How to Grow Roses
If you are seeking knowledge on how to grow roses, you will find a few helpful tips on this page. Roses are one of the most loved and most planted of all flowers. They come in just about every color, shape and scent. While roses originated in Asia, there is evidence they have existed in North America almost since the beginning of time. Many states still have wild rose bushes growing throughout the countryside.
Most roses that are planted in gardens are hybrids that have been grafted onto rootstock. There are two types of roses--those that grow on bushes and those that climb. Bushes grow in every size from 6 inches to 6 feet tall. Climbing roses can grow to as much as twenty feet long and need to be staked or to grow up the side of a solid object like a building.
So, if you want to learn how to grow roses, search through some catalogs or the internet until you find the size and color you desire. Whether you buy your rose plants locally or order them, make sure they are free of diseases and healthy before planting. You can get bareroot stock or roses in containers. Next find the perfect place to put your rose bed. Do not plant roses closer than ten feet to other plants and set them where they will receive a minimum of six hours of sun every day. Roses are put into the ground in the spring after the soil is warm.
Rose grow best when fertilized. You can use compost, manure or a 4-10-5 type of fertilizer. You should use two pounds for every hundred square feet of roses. If you are planting bareroots, take off broken and dead roots, and prune what remains to be approximately 8-10 inches long. There should be 3-4 healthy, vigorous canes and 5-7 buds. Next dig yourself a large hole--14 inches deep and 16 inches across. Make a mound of dirt in the center of the hole and place your rose bareroot in the center with its roots spreading down over the sides of the mound. The spot where the root was grafted should be a little below the soil. Fill the hole around two-thirds full of soil and then water the plant. Then fill the rest of the hole and water the plant again. Pack soil in a mound shape over two-thirds of the canes so that good roots can be established. Then, when the new growth is two inches high remove this outer mound of soil.
Roses need to be pruned each year down to 5-6 canes, each with 6-8 buds on them. If you live in a cold climate you must cover the roses for the winter with a good supply of mulch. If they suffer damage from cold or storms, they will be ripe for diseases. The primary diseases of roses are powdery mildew, stem canker and black spot. Ask your local gardening expert which diseases are prevalent in your region so you can prevent them before they take over a plant. They can also tell you the exact pruning requirements for the weather in your locale.
Learning how to grow roses does require some planning and work. You will think it more than worth the effort when you see your roses in bloom.