Growing Roses for Health

Roses are easy to grow, long-lived, and remarkably tolerant. And, with just a little extra care and attention, the more healthy and disease-resistant your roses will be.  When planting roses, make sure you place them in a sunny spot that gets a minimum of four hours sun and space them about 3-4 feet away from other plants. Watering is unarguably the most important aspect of growing any plant.  But how much watering should your rose get?  According to David Austin, breeder of English Roses, water the following amount per rose according to the seasonal schedule below:
 
Watering Schedule for Spring:  For established roses, water once or twice a week as needed to keep the soil moist around your roses and watch out for particularly prolonged dry spells. Newly planted roses, water every two or three days.

 

Watering Schedule for Summer:  For established roses, water as needed to keep the soil moist around your roses.  As your rose starts blooming, take note if your flowers are wilting. This will happen in extreme heat but is a reliable sign that your roses need more water.  Newly planted roses – water every other day: Shrub roses –   1-3 gallons, Climbing roses – 3-6 gallons, Rambling roses – 3-6 gallons, Standard roses – 3-6 gallons, and Roses in pots – 1-3 gallons.

Since roses use so much energy during the blooming months of late May to mid-August, it is vital to nourish them, especially repeat blooming varieties.  Two types of fertilizer we recommend are E.B. Stone Organic Rose Food: it is a great fertilizer that may be used every 2 months starting mid-April and after the first bloom cycle has finished promoting stronger, repeat-flowering blooms (do not feed mid-August on).  The second fertilizer is one you can make at home that your roses will also love!  Mix up a batch of the following homemade Spring Rose Tonic (Alfalfa Tea) to ensure enough thriving roses to use in arrangements or to share with a neighbor.  Note: this recipe yields a large amount of rose tonic; divide in half to feed up to six rose bushes:

Download a copy of our Rose List 2020 and view our rose selection located just south of the Greenhouses.