Growing Roses

The tables below contain all you need to know to grow beautiful roses of your very own. If you are looking for more information on a specific step, find it on the list below and click the link to be taken directly to that section.

Growing Conditions


Growing Method

 

Growing Conditions
Aspect and Lighting Roses need plenty of bright sunlight to thrive. Some specific rose types, such as flower carpet, can flower exceptionally in light shade. Check with your local garden center to determine what type is most suitable for the location you plan to grow your roses.
 
Growth Site and Soil Though there are certain kinds of roses that can flourish in light sandy or even stony soils, most will benefit greatly from humus-rich loam. No matter what type of soil you do use, however, you must make sure that drainage is good.

Growing Method
Planting Bushes bought from garden centers or nurseries can be planted throughout the year, provided the soil is open. Mail- or Internet- ordered plants are delivered bare-rooted to your door and dispatched from November to March.
 
Feeding Sprinkle a high-potash and magnesium rich granular fertilizer over the root area in April and prick it into the surface. Follow this step with a 3 inch mulch. Repeat this feeding process in June.
Dead Heading Nip off any faded blooms at the knuckle to channel energy into brilliant new flowering shoots.
Propagation Take 9 inch cuttings of ramblers, climbers, miniatures and vigorous cluster-flowered types from the fully mature middle part of a pencil-thick side shoot in September. Remove all but two leaves at the top, then make a horizontal cut below the bottom bud and a sloping cut above the top bud. Snip off the thorns. Insert cuttings 6 inches deep in a straight backed trench lined with a sharp sand. Firm soil around the cuttings. You should begin to see the roots forming within eight weeks.
 
Pruning Prune with pruning shears from March to early April. For large- and cluster-flowered bushes and standards, simply shorten the main stems by half of their height, cutting to a bud. Reduce side shoots to two buds.
Problems Control black spot, mildew and rust disease, together with greenfly and other sap-sucking insects by spraying a pesticide containing bupirimate, pirimicard, and triforine. Whilst wearing gloves, remove the suckers (which are more thorny with paler green leaves than varietal shoots). Twist from the stock.