Rose Growing Tips

Roses make a nice addition to a front yard or flowerbed. Planting them properly and caring for them will allow you to enjoy beautiful flowers and get the most out of your rose bushes.

Here are some tips to help you plant rose bushes and take care of them throughout the season.

Sunlight, sunlight, sunlight!

Plan to place your rose bush in an area that will receive as much sun as it can – at least six hours per day.

Room to Grow

Let your roses breathe: they need room to grow, so be careful not to crowd them with other plants and bushes. Follow spacing requirements for each particular variety when purchasing rose bushes, as indicated on the plant label.

Water

Always water the rose bush from underneath, as opposed to spraying the leaves. Water drops on the leaves can cause burning and lead to black spot disease. Once a week, soak the earth at the base of the bush until it is damp (not soggy.) A thorough weekly soak works better than several light waterings.

Prepare the Soil

In the Spring, turn the soil to the depth of a spade, adding half as much again of compost mixed with coarse sand. This should be done at least a month before planting your rose bushes. It is also important that ALL danger of frost is gone and the soil is workable and not frozen.

Clean Up

Gathering up withered petals and leaves is important to the health of your rose bush.

Pruning

There is a trick to pruning rose bushes. Prune about a quarter-inch above outward-facing buds, using a sharp knife or hand pruners. To insure strong new growth, cut off anything that grows below bud unions. Also, avoid pruning in the fall!

Following these simple tips will save you time and frustration, and will increase the enjoyment of your roses.