Rose Gardening Tips

  • Growing garlic in your rose garden will help keep away unwanted pests.
  • If you don't have room in the garden for big bushes of roses, try planting them in pots and keeping them on your deck or patio.
  • If you're serious about growing roses, join a rose society. It will provide you with access to a huge community of growers and other resources.
  • Cinnamon is a great natural fungicide. Mix it in with your growing media when repotting roses.
  • Try to water roses in the early morning so that any excess water on the leaves and blooms will evaporate quickly. Roses are very susceptible to fungal diseases.
  • Weed under rose bushes after a rain or thorough watering. They will be much easier to pull and you are more likely to get the whole plant.
  • If you live in a harsh climate, talk to someone at a local nursery about what kind of rose plant to grow in your area.
  • Mulch, mulch, mulch! Your roses will be happiest if you remember to mulch!
  • Want those big beautiful roses but don't know what color to choose? Try white, they go with everything and look elegant.
  • As a general rule, fertilize after each flush of blooms and then stop fertilizing about 2 months before your first frost.
  • If you are working in a small space but want a lush look, try staggering your rose plants instead of planting them in straight rows. You'll be able to fit more plants in while still giving them plenty of room.
  • Not all roses have fragrance! If you want a great smelling rose garden make sure to select only fragrant varieties.
  • Plant your roses in an easily accessible location. These are high maintenance plants that will require frequent attention.
  • When pruning, do your best to keep the remaining growth buds facing away from the center of the plant. While this may take some time to achieve, it will keep branches growing away from the plant.
  • When pruning roses make sure to sharpen your pruning shears first, you want a quick, clean cut.
  • Paint or purchase pruning shears that are a bright color other than green. They will be much easier to find when left behind with your plants.
  • Don't forget climbing roses! They are a wonderful addition to the garden and can make a barren wall look great.
  • Seal pruning cuts to prevent disease and cane borer problems.
  • Forgot someone's birthday? Is your wife (or husband) mad at you again? Nothing says love like a big bouquet of roses from your own garden. For major brownie points, give a potted rose so it can be enjoyed for a long time to come.
  • The best time to take rose cuttings is when they are growing vigorously, usually in early summer.
  • Keep the trees and foliage around your rose bushes trimmed and cleared. Any unnecessary organic matter will reduce airflow and encourage infection.
  • The most surefire way to prevent rose diseases is to plant varieties that are well adapted to your growing area.
  • When fertilizing container grown roses, make sure to use organic fertilizers - synthetic fertilizers contribute to salt buildup in the soil.
  • Select a planting sites that receive plenty of morning sun. It helps evaporate dew more quickly, which keeps fungal diseases away.

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