A Basic Lesson on Growing Roses

red roses

 There are many things to consider when making your selection on which type of
rose to grow, some of them are: hardiness, soil requirements, temperature requirements, structure, how long it blooms, what type of blooms it produces, the color of blooms it will produce, and how or where in your garden will it fit.

Once you have found  the right rose or roses for you, it is time to begin. When and how deep your plant will depend on your selection and you should be provided with this when you purchase the seeds or started plant.

From the seeds to started plants, prepping the soil is key.

Healthy roses need to be in soil that has the right pH, or amount of acidity. Wherever you bought your plants should also carry test kits or meters for helping you to determine the soil's pH.

Ideally for roses, you want a pH level of 6.0 to 6.9, with some of the best results around 6.5. 

Talking with your local nursery or gardening center can prove helpful in not only finding all the resources you need to adjust the pH but also in learning about organic methods for how to do so.

Not only do you need the proper pH but composition and location are important as well. Roses love loamy soil, which is roughly a mixture of one-third clay, one-third coarse sand, and one-third decomposed organic matter. This mixture helps maintain nutrients and water balance, as rose roots need to be damp, but not too wet or too dry. They also need six hours of sunlight a day, so be sure that your location gets enough lighting and that they won't be cast into shade most of the time by surrounding plants and structures.

Watering and feeding your roses

The ideal time to water them is early in the day and close to the ground to help the

roots grow deeper.  A simple way to check the moisture level: stick a finger in the soil, if it comes out dry you are not watering enough if it comes out covered in mud you are watering too much.

red roses

The leaves are also a good indicator of watering problems; Yellow and dry, too little, yellow and soft means too much water.  It can take around four to five gallons of water a week to maintain roses. Outside of normal watering, the whole bush should be sprayed off weekly to help get rid of debris and some types of insects.

Roses require a lot of nutrients to keep up their beautiful appearance. When it comes to feeding, you can get a lot of blooms using commercial feeds that require little time and effort. Some rose enthusiasts insist that to get the best blooms you need to spend  a lot of time adjusting the feed mixtures. Whichever method you choose, know that basic care and maintenance are always required to keep the plant healthy.

Beyond the basics of watering and feeding

Roses, like most bushes, need to be pruned to kept at its best. Trimming away sickly and damaged branches can help the overall health of the plant. When the best time to prune is dependent on the species and your location. It can also take a lot of time and practice before you get really good at pruning.

One good way to get into rose gardening and to get a lot of helpful tips is to reach out to other gardeners online and in your community.