Growing roses, a complete beginner's guide

 

Growing roses is easier than you think — anyone can grow them successfully. Roses can be expensive plants, but they last for many, many years and are easy to care if you follow a few simple steps on planting and aftercare. So here we are, a complete guide to growing roses :)

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1. Buying rose

You can purchase roses already potted in soil or as dormant bare-root plants. Each type has its benefits:

Bare-root roses: Unlike container roses, bare-root plants need to have their roots soaked overnight in water before planting. Also, the roots should be kept moist for the first few months after planting. Bare-root roses has a greater selection of varieties available. Plus, they are economical and can be ordered online. 

Container roses: Container roses are a great for novice gardeners because they’re easy to plant and establish quickly. They can also be purchased at local nurseries throughout the year. This allows you to plant them when climate conditions are ideal— preferably a cool and cloudy day.

2. Choose your roses

There are numerous types of roses, ranging from micro-miniatures to grandifloras, and from groundcovers to climbing roses, with some classes containing hundreds of varieties. While it may be tempting to fill your rose garden with a wide assortment, you are likely to end up with a disorderly array and too many plants for the space. A few well-chosen varieties will give you more satisfaction than dozens of mismatched plants that don’t work in harmony.

3. When to plant roses

Roses are best planted in the spring (after the last frost) or in fall (at least six weeks before your average first frost). Planting early enough in fall gives the roots enough time to develop before the plants go dormant over the winter.

4. Where to plant roses

To get the most out of your rose, it is generally best to:

  • Plant in a sunny spot, which gets at least 4-6 hours of sunlight a day. Generally, the more sun the better. 

  • In especially hot climates, roses do best when they are protected from the hot afternoon sun. In cold climates, planting a rose bush next to a south- or west-facing fence or wall can help minimize winter freeze damage.

  • Avoid very exposed, windy sites

  • They should also be planted in well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. 

  • Allow enough space around the plant – about 60cm – so it doesn’t have to compete for water and light

5. How to plant roses

  • Before removing your rose from its pot, water it generously, immediately prior to planting.

  • For each rose dig a hole roughly twice the width of the plant's roots and the deeper the better (at least 50cm).

  • The soil needs to have good drainage, since roses don’t like wet feet.

  • Add Mycorrhizal Fungi around the sides and the bottom of the planting hole. This will aid root development and will lead to a healthier rose.

  • Mix a generous amount of garden compost, Bokashi, horn shavings, cow manure and plant the rose bush in the hole.

  • The plant’s crown should be at ground level in mild climates, and 2 to 3 inches below ground level for cold climates.

  • Don’t forget to mulch with a chipped bark layer of up to 5cm deep.

6. Fertilizing

For rose plants on the ground, feed twice a year:

  • in March/April before flowering

  • in mid-summer after the first flush of flowers 

Use a mix of composted manure, and other organic and natural fertilizers.

For roses in containers they need feeding more often than roses on the ground as they have less access to nutrients, ranging from 2-4 weeks.

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7. Watering

The amount and frequency of watering will depend on your soil type and climate.

Roses growing in sandy soils will need more watering than those in heavier clay soils.

In their first few years after planting, new roses should be watered regularly, especially in summer, until their roots are well established.

Watering rose plants deep & less frequently (5-10 litres is better than watering lightly more often, encourages deeper rooting. This makes the plants better able to find moisture in the soil.

Roses in containers need much more water than plants growing in the ground. Water as often as needed, which could be daily in hot weather. 

To keep roses healthy, avoid wetting the foliage & flowers.

You are unlikely to need to water rose from October to February but it also depends on your location.

8. Pests & Diseases

Aphis is one of the most common rose problems.
Check for them regularly and use finger and thumb to squash them where practical.
If there are too many of them, use garden hose to spray the aphids off the roses. You can also spray Soap water or neem oil to kill aphids on your rose bushes.
Ants raise & protect aphids to drink their secretion so one way to stop aphids is to block ants’ access to your rose with a mix of powdered sugar & baking soda in ratio 1:1

Black spot is also a common fungal disease caused by too much rain or getting the leaves wet from watering. It develops black spots on the leaves, eventually causing them to turn yellow and drop off. While there is no cure, you should detect it early and remove any infected leaves then spray rose plants with neem oil to prevent it from spreading.

9. Pruning

Pruning may sound tricky but is, in fact, generally quick and easy once you get the hang of it. Different types of roses need different approaches, but late winter/early spring (February-April) is often a good time for pruning roses. The two key aims of pruning are to keep the plant healthy and shape it correctly.

If pruned properly, your rose bush will look significantly smaller and bare. Do not be alarmed, the growth will strengthen and re-establish quickly in the spring.

After the first year of flowering:

  • Cut back the flowering shoots by 7-12cm and any very strong shoots that are disproportionate to the rest of the plant.

  • Remove any dead, dying, damaged and diseased stems.

  • Remove any foliage that remains. This is where disease spores can lay dormant ready to challenge your plant next year.

From year 2 and beyond, cut back all stems by one third.

10. Climbing Rose
By training a fabulous climbing or rambling rose up a wall or fence, you can convert a dull, even unsightly area into one of the most stunning features in your garden. There are a number of ways of supporting your rose as it 'climbs' the wall or fence, for example setting up straining wires or using a trellis.

Roses become stressed from around 30 degrees Celsius, and this temperature is quickly reached on a heated south-facing wall. So don’t attach the roses directly, use trellises with an increased distance of 9 - 12 cm from the wall.

11. Harvesting roses

Now it's the time to reap what we have sown. The Rose harvest starts in May and goes till early fall, but mostly till mid June.
Roses are often considered to be at their best in June, which is why roses are considered June’s birth flower.
A home rose cutting garden is the perfect way to bring color and beauty to your home.
The best time of day to harvest is in the early morning when roses are the most turgid, hydrated from the cool nighttime atmosphere, and ready to pick.
Sanitize all your tools before harvesting.
If you want the longest vase life, harvest earlier, when the bud has just enough sepals reflected, but not open enough to allow pollinators into the bloom.
Because once the bloom is pollinated, it sends a signal to the rose to set seed and begin the reproductive cycle.
This signal will tell the rose to start dropping its petals, dramatically decreasing the vase life of the rose. I mostly harvest my roses for other purposes so it doesn't matter that much.

Check out my vlog 144 to see how I cook, make tea, and make beauty products with roses :)

12. Companion Plants for Rose

Planting roses with companion plants can improve their appearance, health, and extend the color and visual interest of your garden.

Lavender attracts more pollinating bees and protect roses from pests like aphids. Sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic… are all great herbal companions that produce highly scented leaves that deter pests.

Roses, even repeating roses, are not perpetually in bloom. With companion plants, you can have color, texture, and interest from spring to fall. You can also add tones that are not in the rose color palette.
Anemone, ranunculus, dahlia… work really well with rose.

Pick plants that have the same care requirements to share garden space with your roses and consider how much light, water, and soil nutrients that they require. Select plants with varied growth habits and nutrient requirements so that they accent rather than compete with one another in the garden. With strategic planting, you’ll even find plants that release essential nutrients back into the soil, feeding your roses, making them an ideal garden buddy.

13. Rose Care over the winter

November, December: Your roses are winding down for the winter. Let them go into dormancy. There is nothing you need to do now. Do not worry about your roses being exposed to extreme frosty conditions or snow, they are in hibernation and will be unaffected.

January, February: It’s time to prepare your roses for the year ahead and give them a prune. This can just be done once, sometime during January or February but if you haven’t done it by March, don’t worry as you can still do it then.

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