How to Take Care of a Rose Plant?

It is true that rose plants demand proper care to look their best. Rose plant care starts right from the stage of selecting the plant, to planting, watering, fertilizing, mulching and pruning. Every stage is very important and has to be done properly. Hence, the most important factor in growing roses is that you must have some knowledge for proper rose plant care. The following are some guidelines regarding how to take care of roses.

• You have to buy a good plant, preferably around two years old. You should select a location with good sunlight and well drained soil for planting rose plants.
• Sunlight is one of the most important factors, which is necessary for the healthy growth of rose plants. While most of them can tolerate around six hours of sunlight every day, some varieties need eight hours of sunlight exposure. Some of the shade-loving roses need only four hours of sunlight.
• Another indispensable factor regarding rose plant care is watering, which should be adequate for its survival. You will have to soak the bare roots in water overnight, before the planting. If you plant it in a container, then the watering should be done daily, whereas garden roses need water once or twice a week.
• The next point is the application of fertilizers, which is mainly needed by rose plants in containers. Most of the varieties do not need fertilizers, as they can feed on the nutrients created by the organisms that exist in the soil. It is always better to plant roses in two-third part soil and one-third part compost. Other than this, you can add half a cup of rose food, phosphate and sulfur every month. There is no need of fertilization during November and December, and the frequency of fertilization can be reduced during the summers, especially after April. It can be restarted in September and has to be increased during the growing periods.
• Pruning is another area of importance, as far as rose plant care is concerned. Pruning roses is done to promote the growth of the plant and also to aid flowering. Pruning is the cutting of the stems, just above new growths. This cutting expedites the development of the new growth to leaves and flowers. Pruning should be done regularly to remove dead or diseased leaves and stems.
• Apart from all the above mentioned measures, rose plant care will be incomplete without any information on mulching, which is necessary for weed control and preventing diseases. There are different types of mulch and you can use organic and biodegradable materials like pine grass, wood chips, etc. to create an overlay around the stem of the plant.

Rose plants can be successfully grown by beginners too, provided they have enough information regarding rose plant care. It is not a difficult or fussy task to take care of a rose plant, which can redeem your efforts with the fragrance of its beautiful blooms.