Some of our roses availiable here
Very few plants draw the attention and bring as much pleasure as roses in full bloom.
Growing roses can seem intimidating for many gardeners. However, with modern low maintainance varieties and some of the hardy antique old time roses, anyone can have success with roses.
Starting a rose garden is fairly easy, even for the beginning gardener, but there are a few steps. Here are some tips on growing roses for the beginner or experienced gardener.
Roses like lots of sun, at least 7 to 10 hours per day. They will grow and bloom a little in less sun. But will be more “ leggy “ and have less blooms.
So, when selecting a site for your rose garden, look for spots that receive plenty of sun. Morning sun evaporates dew quickly keeping leaves dry and fungal diseases away.
Roses are somewhat tolerant of different soil conditions, but will thrive in garden soil that is improved with organic matter, such as worm castings, compost, pine bark, peat moss and animal manures. Roses like rich, well-drained soil, slightly acidic pH between 6.0 to 6.5.
While it's awfully tempting to rush out and begin planting right away, it's a good idea to take a moment and plan your attack. Spend some time planning the types and placements of your roses. What the height and colors of the roses will be when mature. Avoid growing roses too close to gutters or eaves where rainfall, snow or debris can damage your plants. Don't plant your roses too closely together. Give a little space to allow air to circulate and will protect them from fungal diseases that thrive on moisture and excessive humidity. Plan how you will water your roses. Is the spot with the most light close to water? Or will you have to lug it? Are sprinklers a possibility? You may have to install underground drip or a sprinkler system to ensure your roses are healthy
Roses will survive with a minimum amount of water, but will flourish when grown in moist well drained soils. A layer of organic mulch will reduce the need for watering by slowing down soil moisture evaporation.
Roses grown in containers will require more frequent watering because potting mixes are often lighter than garden soil and the amount of soil around the plant is limited by the size of the pot. Watering container grown roses once a day may be necessary during hot dry periods.
The next step is to buy the roses. There are many choices available, from low maintainance hybrids, climbing roses , shrub roses and antiques. The choices of colors and breeds of roses is almost endless. When buying roses, there is also the option of own root roses or grafted roses. The difference between "own root" and grafted roses is that grafted roses are weaker roses, grafted onto a hardier rootstock. The disadvantage to grafted roses can be that if the rose dies back in the winter, it will come back as a different type of rose, the rootstock rose, which is usually not the desired rose. However, some varieties of roses, such as many tea roses, are only available as grafted roses.
Make sure to choose roses that grow well in your USDA zone.
The last step to starting a rose garden is to plant the roses.
To plant either bare root or containerized roses, first dig holes slightly deeper and wider than the container or root ball. Amend the soil in each hole as needed with organic matter. Mix in such things as peat, pine bark, compost, worm castings or composted animal manure. Locate the spot on the rose plant where the bulb joins the roots to the stems This should not be buried in mild southern climates, but in cooler climates it should be as much as 3 inches under ground.
Fertilize with a slow release fertilizer after planting to get them off to a good start. Add rose fertilizer later as needed to keep your roses blooming with healthy foliage.
After a rose garden is planted, these new plants need to be babied. A daily watering for two to three weeks, will give roses the best chance of flourishing. When watering, try to water the soil and not the leaves of the plant. Wet foliage becomes a breeding ground for fungus and pests.
Spraying: Here at the nursery, we try to keep our spraying at a minimum. But, sometimes you will have no choice but to spray for pests and fungus. Good preventative measures are horticultural neem oils and soap. Also, you will need a good all in one rose spray for pests and spray as needed, (normally every couple of weeks during the growing season). Try to spray your roses early in the morning or late in the evening to minimize foliage damage.
Pruning: After your roses have become " established" , they will need some pruning or deadheading from time to time. Removing spent flowers will keep your rose plant from wasting energy producing rose hips, (the fruit of the rose plant) and keep your rose producing blooms all summer long.
You will need to get a quality set of pruning shears if you plan to grow a garden full of roses. If you only plant a few roses, a good set of scissors will get the job done.
Shrub roses can be cut back anytime to stimulate more blooms and shape. Ideally, cut them below the old bloom, just above a leaflet, after each bloom cycle.
Long stem and tea roses require a little more care to dead head and remove dead wood. But, we have found that as long as you don't cut roses back too far, they thrive with regular pruning (every few weeks).
With a little planning, the right roses and some basic knowledge your rose garden can become a thing of beauty.
If you would like more info or to comment about growing roses, click here to go to our Blog. word.bloomingwoodsnursery.com
