Rosesare beautiful, fragrant additions to any garden.
With a few cuttings, even novice gardeners can propagate, plant and maintain roses.
Delicate, aromatic and brimming with color, roses add beauty to any garden.
They are also easy to propagate, plant and maintain.
Even beginners can start roses from cuttings.
A healthy start will keep them flourishing and will be less work for the gardener in the long run.
Many gardeners fear roses, but these lovely scented plants arent that difficult to grow.
The most important thing to know is in the foundation.
The key to growing a healthy rose is in the planting location and in the soil itself.
Micro-Climates
Before planting, consider the micro-climate where the rose is to be placed.
Roses need protection from drying winds.
They need lots of sun and they need the air to flow freely around them.
Those are the location basics.
Roses and SoilCharacteristics
Roses can grow in any soil, but they do seem partial to clay.
Drainage
Drainage is very important to the rose.
Like all plants, other than swamp or pond-loving plants, roses hate sitting in puddles.
There has to be a happy medium for them.
They need moisture, but dont drown them in it.
Dont plant a rose where standing puddles are visible after a rain or in wet, sodden areas.
If unsure of the position, dig a test hole about 12 deep and fill it with water.
If it still has water in it in a couple of days, then its obviously not draining well.
Heavier clay soils can be amended with the addition of gritty sand.
In most cases its that easy.
The Benefit of Humus
Humus is decaying vegetable matter decaying rather than decayed.
Once decayed only texture is left.
All the good nutrients are gone.
So it will be necessary to add compost from time to time even after planting.
Humus has a few benefits to the rose.
It absorbs the moisture that would otherwise drain away and releases it only as the rose roots need it.
It encourages bacterial growth in the soil, important for the addition of nutrients.
Humus conditions the soil to allow air and water to penetrate it easily.
Well-Rotted Cow Manure
Composted well-rotted cow manure is available in garden centers in large bags.
This creates the perfect humus environment for roses.
Peat moss, also easily available in large bags will absorb and hold moisture.
But the roots cant get those nutrients without water and roses dont like their beds to dry out completely.
Roses need nutrients from four basic food groups; nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and calcium.
Trace elements exist naturally in most soils.
Nitrogen stimulates the growth of leaves and stems.
Too much and it will delay or halt the production of flowers.
This is true for many plants.
Phosphorus on the other hand, stimulates flower production and gives strength to the stems.
Potassium ensures vigorous root growth.
It balances the overabundance of nitrogen and helps the rose to resist disease.
Calcium is not just a plant food, but assists in helping the rose absorb the other plant foods.
These four nutrients provide a well-balanced diet for the rose.
This is basic soil preparation for a rose and will give it the perfect foundation.
Gather Cuttings toPropagate
To obtain a cutting, select a healthy, well established rose bush.
Look for branches with flowers that have recently faded but still have leaves.
Using sharp clippers, cut a stem about 6-inches long.
Strip off any bottom leaves, but keep the top ones intact.
Gardeners call this process wounding.
It promotes the development of roots.
Some organic gardeners prefer to use honey, but hormones speed up the process.
Meanwhile, prepare the pots.
Use clean, 2-inch containers with holes at the bottom for drainage.
New pots can be rinsed with a little dish soap and water.
Previously used pots should be thoroughly washed to rid them of harmful bacteria.
Fill the pots with a planting medium.
A 50/50 blend of potting soil and perlite, sand or vermiculite makes a nice, light mix.
Light blends drain easily and encourage quick root growth.
Use a pencil to create a hole in the center of each container.
Insert cuttings about halfway into pots.
Gently push soil around the cuttings.
Encourage Rooting
Place the pots into a gallon-sized plastic bag.
The bags with zippers and stand-up bottoms are best.
Zippers provide easy access for weekly watering.
Stand-up bags allow air circulation.
Plastic retains moisture for quick rooting.
Gallon-sized bags provide room for growth.
After the plants are set, seal the bag and place the plants in an area with indirect sunlight.
Rooting takes four to eight weeks.
This step gives the bark time to harden.
When the bark is firm, the roses are ready to plant in the garden.
Place some pebbles at the bottom of the hole to encourage proper drainage and prevent root rot.
Add a handful of compost or sheep manure.
Then fill the hole halfway with soil and a little water.
Gently place the rose in the hole.
check that the roots are straight.
Add soil and some water alternately until the hole is filled.
Tamp down the soil to get rid of air pockets.
If crawlers, trees orminiature roseswill be planted, find out how much space they need around them.
Optimize Health and Growth
Roses should be watered thoroughly once a week.
Do not let the leaves get wet because moisture promotes fungus and disease.
Watering roses in the morning will allow them to dry during the day and prevent fungus from developing.
Fertilizer helps roses grow and keeps them healthy.
Apply fertilizer at least twice during the growing season.
A local nursery can provide information about the areas growing season and suggest an appropriate fertilizer.
Roses can be affected by a host of different insects and can contract some deadly diseases.
Check the flowers are the petals being eaten, are they browning and curling up before their time?
Do the leaves have holes in them; do they have unusual colorings or spots on them?
Does the whole rose bush look like its wilting?
Check for insects inside the petals and under the leaves.
Your local nursery should have this oil in stock and will know what you need.
It is very important that you follow the directions exactly or you could kill your roses.
This bang out of oil should NOT be applied when the outside temperature exceeds 90 degrees.
Therefore, it has to be applied in the spring.
Insecticidal soaps are a good thing to use during the summer and fall to deter bugs.
It is harmless to roses yet most of the time it will harm the bugs infesting your roses.
Japanese beetles also attack roses.
Small and green with coppery wings, these pesky critters can destroy an entire rose garden.
Planting garlic and applying Neem Seed Oil prevent beetle infestation.
For persistent problems, though, environmentally friendly insecticides may be used.
This disease usually shows up in the spring but can last all summer.
It is identified by black spots and yellow discoloration on the leaves.
The leaves will drop leaving you a plant with only canes.
Spray fungicides on your roses on a regular basis to prevent this.
Spray in the spring and middle of summer.
Powdery Mildew is another disease that shows up in the summer especially when it is very humid outside.
It is identified by new leaves becoming curled and twisted with a powdery white substance on the undersides.
Apply fungicide during the summer to prevent this from happening to your roses.
Spot Anthracnose is somewhat like blackspot and does appear about the same time.
It is identified by small red, brown, or purple spots on the leaves.
The center of the spot dries out and turns white and may fall out of the leaf.
The whole leaf will then turn yellow and drop.
This fungus also comes from water on the leaves.
A fungicide in the spring will usually prevent this disease from appearing.
Canker is an especially nasty disease as there is no cure for it.
When you see canker you must cut the canes to where the disease seems to be.
This is a fungal disease that comes from water sitting on leaves.
Rust is a fungus that spreads when the air is moist and the temperature is moderate.
You will need to remove and destroy infected leaves, even those that fall to the ground.
Some roses deserve the reputation of being fussy and difficult.
As much as possible, water the roots and make a run at keep the leaves dry.
A drip irrigation system makes this extremely easy.
Dead-Heading for Continuous Bloom
Cutting off spent blooms will encourage new flowers to form.
Look for the first outward-facing bulge on the stem, and cut the rose back 14 above that point.
Cut at a 45-degree angle with a sharp shears to minimize the open surface area exposed.
Prune, Cut and Enjoy
Prune roses to encourage growth.
Start with clean, sharp clippers.
Cut away damaged and dead branches.
Clip down to the lowest, thickest new shoot.
For a fragrant bouquet, cut roses in the morning.
Find a stem with petals just beginning to unfurl from the bud.
Locate the first five-leaf cluster.
Using sharp, clean shears cut the stem at the cluster.
Leave some foliage between the cut and the main stem of the bush to promote healthy, new growth.
Place cut roses in a vase of water immediately.
In a few days, the buds will open up to reveal magnificent blooms.
Easy to grow from a single cutting, roses add old-world charm and elegance to any home and garden.
With minimal time and effort, even novice gardeners can produce beautiful rose bushes.
