Care Of Roses
The Care of Roses is Critical to Flower Production
How you take care of roses has a lot to do with how well they grow, and most importantly, with how many buds and flowers you are able to produce on the plants. Many people don’t like to grow roses because the care of roses can be time-consuming. But with today’s hybrids and hardy varieties it is easier to grow roses than ever before.
One of the necessities for the care of roses is proper watering. Roses like to have soil that is well-drained but they also like an abundance of water--not standing water--but the roots should always wet. That means that if you live in an area that does not have frequent rain, you will have to figure out how you are going to water your roses. Just pouring water on the surface is not going to work--you need to have the water penetrate into the ground at the roots of the plant by at least twelve inches.
A hose is also not the best method for watering roses because it erodes the soil and can spread disease. Instead, try a sprinkler that will mist the roses instead of giving them a solid stream of water. At first, you may have to dig down to see how far the water is seeping into the soil. Also, water at an hour of the day when the plants have plenty of time to dry off before evening. Wet leaves can cause a disease known as black spot. If you apply dusts or insecticides to the leaves, do it after watering so the watering does not wash them away. You can save a little time watering your roses if you cover the soil with three inches of mulch. This will help keep the moisture in the ground, but only mulch to within six inches of the plant’s stem.
Taking good care of roses means fertilizing when planting and then periodically throughout the season. Both inorganic and organic fertilizers work well with roses as does a combination of both. An inorganic fertilizer is one you can buy at the gardening store that will give you varying combinations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash, such as 5-10-5. The most effective combination of inorganic fertilizer for roses is 5-10-5 or 4-8-4. It is recommended that three pounds of fertilizer be spread for each 100 square feet. If you have only a few rose plants, use one heaping tablespoon for each plant. Liquid fish fertilizer and bone meal can also help raise the nitrogen and phosphorus respectively.
Roses like to have a pH level of 5.5 to 6.5. You should test the acidy of your soil, and if it is lacking, add some ground limestone. This should be done before your roses are planted and then the pH level should be tested periodically. The standard amount to use is 2 tablespoons for each rose bush each year.
The final necessity in the care of roses is pruning. Usually done in the spring, after the plant has been dormant for the winter, pruning should remove dead, broken, or diseased wood. When you prune you should create space in the plant so that air can move through. Pruning is also used to shape the rose plant.