
Planting, Growing, and Caring for Roses
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Roses are the cornerstone of many beautiful gardens and bouquets! Our Rose Growing Guide covers everything you need to know about caring for these flowering favorites—from planting to pests to pruning! How should you look after your roses?
About Roses
June’s birth flower is the rose! And it’s not surprising that rose shrubs are often at their very best this month, but many types will flower from late May through early fall.
The rose has been a symbol of beauty, love, and passion for thousands of years, and it remains so today. Growing roses can be demanding or carefree. Roses are shrubs of many forms, available for every blooming season and in various colors. Knowing rose classifications helps understand their growth habits, climate preferences, and general requirements.
Rose bushes come in a variety of forms, from climbing roses to miniature rose plants. One way to group roses into classes is according to their date of introduction:
- Old roses—also called “old-fashioned roses” and “heirloom roses”—are those introduced prior to 1867. These are the lush, invariably fragrant roses in old masters’ paintings. Hundreds of old rose varieties—whose hardiness varies—provide warm and mild climates choices.
- Modern hybrid roses, introduced after 1867, are sturdy, long-blooming, extremely hardy and disease-resistant, and bred for color, shape, size, and fragrance. The hybrid tea roses, with one large flower on a long cutting stem, are among the most popular hybrids.
- Species, or wild roses, are those that have been growing wild for many thousands of years. These wild roses have been adapted to modern gardens and usually bloom from spring to early summer. Most species of roses have single blossoms.
See three easy roses for beginners!
Choosing from all the possibilities can be a daunting task. Take your time and wander through nurseries to enjoy the beauty of roses!
Plants That Pair Well With Roses
Also, consider which plants make good companions for roses. Pretty purple catmint (Nepeta) offsets roses beautifully (especially pink) and hides roses’ leggy bottoms, so the focus is on their lush green leaves and blooms at the top. Lavender (Lavandula), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla), and tall growing pinks (Dianthus) do the same, as well as help suppress weeds. Plant other plants at least 1 foot away from your roses to avoid crowding; roses need lots of open-air circulation to avoid disease.
Plant companions can also be chosen to deter pests if you have pest problems. Find plant companions that deter Japanese beetles here.
Planting
When to Plant Roses
If you order bare-root roses from a mail-order company, order with your planting date in mind. Bare-root roses should be planted soon after they arrive.
In North America, roses are usually shipped in the early spring, well before leafing out, when plants are fully dormant. They’ll look like a bundle of sticks on arrival. Note that they are not dead—simply dormant! Check that the packing material is moist and keep them in a cool, dark place until ready to plant.
- In colder regions, plant bare-root roses as soon as the soil is workable in the spring.
- In warmer regions, you may plant bare-root roses in the early spring or in late fall as long as the plant is dormant.
If you are buying potted roses, it’s best to plant them by late spring for best results. However, you may plant them almost any time during the growing season—just be sure to keep them well-watered, especially during summer!
Selecting and Preparing a Planting Site
- Plant roses where they will receive a minimum of 5 to 6 hours of sun per day. Morning sun is especially important because it dries dew from the leaves, which helps prevent diseases. Roses grown in the partial sun may not die at once, but they weaken gradually, producing subpar blooms and overwintering poorly.
- Remember that light changes as the angle of the sun shifts throughout the season. If you live in the northern half of the U.S., choose a site that will offer full sun year-round. The more sun you have, the more flowers your plants will produce. In the southern half of the U.S., choose spots with a little bit of afternoon shade. This protects blossoms from the scorching sun and helps your flowers last longer.
- If you live in a colder climate, consider growing roses close to the foundation of your home. This provides plants with some degree of winter protection. Walkways are also good spots, provided there is full sun.
- If you’re planning for multiple roses, be sure not to crowd. Good air circulation helps prevent fungal diseases such as powdery and downy mildew.
- Roses need soil that drains well but holds onto moisture long enough for the roots to absorb some. One of the worst mistakes you can make is to not provide adequate drainage. Roses do not like wet, cold feet.
- Roses like loose, loamy soil leaning more toward sandy. Too much clay and the roots can become waterlogged. If you are not starting out with loose, loamy soil, you will need to do some amending.
- Roses prefer a slightly acidic soil pH between 5.5 and 7.0. A pH of 6.5 is just about right for most home gardens.
- An accurate soil test will tell you where your pH currently stands. Acidic (sour) soil is counteracted by applying finely ground limestone; alkaline (sweet) soil is treated with ground sulfur. Learn more about soil amendments.
Planting Roses
- Wear sturdy gloves to protect your hands from prickly thorns. Have a hose or bucket of water and all your planting tools nearby.
- Soak bare-root roses in a bucket of water for 8 to 12 hours before planting.
- Prune each cane back to 3 to 5 buds per cane. Any cane thinner than a pencil should be removed.
- If planting container-grown roses, loosen the roots before planting.
- When you plant the rose, be sure to dig a much bigger hole than you think you need (for most types, the planting hole should be about 15 to 18 inches wide) and add plenty of organic matter, such as compost or aged manure.
- Water liberally after planting.
- Mound up loose soil around the canes to protect the rose while it acclimates to its new site.
- Some old-timers recommend placing a 4-inch square of gypsum wallboard and a 16-penny nail in the hole to provide calcium and iron, both appreciated by roses.
- Don’t crowd the roses if you plan to plant more than one rose bush. Roses should be planted about two-thirds of the expected height apart. Old garden roses will need more space, while miniature roses can be planted closer.
Propagating Roses
Create new baby rose plants from your established rose shrub! This is done by taking cuttings of the stem, dipping them in a rooting hormone, and then placing it in a small pot to grow on a sunny windowsill. See our guide with the steps on how to propagate roses.
Growing
Deadheading Roses
After roses bloom, be sure to deadhead religiously to prolong flowering. Every leaf has a growth bud, so removing old flower blossoms encourages the plant to make more flowers instead of using the energy to make seeds. In addition, you always want to snip off any soggy rose flowers to prevent rot from setting in.
- It’s worth deadheading at least once a week and even daily in midsummer.
- To deadhead, cut back to the first leaf below the spent flower. A new shoot will then grow from this point.
- As well as deadheading religiously, keep the beds clean. Remove any debris around the rose bush that can harbor disease and insects.
In late summer and early fall: If your rose produces good hips (rugosas), remove only the petals, so the hips can continue developing. Hips can be harvested and dried on screens, away from sunlight, then stored in an airtight container.
Stop deadheading all your rose bushes 3 to 4 weeks before the first hard frost so as not to encourage new growth at a time when the cold may damage new shoots.
Watering Roses
- Diligently water your roses. Soak the entire root zone at least twice weekly in dry summer weather. Avoid frequent shallow sprinklings, which won’t reach the deeper roots and may encourage fungus. In the fall reduce the amount of water, but do not allow roses to completely dry out.
- Roses love water—but don’t drown them. That is, they don’t like to sit in water, and they’ll die if the soil is too wet in winter. The ideal soil is rich and loose, with good drainage. One of the worst mistakes you can make is to not provide adequate drainage.
- Use mulch around your roses. To help conserve water, reduce stress, and encourage healthy growth, apply a 2- to 4-inch layer of chopped and shredded leaves, grass clippings, or shredded bark around the base of your roses. Allow about 1 inch of space between the mulch and the base stem of the plant. See our Mulching Guide for more information.
Feeding and Fertilizing Roses
- Artificial liquid fertilizers tend to promote plant growth that is soft and tender, and this type of foliage can attract aphids and other pests. Instead, rely on compost and natural fertilizers to feed your plants before and throughout the blooming cycle.
- Once a month between April and July, you could apply a balanced granular fertilizer (5-10-5 or 5-10-10). Allow 3/4 to 1 cup for each bush, and sprinkle it around the drip line, not against the stem. See our fertilizer guide for more information.
- In May and June, you could scratch in an additional tablespoon of Epsom salts along with the fertilizer; the magnesium sulfate will encourage new growth from the bottom of the bush and make flower colors more intense.
- Fertilize with rabbit food; it contains alfalfa meal, which supplies a growth stimulant, nitrogen, and trace elements. Scratch 1/2 cup of pellets into the soil around a rosebush, then water well.
- Banana peels are a good source of calcium, sulfur, magnesium, and phosphates—all things that roses like. (Note that it will take longer for your roses to reap the benefits from bananas than it would with pure soil amendments.) Here are three ways to serve them up:
- Lay a strip of peel at the base of each bush.
- Bury a black, mushy banana next to each bush.
- Chop up the peels, let them sit for 2 weeks in a sealed jar of water, and pour the mixture under each bush.
Pruning Roses
- In North America, repeat blooming roses such as floribunda and hybrid tea roses need heavy annual pruning, which is done in the spring when plants begin to leaf out for the new season. (Roses are often not the earliest plants in the garden to respond to spring’s warming temperatures, so be patient.) Give the plant time to show its leaf buds, then prune above that level.
- But do not prune old-fashioned roses and climbers in spring. they bloom on wood from the previous year’s growth. Prune in the late summer immediately after flowering.
- At any time of the year, remove dead, diseased, or damaged wood and remove diseased foliage. Learn more about common rose diseases.
- When you prune, wear elbow-length gloves that are thick enough to protect your hands from thorns or a clumsy slip but flexible enough to allow you to hold your tools. Always wear safety goggles; branches can whip back when released.
- Use sharp pruning shears for smaller growth. For growth more than half an inch thick, use loppers, which look like giant, long-handle shears. A small pruning saw is handy for large and heavy, old stems, as it cuts on both the push and the pull.
- As much as two-thirds can cut back large rose canes and smaller ones to within 6 to 12 inches of the ground. In general, cutting back hard promotes stronger growth.
- When you prune, start by removing all stems that are crossing, rubbing against each other, damaged, discolored, or competing for space. Leave only the most vigorous, healthy canes. When pruning, check to make sure the stems show no sign of discoloration.
- Prune 1/4-inch above an outward-facing bud to prevent compacted growth. Cut at an angle. Any cuts you make that are greater than the thickness of a pencil should be sealed with nail polish or wood glue to prevent cane borers from entering.
- Not all types of roses are pruned the same way or at the same time of year. Learn more here: How to Prune Roses.
Winterizing Roses
- In the fall, shorten the extra-tall canes to 30 inches to reduce damage from winter winds (which can loosen and damage roots).
- Clean up the rose beds to prevent overwintering of diseases. Collect any infected leaves that have fallen to the ground. One last spray for fungus with a dormant spray is a good idea, too.
- Stop fertilizing 6 weeks before the first fall frost, but continue watering during dry fall weather to help keep plants healthy during a dry winter.
- Add mulch or compost around the roses after a few frosts but before the ground freezes. Where temperatures stay below freezing during winter, enclose the plant with a sturdy mesh cylinder, filling the enclosure with compost, mulch, dry wood chips, pine needles, or chopped leaves (don’t use maple leaves for mulch, as they can promote mold growth).
Container roses acquired in late summer or fall can be overwintered above ground.
In northern zones, expose the plant to the first deep freeze (this helps with dormancy). Put it in a dark, unheated room, basement, or garage. Water occasionally, only enough to moisten the soil. Bring the plant outdoors when it shows signs of coming back to life. Plant when the soil warms.
In tropical climate areas (where it’s never below 20°F), container roses can remain outdoors. Water regularly to keep roots alive.
Types
Some classes of roses bloom only once a year in spring, but flowers can cover plants for more than a month. Remontant roses bloom a second time in a season, generally 50 to 60 days after the first flush of flowers.
Traditionally, roses were notoriously challenging to grow. However, roses have changed. There are now many modern easy-to-grow types of roses available. Here are some of our favorites:
These three are considered to be the easiest roses to grow:
- Knock Out shrub roses: continuous blooms; high disease resistance; require no spraying, dusting, pruning, deadheading; hardy to Zone 5
- Flower Carpet ground cover roses: continuous blooms; require no deadheading; drought-tolerant once established; minimal pruning; hardy in Zones 4 to 11
- David Austin climbers (to 6 feet), including ‘Gertrude Jekyll’: continuous pink blooms; strong fragrance; hardy in Zones 4 to 11
- See 3 easy roses for beginners!
Rugosa roses include a 5-foot-tall/-wide shrub, ‘Jens Munk’: pink blooms in June through August; disease-resistant; hardy to Zone 2
“Bests” are highly subjective. These roses tend to be crowd-pleasers, but choose a rose that pleases you:
- Best pink rose—‘New Dawn’ (the first U.S.-patented plant): blush-pink hybrid climber (15+ feet); sweet fragrance; disease-resistant; good cut flower; hardy in Zones 5 to 9
- Best red rose—‘Don Juan’: hybrid climber (up to 12 feet); sweet fragrance; good cut flower; spiny stems; hardy in Zones 6 to 9
- Best white rose—‘Iceberg’: hybrid climber (up to 12 feet); honey scent; disease-resistant; heat-/humidity-tolerant; good cut flower; hardy in Zones 4 to 9
- Best yellow rose—‘Sunsprite’ (aka ‘KORresia’): 3-foot bush floribunda hybrid; fragrant; disease-resistant; good cut flower; hardy in Zones 5 to 9
- Best rose for fragrance—‘Pink Peace’: vigorous hybrid bush; sweet scent; large (6-inch), continuous double blooms; good cut flower; hardy in Zones 5 to 10

See also our list of disease-resistant rose varieties.
Harvesting
Cut roses in the early morning. Choose buds with outer petals already open. When inside, strip off lower leaves and recut the stems. Change the water in the vase every couple of days and recut the stems at the same time. Vase life is up to 12 days.
Gardening Products
Pests/Diseases
Good gardening practices, such as removing dead leaves and canes, will help reduce pests. If problems develop, horticultural oil and insecticidal soap can help control insects and mildews. Possible rose pests and problems:
- Japanese Beetles: See many tips for deterring these pests, including great companion plants for roses which will help prevent Japanese Beetles.
- Aphids: All plants deal with aphids which are easy to manage with a spray of water or insecticidal soap; just stay on top of your plants and check consistently.
- Black Spot: Rose plant leaves with black spots that eventually turn yellow have black spot. This is often caused by water splashing on leaves, especially in rainy weather. Leaves may require a protective fungicide coating, which would start in the summer before leaf spots started until first frost. Thoroughly clean up debris in the fall, and prune out all diseased canes.
- Powdery Mildew: Leaves, buds, and stems will be covered with a white powdery coating. Mildew develops rapidly during warm, humid weather. Prevent mildew by pruning out all dead or diseased canes in the spring.
- Botrytis Blight: This gray fungus will cause the flower buds to droop, stay closed, or turn brown. Prune off all infected blossoms and remove any dead material. Fungicide application may be necessary.
- Spider Mites
- Thrips
- Rust
- Stem Borers
- Deer: Roses are a delectable tidbit, so try planting lavender near your roses. Not only will you have the makings of a nice potpourri, but the scent of lavender will discourage browsers. You can also spread human or dog hair around the garden area or check our list of deer-resistant plants to protect your roses.
In general, avoid rose issues by buying disease-resistant varieties and cleaning up debris, weeds, fallen leaves, and any diseased plant material as soon as possible.
Also, speak to your local Cooperative Extension or trusted nursery about a spray program with products approved in your state.
Wit and Wisdom
- The rose is the U.S. national flower and is honored by the annual Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. They are also the state flower of New York.
- Roses are edible! Rose petals are brewed for tea blends and are sometimes used in gargles and tonics to treat congestion, sore throats, and stomach disorders.
- Rose water is a refreshing skin splash. Try a flower facial! Gentle, aromatic steam cleanses your pores. For oily skin, add a few rose petals to boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Make a bath towel tent and lean your face about 10 inches above the water. It should feel warm, not hot. After 10 minutes, rinse your face with cool water, then blot dry. Learn more about how to make rose water and rose water cream.
- Red roses symbolize love and desire, but roses come in a variety of colors, and each has its own meaning. For example, the white rose’s meaning is purity and innocence. See flower meanings.
- Roses are also one of the beautiful June birth flowers.
- It is believed that the cultivation of roses began about 5,000 years ago in China.
- During the Roman Empire, rose gardens were established in the Middle East.
- In the 17th century, kings and queens considered roses legal tender for purchases.
- Roses have a long and symbolic history.
And I will make thee beds of roses,
And a thousand fragrant posies.
–Christopher Marlowe (1564-93)
Cooking Notes
The tart reddish-orange hips of rugosa roses are used for jams, jellies, syrups, pies, teas, and wine. Check out our Rose Hip Jam recipe.
Rose petals are edible and can be tossed into salads for color, candied to decorate cakes, or distilled to make rose water. Make sure the rose petals are pesticide free.

Comments
What about Rose Rosette Disease? Any way to treat? Any Roses resistent? Thanks!
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Hi, Peggy,
Rose Rosette Disease (RRD) is caused by the rose rosette virus (RRV), which attacks only roses. It is transmitted by grafting (not via sap) or by microscopic eriophyid mites, especially Phyllocoptes fructiphilus. The mites do not crawl far, but can be blown to other roses or carried on tools, clothing, or other materials. They tend to gather near buds, flowers, base of shoots or leaf stems, and leaf scars, including over winter.
All cultivated roses are considered susceptible. Studies are being done to determine if there are resistant rose cultivars/species. At this time, there is no known cure.
Symptoms include witches' brooms, thickened/elongated stems, many thorns, enlarged canes, distorted leaves or flowers, reddish leaves.
Symptoms may appear months after infection. The virus may survive in the roots (not the soil), and the mites may be on parts of the plant that do not currently show symptoms. Control ultimately is to remove a symptomatic rose, including the roots/rootball. Also keep up with deadheading spent blossoms, as mites tend to gather around there. Always be sure to clean up all plant debris and place in the trash (not compost pile). Avoid using leaf blowers around roses, as they can blow mites onto the plants. Prune symptomatic branches; if after pruning, new growth also shows signs of disease, it is best to remove the entire plant, including rootball. Also prune heavily in late winter/early spring, when the plant is dormant, and then apply dormant oil. Remove wild roses (such as Rosa multiflora) that are nearby, as they are a common host to the disease. A monthly treatment of horticultural oil (except in hot weather) can help. Avoid overcrowding planting sites; mixing roses with other plants can help minimize the spread of the disease. Make sure to keep plants healthy and unstressed, so that they can best fight the disease. If a rose is removed, wait at least 1 to 2 months before planting a new one in the same spot. Inspect plants often to check for symptoms.
Hope this helps!
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When and how to I move rose bush to another location
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The best time to move a rose bush is during the dormant season in early spring after the threat of frost is over. Cut the rose canes back to 10 to 12 inches and remove any foliage so the plant can focus on root development after transplanting. Choose a new place with good drainage. Dig your hole. Remove the rose by digging far enough away from the root ball so you don’t damage the roots. Take as many of the roots with you as possible and gently transfer to the new hole. If it is too large to carry, place it on a tarp and drag it to its new home. Amend the soil. In a bucket or wheelbarrow, mix equal parts mulch, potting soil, and peat moss. Add half of this mixture to the hole around the roots. Water the soil well when the planting hole is half-filled and let the water settle. Adjust the rose as needed if the soil has caused it to sink a bit. Add the remaining soil mixture and water again. Water the new rose every day for a week or two depending on your weather. Do not fertilize or use any insecticides until you see new growth on the rose.
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Please tell me how to preserve my bouquet of yellow roses I got over the weekend.. I was told to drop an aspirin in the water
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Hi Martha, Thanks for your question. We certainly understand why you want to keep that bouquet of yellow roses looking beautiful for as long as possible. One thing you will want to do is give your roses fresh water after 4 or 5 days. Wash out the vase, rinse off the stems of any slimy residue, and give them a fresh cut at the bottom to allow for better water intake. You can also add more flower food if you have it. Another way to preserve your arrangement is to keep it cool at night—the refrigerator works great. Roses love cool, humid temperatures, so keep them away from direct heat or drafts, which will dry out your flowers.
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Article re roses says to prune in the Spring but it also says to cut tall canes back to 30” in Fall. Which is it?
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Major pruning and shaping should be done in the spring before new growth appears. In the fall, do minor pruning tasks such as pruning extra-long or dead canes.
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About 14 years ago we planted two roses, one on each side of a large Pergo archway. Over the years they have grown to the top of the structure, Last year one of them produces a branch from the base of the plant and it produced red flowers. Kind of strange as it has always produced a cream/pink flower. This year there are even more red flowers. Could this be from some lone sleeping plant DNA? I don't know, however it is quite pretty.
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The red-flowering branch just has to be from the rootstock that your rose (which you bought) was grafted onto. It is most likely Dr. Huey.
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I started getting my roses ready for summer,but I notices some of the stems were of a rusty tin brown color. I looked in most of my rose books and can not find anything that will help me out in that area. I live in Colorado so I usually start about now. to get my flowers ready. But could you possible tell me what might be wrong with them. They have been with me since 2015 and this is the first time I have ever seen them like this.
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I want to have a beautiful rose garden with other flowers of course in my front yard. This is the East which should be the morning sun. This spot is very shady in the afternoon. There is a pear tree in the front as well but I trimmed it way back to give that area more light. The side of the house gets midday and evening sun so I hope this will be good?
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I enjoyed reading this article about roses. I did not find any pest name in which attack rose. I have also written an article on roses. would love if someone read and tell me about my writing skills
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I have some beautiful roses in my yard. They are mostly hibred. They were orange, peach, white, Purple and yellow. All of a sudden some these roses have turned to wild roses. Why did this happen?
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I have five rose bushes by my porch and four of the five are going wild. I have a couple of roses on the plants but I have branches 5 1/2 ft tall. Will it hurt my roses if I cut these branches down to the same size as the rest of the plants? Also, the roses I have I had 3 red roses, a yellow rose, and a purple rose. This year I have all red roses. Could the ground that the roses are growing in cause the roses to change colors. I live on the East coast of North Carolina.
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Wild roses typically are very thorny and sprout up new shoots near the base. If you are going to keep it and prune it, remove all the dead, decaying canes, thin the remaining canes down to just several. You will need to continually remove the spouts as they appear near the base and into the surrounding area during the summer. Each year you will need to leave a few new ones, as the older ones will need to be pruned away. This way you can maintain the size of the plant.
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Last year (or the year before?) in zone 8b, I bought a Belinda's dream rose (in a 3 gallon container). It quickly grew very large and I love it. This year I have been keeping my eyes open for more to plant, and had a hard time. I finally found and bought some in 1 gallon containers (for $10/piece), but then was informed of a nearby nursery selling ones in 3 gallon containers (for $20/piece). At first I was inclined to return the smaller ones for the bigger ones, assuming that they would grow faster, but then I wondered if it's possible that the smaller ones might grow to the same size by the end of the summer. What do you think? The reason I would like them to grow bigger faster is because my 4 dogs have too good of a view of all the neighborhood dogs being walked and are barking all the time.
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Hi Rebecca,
That's definitely a good way to keep your dogs from barking, and to give your yard a nice look! While at first the 3 gallon the 1 gallon potted roses might grow at a similar rate, as time goes on, the roses with less space (the 1 gallon ones) would grow more slowly. Their roots will become crowded and slowly stunt the growth of the roses, so It might be better to get the 3 gallon potted roses instead.
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A problem: the rose bush I planted in the fall goes through the winter all right -- comes alive in the spring, turns green, seems to be happy -- and then suddenly the leaves start to brown -- and dry up -- and it's game over. This has happened a couple times. Is it a watering problem? not getting enough water?
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It sounds like botrytis blight, a fungal disease. For the best specific advice, contact your local cooperative extension, which you can find here: https://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-ser...
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I recently moved and so had to begin a new rosebed after having an established garden at our old home. I specifically chose varieties of hybrid tea roses for my zone that were classified as VERY FRAGRANT, yet during the first year, only a few have any noticeable scent. Can I do anything to help increase the fragrance level?
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I planted many rose bushes this year, but I got them in late due to all the rain in Texas (end of May). All recovered from the shock and are mostly thriving. My climber ("Pinata") has only bloomed a few times and is not growing upwards or outward at all but staying compact. Soil was amended as it was a new flower bed, and I have been fertilizing monthly with a rose fertilizer (12-6-10). Is that to be expected for the first year? Secondly, I planted an "Angel Face" (floribunda) that is very healthy, but very small! It almost resembles a miniature rose, with lots of blooms that are only about 2" in diameter and a very compact habit. It is not even 12 inches high! Is this a result of poor root stock? It looks odd in my garden with the other full size bushes, should I replace it and pot it or will it possibly grow out of this phase?
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My rose bush has doubled in size at the base and I was wondering if I could somehow split it in half as it is to big for the area I have it in. It has been there for 9 years and need to be moved forward or split.
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The dormant season (December through February) is the best time to dig and divide your rose bush. As long as each division has roots and a few stems attached, it should develop into a happy shrub.
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Can roses be planted in a groundcover of Pachysandra?
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That's a tricky one. Pachysandra prefers some shade and gets sunburnt. And roses like full sun. I'd say that pachysandra will fare well if it's not constantly burning and it has lots of moisture. Definitely mulch. If the pachysandra dries out, you'll have issues.
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very good info on roses i will try to plant Garlic next to them is mint good to plant next to roses since their roots spread ?
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I have a hybrid tea (Sterling Silver) rose plant in a 1 gallon plastic pot that was recently gifted to me in September. I have not had time to plant it yet, and am afraid to do so now b/c we had our first frost this week. Could you please provide me with any tips on how to overwinter it indoors? I do have one room in the house that is cooler (65 to 68 degrees, F) and has east, west and south-facing windows that I think would be ideal for overwintering the rosebush in. Do I need to repot it into a clay pot, and should I hard prune it now, or just remove any deadwood? This particular rose varietal has a lot of sentimental meaning for me, and I really want to keep it alive so that I can plant it outdoors next spring. Thanks in advance for your help!
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The plant will become dormant—and you want it to stay that way; it is the natural state. After the first deep freeze, put is in a room or place (garage) with no heat and natural light (window). You can add some water occasionally but this is not intended to be "watering"; the plant is dormant and will not take it up but the soil can be lightly moist. Bring the plant back outside when it shows signs of coming back to life. Plant it, per the guidance above, when the soil warms.
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I have some rose bushes that have never bloomed. Other roses near by always bloom. what can I do to make them bloom, they appear to be very healthy bushes.
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Something is eating my leaves on my rose bushes leaving small holes in them.
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Japanese beetles are a primary pest of roses. Check out our https://www.almanac.com/pest/japanese-beetles">Japanese Beetles Pest Page here.
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I have a beautiful rose garden at the new home we just moved into. The roses have bloomed are beginning to turn brown and curl up. How do I prune the bush? Or should I just leave them alone?
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There are different types of roses; you need to know which you've got. With that, here is some guidance:
HYBRIDS AND FLORIBUNDAS. Repeat-flowering roses
generally bloom on new wood and need a good clearing out
and cutting back very early in spring before they start greening
up and branching. About the time forsythias bloom, take
out all the dead wood, crossing canes, and spindly growth.
Then shape and prune back everything else, taking into account
the style of the garden and the size and nature of the
variety. Cut back old wood about 30 to 40 percent before
growth begins in late winter. Always cut to a live bud pointing
away from the center of the shrub to encourage outward
growth. Start deadheading after the first flush of flowers, and
continue throughout the summer to encourage more blooms.
■ SPECIES, OLD ROSES, AND ONCE-BLOOMING
SHRUB ROSES. Generally hardier than other roses, these
more primitive types bloom first on old wood in June; rebloomers
repeat on the current season’s growth. Remove diseased,
broken, or dead branches in early spring. After flowering,
prune lightly and selectively to shape the bushes and
control growth.
■ CLIMBING AND RAMBLING ROSES. These tend to
bloom on old wood. It’s fine to remove winter-killed branches
or otherwise damaged wood early in the year, but defer your
annual pruning until early summer, after the peak of bloom.
Prune to remove undesirable canes and to shape and train
growth. Side branches tend to flower more heavily than central
leaders.
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See the pests/disease advice above. It is difficult to be certain what it might be.
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Our roses are beautiful in the spring but in early summer the leaves start to curl and turn brown with brown and yellow spots on the leaves. The branches on the climbing roses get spindly, leaves turn brown and yellow, flowers are small, sometimes never bloom. We live in southern Utah which is very dry and hot during the peak of summer. They may die before fall. We spend to much money to allow that. What can we do to keep them fresh looking and healthy?
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I have a beautiful rose bush that is quite overgrown (over 6ft tall) and hanging over a sidewalk. Is it possible to cut the top off and replant in another location? Or should I just plan to stake it and tie it back? Please help!
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First, see the pruning tips in the comments immediate above this one. If you decide to transplant, consider this: Roses can be cut back and moved in either spring or fall, but
not in midsummer, as they might suffer and die in the heat. Large rose canes can be cut back by as much as two thirds, and smaller ones to within 6 to 12 inches of the ground.
When you transplant your roses, be sure to dig a much bigger hole than you think you need (for most types, the planting hole should be about 15 to 18 inches wide), and add plenty of organic matter such as compost or aged manure. This will feed your plant in the years ahead. Some old-timers recommend placing a 4-inch square of gypsum wallboard and a 16-penny nail in the hole to provide calcium and iron, both appreciated by roses.
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I bought hybrid tea roses last year. Not long after the first blooms, we moved one because it was interfering with the sprinkler system. It looked unhappy at first, but continued to bloom throughout the season. This year, it does not have so much as one leaf, no new foliage whatsoever, however, there is still green inside the stem towards the base of the cane. Is it done for, or is there a chance it will come back in it's second rear?
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Numerous things could be influencing the plant, from soil quality (do you amend and or feed/fertilize it?) to the circumstances of the move. It's best to transplant roses in spring or ofall, not midsummer. and the new location should have plenty of organic matter/aged manure (these are amendments, per above). And then there's watering . . . . So we really can not tell from here.
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I have two tea cup rose bushes they are about 4 years old they have always had very large roses,this year they are very tiny,they have had fertilizer on them I really need your help!!!
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Hi Katherine, You may have hit the reason. One of the most common reasons for roses not blooming well is the use of high nitrogen fertilizers or the over use of them. This will result in few to no blooms or small blooms and lots of foliage. Use a well balanced food or fertilizer when feeding your roses so that all of the rose’s nutritional needs are met.
Another issue can be high temperatures and heat and the resulting stress. Keep an eye on the soil moisture around your roses and make sure it's moist several inches down.
Finally, there are bigger issues that could be at stake from insect damage to disease; give your roses bushes and good look for any damage. If not, it's probably related to fertilizing or stress/heat/watering.
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Last week I transplanted a mature rose bush and it is looking bad. Some of the leaves have turned yellow. Help please.
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Hi My husband died leaving me with 75 hybrid tea roses to take care of. Because of my declining health, I called our Master Gardener Club and gave the roses away to our Rose Club. My question. All the roses were Hybrid Tea roses, except one, and all of different colours. He had one knock-out Bush. They were all dug up properly. 8 roses have decided grow back and flourish. And they appear to be Knock-out roses and all are Red. How do I get knockout roses from hybrid tea roots?? I miss the long stemmed roses. And red was my late husbands favorite. Please help me figure this out. Thank you. De from Sweet Home Alabama
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I have four beautiful rose bushes that are my pride & joy! I spend every day tending them & just enjoying them in general. My issue, however, is that there are ALOT of cats in my neighborhood that find my flower beds a perfect litter box! I have tried everything, that I know of, to keep those pests out! I've gotten to the point that I'm about to bury razor wire under the mulch! Nothing that I try deterrs them & their owners won't keep them inside! PLEASE HELP!! ANY ideas are appreciated!
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Cats hate vinegar. Try shallow saucers of vinegar, & slugs hate it too.
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Cat don't like black pepper I had a cat and a plant in the house he was using it for litter box to I put pepper around the base of the plant
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I read on Pinterest to keep cats away, stick plastic throw-away forks around in your garden. Stick the handle part in the ground. Leaving the fork tines sticking up. Worth a try!
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Fill plastic gallon (1/2 gallon) jugs with water, and set in places where cats are a nuisance. When cats rub up against the plastic jugs, it causes static... which cats do not like.
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I had problems with a neighbor and her cats for ten years. I tried everything even predator urine, still I had no luck. Then I got a live trap and a camera. I caught the cat's and the neighbor letting them out. I took them to court and now I have a cat free garden. Good luck
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I've never grown roses but they're currently on sale at our local Lowes at an incredible discount. I want to give it a try. But are they worth buying now? Do I wait to plant them until next spring; May/June? What do I do with them until then? Do I keep them in my garage? Wrap them up? Should I water them? -until when? Please help!
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Hi this is my first year growing roses and I have 2. One is a knockout yellow rose bush and it is doing great and is absolutely beautiful. My other rose bush is a Chicago hope hybrid tea rose and just keeps getting worse and worse. I believe it has blackspot, leaves get dark spots that get bigger until they cover whole leaf and gets on the leaves all around it if I don't clip them off as soon as I start seeing the spots. I am using a sulfur based spray on both plants every 7 days and feed it MG for roses (1gallon each plant) every 7 days. It starts to look better then bad again, it's done this all spring/summer. I've had a few blooms which are beautiful but it keeps getting to be less blooms and a lot smaller than when I first purchased it. It'll be winter soon and I'm wondering if there's a way to fix it that I'm not doing? Would it be better to leave the sickly rose in the ground and mulch or dig it up/pot it and bring inside for the winter? I'd appreciate any help I'd really like it to make it but there's only couple stems left alive on it and they are pretty short.
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Sorry it's a Chicago peace hybrid tea rose, not Chicago hope
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Hi, Heather, The name of this rose is as the reader notes below: Chicago Peace, not hope, Rose. Blackspot is the scourge of roses. It is a fungus, and care is a fairly regimented process. This publication suggests the steps in the procedure, as well as specific fungicides: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0505/index2.tmpl You'll notice that is from the Alabama cooperative extension service. While it should be helpful anywhere, you can consult a local service by clicking on your state here: https://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-ser...
You should decide how much time and effort you want to put into this plant, and if you decide not to go further, consider that it is always best to select rose varieties that are blackspot resistant. We hope this helps!
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I don't have room to plant lavender by my roses to deter the deer but can place cut lavender branches all around the base of each. Will that be enough to deter the deer?
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The scent of cut lavender will have the same effect as that of the living plant. However, the scent will fade as the branches dry up, so you will have to replace them with fresh lavender regularly.
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Hi i have never kept a flower like rose before this is my first time.and i know nothing how to take care of this in a right way.and im more worried on the place where i lived because it has no space where i can put the rose directly to the sun.and the rose is place in a small pot only when i bought this.please give me some advice thank you
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Roses can be grown in partial shade, about 3 or 4 hours of sunlight instead of 6 or more hours. Some types do better than others, though. In any case, if you have a spot that provides enough space for the type of rose that you have (did it come with a plant label? Often the label will tell you how high and wide it will grow, and if it is a shrub rose, trailing, or other), and at least some sunlight, then it is worth a try to grow roses there, if there is no other option. The plant may not bloom as much, and the blossoms may not be as large, but you might still be able to enjoy having your very own rose plant. Again, it will depend on the type of rose, and whether it is happy there in other respects, such as soil nutrients etc. I actually have a rose that gets very few hours of direct sunlight, and a yew bush always tries to grow over it; still, I usually get one or two flowers each year from the rose plant, even under such non-ideal conditions. For general rose care, please see the article above. Hope this helps!
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Hi, I have never kept roses before but recently (May) I was able to get a clipping from my grandparent's old house from a 30-year-old pink rose bush. I am not sure what variety the bus was usually about 4ft tall. Out of the clippings, I was able to get one to root and it is now doing quite well. I have it in a very large pot I think 40" because I live in an apartment in Boston and I want to be able to bring it in and keep it growing/blooming year round. What I am wondering is if anyone has any advice for boosting its growth while it is able to be on the porch with ample summer sun, and advice for once I move it in. I know that I won't get 5-6 hrs of sunlight during the NE winter, but I do have grow lights that I use for other plants during the off season. Any thoughts? And do you think I will see a bloom this year? It just really started growing fast with the heatwave it is currently about 13" tall.
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Hi Tamara,
Rose bushes require about 1 inch of water per week during their growing period, while during the winter you should allow the soil to dry out to a depth of 1 inch between waterings. If you see a lack of blooms when the bush has grown more and begun to crowd the pot, it's time to replant in a bigger pot. Roses can get by on 3 to 4 hours of sunlight a day, so don't worry too much about providing extra light with a grow lamp. If you do decide to use one, make sure you're consistent and don't surprise the rose bush with light in the middle of the night. Keep the temperature below 75 degrees F during the day and above 40 degrees F at night.
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So, I recently moved back to my parents house in Maryland, just outside of D.C. and have been working on improving their back yard which at first had nothing but a tangled old rose bush and overgrown mulberry tree. I'm not an experienced gardener however,and pruning the rose bush has been the most daunting task. It has not been pruned, watered, fertilized or anything that I see you suggest here in at least 20 years possibly more. It does bloom early spring, but the majority of the blooms are tangled in the branches on the mulberry tree! How do I go about untangling this bush? It is now almost July is it ok to start pruning now? I also noticed some ivy growing around the base of the bush, is this killing it?
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No, do not prune now. Wait to prune in the spring. It's not only the right time to prune a rose bush, but it will be a lot easier to prune when it's not in growth mode! You want to prune after all flowering is done.
You'll start with removing all dead and dying canes--entirely. These are the canes that look shriveled, dark brown, or black. And you'll also remove all thin, weak canes that are smaller than a pencil in diameter. Start there!
If it's been growing for this many years, don't bother it now. In the spring, you'll also want to clear away all suckers and any other plants at its base.
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How do I prevent roses from reverting to a wild rose with small dark red bloom
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We're not sure what you mean by wild. What you may be seeing is that many roses are grafted, so the branches are one variety and the lower root system is a hardier rose. If those lower roots sprout branches, they may look like a different rose than the top branches. The variety that is very common is "Dr. Huey," which is used for the lower rootstock and produces small, two-inch, dark red flowers as you describe! Those roses all probably started out with branches and blossoms of a different variety such as a less hardy tea rose. It's just what happens with this variety. You may wish to try other varieties of roses if this bothers you. Also, avoid planting too shallowly.
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I lived in Wis. and had good luck with roses. (64 at one time) I now live on coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Tx. and don't know when to prune or how to take care of them? HELP
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We will let the rose experts handle this, and there are many in Texas. Here is a group in Houston: http://www.houstonrose.org/hrsconsl.htm Search for "rosarians, Texas" for more. You can also consult your local cooperative extension; find those in Texas here: http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-serv...
We hope this helps!
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Hi I live in Washington state west side & have 2 beautiful tong stemmed roses. They receive the good care you recommend & lots of sun in summer. Last year I picked the flowers to bring inside & they didn't bloom again all summer . I kept them fertilized & watered as usual, never had this problem before. Advice please . This year they have lots of buds & I would like to enjoy them all summer.
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I have some of my bushes that are very skinny stalks and then there are some have very thick shoots what am I doing wrong
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I have an heirloom rose bush from my great-grandmother that I can't keep contained. It shoots out from the roots and starts a new sprouts everywhere, up to six feet away from the main bush. How can I keep this rose from taking over my garden?
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In order to stop shrub to capture your whole garden...it is to be advised you should cut roots of ur shrub.be careful not to harm whole plant...only cut extra roots..
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My roses seem to look dead before they fully bloom. Any ideas?
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If you scratch a branch (cane) with your nail, is there green beneath the surface? If not, the rush bush may be dead. One way to find out is to cut the bush down to the ground and see what happens next season. If the rose bush is alive, it will grow back.
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Even though this post is 4 years old, it is obviously still being read. With that in mind, it might not be a bad idea to warn against cutting too low as a new gardener might chop off all the grafted material, ending up with the rootstock...
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We had a nasty dorm come through about 7-8 no the ago, stripped all the leaves and smaller branches off my bushes. :( now I got one bloom in the too and leaves on the new growth on the top of the plants....but no new growth there the plants were stripped no leaves or buds or anything. They were beautiful full bushes before, now they look so pitiful! I'm keeping them trimmed to the max height they can be, but the new growth is only happening above where the plants had been stripped in the storm. Is there anything I can do to fix this? I really don't want to have to rip them out and plant new ones!
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Storm not dorm; 7-8 mo not 7-8 no.
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Without more information (type of roses), it's hard to know exactly what to advise here. But we have a recommendation: the American Rose Society has members/clubs in just about every state. Find those nearest you here: http://www.rose.org/resources/societies/. They not only will have knowledge of the plants but being in your area, may very well have expereinced the weather effects. We hope this helps!
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We built a new house and planted roses surrounding the house two years ago. We had a fairly severe winter and lost 6 plants and 3 survived. The three that survived are not producing any flowers but are green and growing. Do I need to replace these 3 non flowering rose bushes? I did replace the 6 dead plants which are doing well.
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How can I get rid of grass and weeds growing in the base of the rose bushes. I can't get in there to pull them out so what can I do to get rid of them and not harm the rose bushed
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Putting down a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around your rose bushes can help to get rid of weeds. However, if you can't reach the weeds by hand, I assume the area is also too difficult to mulch. In this case, you may wish to try one of several postemergent herbicides, like sethoxydim, fluazifop-P-butyl, or clethodim. These chemicals are generally safe for roses, but before you use one, be sure to read and follow instructions on the label!
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I was taught to place a banana (peel and all) in with roses I am planting (new bare root plant) or transplanting/moving to prevent shock. After my rose is well placed in its hole, I add apx 4-6 inches of dirt then drop the banana and finish planting as directed. To encorage deep root growth (I live in zone 5 of Midwest) I place a 1-1.5 inch diameter of pvc pipe- cut to abt 12-14inches in length, in the hole abt 6-8inches above the soil covered root ball. I fill the pvc pipe with gravel and sand. I water primarily through the pvc so water goes deep. I will minmally water at the top to keep soil around base of rose soft. During the summer when our rains are minimal, my roses are loaded with blooms while others in the neighborhood are suffering. Any time I have over ripe bananas- they get dropped on the roses. I loosen dirt around rose to abt 4 inches deep, place banana, and cover it up with the loosened soil. My roses seem to really appreciate 'feeding time' as the bananas really perk them up!
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Hi there! Spotted your rose clues on Almanac.com. Great suggestions. Thank you. Denise
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I was working at Avery old apt complex when I saw the gardener removing some very old roses about 6 ft tall with a exkavater I stopped them grabbed the roses and place the I a shady spot for an hour or so I rove 3 hours home w them in the bed of my pick up got them home and put them in a water and all grow will they survive
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This is an excellent idea, Patty! Thanks so much for sharing.
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I appreciate you sharing your idea.the pvc pipe is really helpful for helping my roses development process. Thankyou
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how do harvest seeds from your roses? i want to grow another bush.
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If you want to grow another bush of same plant ...then there is no need of seeds .you just cut a stem and plant it in another pot ( or wherever you want).not to forget there should not be direct sunlight for some days ... water regularly.
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How far away should a climbing rose be planted away from the trellis?
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Katie, There's lots of advice about this. If you're installing this near/against a building, position it a few feet from the wall to allow for air circulation and maintenance. Place it at right angles to the prevailing wind or in a somewhat sheltered spot in very windy areas. Plant the climbing rose about 6 inches in front of the trellis.
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Should it be on post or wider.
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I live in Montana want some roses that are hardy to my zone and have fragrance like I remember when I was a kid.
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Hi, is it true that Ivy can suffocate my rosebush? My rosebush has stopped flowering, lost all it's leaves - friends tell me, its due to the Ivy growing in the pot along the rosebush. Is that true? What can I do? Thank you!
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There is a good chance that the English ivy has contributed to your shrub's decline. Roses need excellent air circulation and a lot of sunlight. The ivy will have suppressed both. Defoliation often happens when a rose has black spot, a fungal disease to which they are highly susceptible, especially if air circulation is poor and they are not getting enough light. You should remove all of the ivy now. It is an invasive species so pull the roots out too (it will come back again and again so you will need to continue to pull it out each year). Sure hope your rose bounces back next spring!
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My climbing rose is not producing flowers anymore. It did in the spring but hasn't since. I've been putting coffee grounds on it a lot and it's been growing like a weed, but no flowers? It gets at least 5-6 hrs. of sun a day. Any ideas?
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Hi Paula,
It is likely you have a climber that blooms only once a season. Many do. They have one big flush and that's it until next year.
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Do you have to have male and female rose plants to grow flowers. If this is a fact how do they differ in appearance?
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Roses are called "perfect," since they have both male and female parts on the same flower. The male stamens look like thin stalks (called filaments), each with a knob up top (anther) that contains the pollen. The stamens are on the outside of the flower center. The female pistils (each of which contain a stigma, style, and ovary) are in the very center of the flower. The pistils, if pollinated, will develop seeds in a fruit called a rose hip.
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Is there another reason for using mulch other then winter protection? I just find that grass will eventually grow up among the mulch and harder to pull out. I planted my new rose bushes in my grass lawn and I trimmed the grass that grew close to the bush with scissors. Do they need border? If so, why? Thanks.
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Hi Mai,
Protecting the crown of roses with mulch, especially in cold-climate regions, is very important. That is the place where the desired rose species was grafted onto the hardy rootstock, and it is sensitive to cold and harsh elements. If damaged or compromised by freezing conditions, your roses could die. In terms of letting the lawn grow around the roses, that is not ideal, as it will wick water away from rose roots before it has time to seep down and reach them (you might think you are watering your roses, but you are really watering your lawn). The same will be true with fertilizer applications. Roses like good air circulation. Providing them with open growing conditions (including a ring around the crown) helps with that.
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Helpful hints And suggestions.
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there are holes on rose leaves bitten by insects for the past 2 weeks . I would appreciate to have recommendation on the repellent product to kill the insect.
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Hi Rebecca,
As with any insect pest, it is vital to know what you are dealing with. First, know the pest--what is chewing on your rose leaves? Timing of treatment application depends on when that insect is vulnerable (larval stage? adulthood? etc.) Prevention is the best approach. If you can coat leaves with horticultural oil or canes with dormant oil at the right time, you limit the pest's access to the plant. There are a few soap-based products on the market that could possibly be applied now, but again, know the insect you are targeting in order to choose the right product.
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I also have two beautiful orchid plants I bought from uk. I bought them as they are . Just cut off their some larger roots. And reported within 3 days. One has lost all leaves and the other has leaves. Will they survive in India. Initially kept them inside with partial light but now I have kept them outside where no direct sun. It's in balcony on a shelf .will they survive and the one which has no leaves left will this grow from root
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Orchids can be tricky--both in terms of timing and soil medium--both are critical for a successful transplanting. In terms of their chances of survival, there is no sure answer. It sounds like you have located them in a good place. Make sure they are in pots with room enough to accommodate healthy root growth, and keep up with the maintenance. Only time will tell!
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I have a standard rose ,flowers well,but has a lot of dead twigs,do I cut them or leave, I don't want to kill the rest of the rose, Iive in Scotland weather never the same for two days. Thank you
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Yes, always remove dead (or dying) rose canes. Cut them back to the main graft (unless there is green growth; i.e. the stem is not quite dead, in which case cut back to a healthy set of leaves.)
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How do you bring back a rose bush that died.
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I am sorry to report, Dan, that a dead rose shrub will not come back. However, sometimes what appears to be dead aboveground is still alive underground. Leave it in the ground for the growing season to see if it sends up some new shoots. If so, let them grow, and water and fertilize regularly. In the meantime, perhaps you should buy a new rose that will bloom this year, as the other certainly will not (should it still have a living root zone).
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I recently acquired a rose tree for my birthday (mustard and ketchup variety). When received in May it was loaded with blooms and kept on producing blooms. I now have it planted in a large pot with good loose soil (lots of peat moss and vermiculite). I also fertilized with an osmocote fertilizer. I received it around May 8. It bloomed prolifically for about a month and now has just stopped producing any blooms. Can you tell me if this is normal or if I need to do something different to sustain blooming. Other than no blooms it appears very healthy.
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Did the plant come with any guidance (a plant tag)? Have you contacted the sursery from whom the plant was acquired?
For such a particular plant we have little particular advice. It may simply be that the plant is adjusting its new "home." That's normal; a lot of plants appear to rest or evne decline after the transplant stage as they adapt to the new environment. If possible, contact the source just to be certain. At least, give the plant some time.
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A friend has several rose bushes and since they have been planted, they have ceased to blossom. He feeds and waters regularly. He is asking for some tips on how to get them to bloom!
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They bloomed the first year but don't bloom and grow like a vine.
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Roses grow best in full sun. Make sure they get at least 5 to 6 hours a day. Roses will also do better if you prune them in the spring and deadhead (remove) any faded blossoms. Please see our care and pruning tips at the top of this page.
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Hi I recently purchased two rosebushes. Both are hybrids one being white and other being multi colored. I did plant them enough apart from each other so they wouldn't blend. But I planted them almost two weeks ago and still have yet to see growth. They were both babies and had a bag over the roots. I currently have 7 rosebushes on my property and love roses being they are low maintenance. Am I doing anything wrong or are they just dormant. Thanks a bunch
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Hi Debra,
Give the roses some time to get established. Make sure to water them and also add some organic matter such as compost or aged manure to the soil around the bushes. Roses grow best in a sunny spot, at least 5 to 6 hours of full sun.
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I just moved into my new home and am working with the very neglected gardens that once existed. I found three small rose bushes pushing up from the ground. They are about 2 inches high and I would love to preserve them.I have no idea what type or anything but ss there any special care I should give them?
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Different varieties have different growing habits. Pruning helps to keep bushes managable and it also encourages blooming. Early spring is the best time to prune most roses. See our pruning tips on this page. Fertilizer is important for roses. Phosporous and bone meal will promote blooms and also adding compost to the soil will help your roses grow strong and bloom more.
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How can you tell if a rose bush is dead??
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If you scratch a branch (cane) with your nail, is there green beneath the surface? If not, the rush bush may be dead. One way to find out is to cut the bush down to the ground and see what happens next season. If the rose bush is alive, it will grow back.
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I have 4 box rose plants about 5 years old.I noticed some stems with very many small diameter thorns. The new groth on those stems is dark red. What causes this? It doesn't appear to be normal. What can I do to control this.
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Hi Richard,
Your roses may have rose rosette disease. It is a virus that is spread by a mite. You can read more about the disease at the website below.
http://ipm.missouri.edu/meg/2011/7/Rose-Rosette-Disease/
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My rose bushes are a few years old. Their first flush this year produced many beautiful blooms. Once deadheaded no more blooms appeared and the leaves began dying. No new growth appeared at all. On investigation, I found that all the bushes had been partially Ringbarked by my gardener. Should I persevere or replace the bushes? I live in southern Australia with hot summers and cold winters. Generally roses grow fabulously here.
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Hello i live in the panhandle of florida and would like to plant wild climbing roses. I have seeds not actual plants. I want to start them so i can have blooms this year but unsure should i plant in a pot first? If i plant in a pot would i mix starter mix and some of the dirt/sand from my yard? Or would i germinate seeds first then plant? I have a structure for them to climb so they dont take over my trees but need to know how is the best eay to start them from seeds please? Thank You.
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Hi Angie,
You will start the seeds in trays or small containers and it will take a few years before your seeds grow into plants big enough to bloom. The seeds also need a cold period of 6 to 8 weeks to germinate. Please see link below for tips on starting roses from seed.
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I bought 2 potted rose plants from Ikea on Friday. Instructions stated..needs sunlight but not direct. (I don't really comprehened) allow soil to dry before watering. I placed the 2 potted roses at my full length window with the panes opened. Btw our temperature ranging fton 25 to 34 C. I touched the soil..seemed moist...I continued to sprinlkle water into the soil n flowers everyday..but the roses withered n eventually dried up in just 3 days..I am very upset. Could you please advice me what I should do. I intend to buy somemore potted roses. Hope I will not caused their death.
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The roses need indirect sunlight meaning that they should not be in a window that gets direct sunlight. Indirect light does not directly hit the plant, it is reflected onto the plant from the ground or a wall. The soil should be moist and well draining. Make sure that the pots have drainage holes and put a plate under the pot to catch the overflow. Only water the soil.
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Hi I am from India, it's summer now. I have 7 different type of roses... they all bloomed well in winters.. now losing leaves of every plant except two... leaves are getting yellow then after couple of days leaves are dropping.. please help
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Hi. I live in UAE and this November I got a waxed tea rose from the nursery. It came in a box with the roots wrapped up. I planted it in a pot and it's grown a few leaves but can't find any significant growth. Also the leaves are drooping. I try not to over water them. Should I be pruning them? I didn't remove any wax before planting them. What should I do for having lush growth?
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Roses need a minimum of 5 to 6 hours of full sun per day. They are also heavey feeders and grow best in soil that has been mixed with aged manure or compost. If the cane is tall you can cut it back to a green leaf node.
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I recieve a gift roses of flowers and after 2 weeks cut all the flowers and leaves and put inside of the vase with little water and now having a new leaves to all nodes of spike of roses. What should I do now ? Can I replant them in a big pot and how many stalk of roses in a pot to plant them Pls I need your advice I don't want to waste this beautiful thick red roses and I am planing to keep inside the house to grow.
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You can try to plant the stems in a pot with perlite or a cactus soil mix that is light. If the stems don't have roots on the bottom dip the bottoms in a powdered rooting hormone before placing them in the pot. You can put 4 stems in a medium-size pot. Keep the perlite or soil mix moist and place the pot in a sunny spot and cover it with a big plastic bag with a few holes cut into it. It may take 6 to 8 weeks for the stems to develop good roots. Be prepared that just a few of the stems may make it.
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Hi! I have 4 pink and white Hydrendia plants since I planted them it's give me twice flowers but only 2 or one flowers. It's almost 6 years now it won't give me much flowers but good leaves. Should I move or replant them in a pot or what is the best month should I replant?
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Please go to our hydrangea plant page for information. almanac.com/plant/hydrangea
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due to harsh winter conditions "up north",the most successful method of wintering roses is the "minnesota tip" method. the roses (not shrub) are pruned to about 6to8 inches,all leaves removed,and tied into bundle. a trench is then dug to completely bury plant. plant is then tipped into ditch and thoroughly covered with soil..i winter about 24 hybrid teas each year, rarely suffer any loss.temps here may drop to minus 30 degrees,but roses are safe with this method.
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want to know more about the roses especially planting, care and watering
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hi good afternoon I have a rose they starting grow the leaves but I put it in water I want to know how to take care of my rose I looking forward to your responds thank u.
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Hi Catherine, We're not clear if you are speaking about a rose bush in the ground (or pot) or a cut rose stem (since you mention putting it in water). We'd need this information to help. Thanks!
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My rose blooms are not lasting but a few days I considered heat sun and all but before the open I notice slight dyeing look or browning on peddels then they open and seem pretty for a day and start to dye swiftly. UGH I just want healthyNess . I do have aisan beetles starting to show up and they are I promise going to get way worse in numbers I'm sure in a few days and a few night and close to possibly a dozen within another couple weeks . I have treated soil twice and even sprayed plant with a insectiside as directed witch might help as far as how many I will have to deal with by july but ugh is there ànything I can spray to keep them from my roses ?
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We had a baby knockout rosebush spring up alongside its parent. It grew tall and healthy but failed to produce blooms. Will it get some this coming late spring/summer failing to produce last growing season simply because it was its first year of existence?
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Knock Out roses are grafted onto rootstock and the "baby" may be a sucker growing from the rootstock and not the grafted cultivar. Trace the new stem down into the soil to its point of origin. Any growth coming from below the graft or swelling on the main stem is a sucker and should be cut out. If it is coming from above the graft, leave it alone and it may produce blooms this season.
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Hi. I live in UAE and this November I got a waxed tea rose from the nursery. It came in a box with the roots wrapped up. I planted it in a pot and it's grown a few leaves but can't find any significant growth. Also the leaves are drooping. I try not to over water them. Should I be pruning them? I didn't remove any wax before planting them. What should I do for having lush growth?
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I've heard used coffee grounds are good for rose bushes. What do you think?
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Roses like slightly acidic soil so don't overdo the coffee grounds or you might make it too acidic. Just one or two cups of grounds, dried and then worked into the soil is enough. Better to put the grounds into your compost pile and use that around all your plants since the finished compost will contain lots of nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms.
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Roses like slightly acidic soil so don't overdo the coffee grounds or you might make it too acidic. Just one or two cups of grounds, dried and then worked into the soil is enough. Better to put the grounds into your compost pile and use that around all your plants since the finished compost will contain lots of nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms.
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I've heard used coffee grounds are good for rose bushes. What do you think?
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Roses like slightly acidic soil so don't overdo the coffee grounds or you might make it too acidic. Just one or two cups of grounds, dried and then worked into the soil is enough. Better to put the grounds into your compost pile and use that around all your plants since the finished compost will contain lots of nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms.
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Roses like slightly acidic soil so don't overdo the coffee grounds or you might make it too acidic. Just one or two cups of grounds, dried and then worked into the soil is enough. Better to put the grounds into your compost pile and use that around all your plants since the finished compost will contain lots of nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms.
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I have a medium large rose bush in a large pot. The roots have grown through into the ground. Someone told me I could saw the roots through and reposition the roses. Is it safe?
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I've heard used coffee grounds are good for rose bushes. What do you think?
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Roses like slightly acidic soil so don't overdo the coffee grounds or you might make it too acidic. Just one or two cups of grounds, dried and then worked into the soil is enough. Better to put the grounds into your compost pile and use that around all your plants since the finished compost will contain lots of nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms.
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Roses like slightly acidic soil so don't overdo the coffee grounds or you might make it too acidic. Just one or two cups of grounds, dried and then worked into the soil is enough. Better to put the grounds into your compost pile and use that around all your plants since the finished compost will contain lots of nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms.
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I've heard used coffee grounds are good for rose bushes. What do you think?
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Roses like slightly acidic soil so don't overdo the coffee grounds or you might make it too acidic. Just one or two cups of grounds, dried and then worked into the soil is enough. Better to put the grounds into your compost pile and use that around all your plants since the finished compost will contain lots of nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms.
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Roses like slightly acidic soil so don't overdo the coffee grounds or you might make it too acidic. Just one or two cups of grounds, dried and then worked into the soil is enough. Better to put the grounds into your compost pile and use that around all your plants since the finished compost will contain lots of nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms.
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I have a medium large rose bush in a large pot. The roots have grown through into the ground. Someone told me I could saw the roots through and reposition the roses. Is it safe?
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Hi Melody,
It's OK to cut the roots. Depending on where you live you may want to remove the rose from the pot and plant it in the ground if you get freezing temperatures in the winter.
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Which is the best season or during which month can two rose plants be grafted and during which part of the day? I am from Bangladesh and it is very tough to keep rose plants alive here. Would somebody suggest me some advice and at time the flowers too which blossom are small and weak. Please help me out about what shall i do.
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Our best advice for success with roses is all above. Read to see what you might need to do or do differently.
You will find a lot of information about grafting, including seasons, here:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/pdf%20s...
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Hi, I planted a few mini roses in 6 inch pots. The problem is I have a north facing apartment so these plants sitting on my window sill gets sunlight only for like 3 hours in the morning. I place them outside for the whole day during weekends. But I think its not enough. The leaves are turning yellow. I cannot change my apartment until March next year. I repotted them and fertilize them regularly. What do I do? Please suggest.
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Yellow leaves can be a symptom of dry soil, dry air and/or not enough light. You can spray the roses with water a couple of times a week. To increase the light set up a cool–white or a warm-white fluorescent lamp, or use an incandescent light source.
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I purchased a house in April, Im in MN, and there is a tree or something that grows freakishly fast in the middle of two of my rose bushes. What can I do to get it out, without really harming my roses? The base has been there for a long time, so its about three inches fat... smack in the middle! I hack it down every few weeks, but it'd be nice if it was gone!
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You can try to dig down a bit and see if you can cut the tree below the soil surface. If this doesn't work wait until spring. You can then dig up the roses and transplant them in a new location or dig up the tree and roots and then replant the roses in the same flowerbed.
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Hi, i bought some potted rose plants from the nursery. When should I transfer them into bigger pots? When they got how much bigger and how to determine that? How long should I wait to avoid transplant shock? In a climate where the suns always glaring with around 32 degree celcius, how often should i water them? I tend to water a lot every morning n evening since i keep finding the soil getting dry, but i'm also afraid of over doing it. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. -syaza, Malaysia
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My roses don't bloom well...The bloom is very rare and is also very small. What am I supposed to do? I use mulch and water it properly.
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Here are common reasons that roses do not bloom: 1. Is your rose bush getting at least 6 hours of direct sun? 2. Also, roses do need fertilization on a regular basis if you want them to bloom. 3. It's good that you are watering and mulching. Be sure your'e note overwatering. The soil around your roses shouldn't be saturated.
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I bought my home here in Abilene, Tx. 1 year ago. The previous owner had planted a rose bush in the front yard and it is shaded most of the time by 2 big trees. It is growing and looks very healthy but it has not bloomed at all in the year that I have been here. Wondering why.....is it because it's not getting enough sun? Or something else causing the "no bloom" situation? I'm baffled because I've had many different types of roses in my lifetime and have never experienced anything like this. Thank you for any help you can offer!!
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You've hit it, Jill. Not enough sun—at least so far as we know. If the plant is healthy and thriving, but not flowering, it's due to lack of sun.
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Please help! Just bought my first rose bush.... I'm in love with it, so much I was too eager to plant it I did it in the middle of Summer here in Texas! It is 98 degrees... I know I did wrong, can you please help me save my rose bush. It's a Belinda's Dream. :(
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I planted a yellow rose bush and its first bloom was bigger and the second bloom was smaller and the bush has lost all its leaves with no new leaf buds showing. Please help
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It sounds like your rose bush is dying. Read our planting and care sections above to see if you can pinpoint what went wrong. You can prune the dead branches and see if the rose will put out any new growth.
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hi im new to roses i water them everyday some time every two days and i give them fertilizers once a week but they're not growing i live michigan and i notice few of the leaves the pests eat the.. Im just lost i dont know what to do please help me.. Thank u
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Fertilize the roses less frequently, once a month is enough. Try to identify the pests eating the leaves. See our tips on how to get rid of different pests under the Pets heading above.
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we just planted a rose bed with both climbing and tea roses and added pachysandra as a ground cover. is this OK or should we have gone with just mulch?
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Keep an eye on the pachysandra. It can be invasive. Also, packysandra likes shade and roses like Sun so they may not be great companions. We'd stick with mulch. However, if you do want a ground cover for your roses, consider thyme.
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Hi... im from Colombo,Srilanka... i have 11 pots of rose plants... including miniature rose.... one of my miniature rose plant growing 30 cm height... its yellow.... and sum buds getting slightly brown... but its blooming... and i hav another miniature rose plant.... its 6 inches hight... it has few leaves... but its blooming every week.... can u give me solutions for plants..? Specially im living third floor of a building and its the last floor and a belcony ... i kept my pots in dat belcony ....
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Hiii...I bought pot rose plant during april though it didnt had blossoms but new leaves came out of it but now during early june it had shed all his leaves...I water them regulary and give them around 6 hours or more of sunlight,I live in kolkata and rains had started here....please suggest me some way that plant can regian its leaves..stem is green yet
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The rose may have been overwatered. Make sure that the pots drain well and bring them into a protected area so that they don't get too much rain.
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My rose plants gives the roses...but they are growing very small in size..comparing to the starting roses we had when it has been purchased.
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How many days once I use compost on my pot rose.
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When you deadhead a bloom, do you cut right below the bloom or the stem it is on?
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Hi Bobbie,
Prune back to a leaf with five leaflets below the faded bloom. Cut at an angle, just above the leaf. If you want larger blooms cut the stem a bit lower on the bush. With larger blooms you'll get fewer flowers.
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Hi I live in Colorado this year in April we had a warm spell that got my rose plant waking up and growing. The first week in May we got 8 inches of heavy snow and it got really cold for a week or two. My rose plant now has droopy stems that have soft thorns and the stems seem to be turning reddish brown. Should I prune these off? I also just recently transplanted the rose plant becuase we built up the flower bed 12 inches. I've made sure it has gotten lots of water. I know it must be in shock,that's why I was wondering about pruning the already droopy stems if it would help it or make it worse. Thank you for your time.
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Cn u cover your plants A small shed, over the plants
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I planted Kennedy hybrid bushes in my yard about a month ago. They are starting to bloom but only a couple. What can I do to encourage new and more blooms? Also what do I do to protect them in winter? I live in WV. I've planted them in soil and compost and have wood mulch around them.
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we have just planted three rose bushes for my parents and they are having problems with ants getting onto them and they are eating them what can we put on or around them so they wont get on them and kill them please help
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Ants usually don't harm roses. The ants are attracted to the roses by aphids. Check the leaves and stems for aphids. If you have aphids you can try to wash them off with a spray of cold water from the hose. Or you can wash the plants with insecticidal soups or spray with horticultural oils.
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I just purchased and planted two 1.75 gallon roses. Princess de Monaco Rose hybrid Tea. One had six buds and the other had 2 buds when they were planted. They have been planted for a week and those buds are opening. Can I or should I be cutting them or do I need to wait for them to be established before I start cutting them? Do I need to cut them once they are done blooming. Sorry for all the questions I am very new to this.
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Just cut off the blooms after they have faded. This will promote more buds to develop. There is no need to prune the bushes this year. See our pruning advice above.
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I just planted 2 rose bushes that I got from my son on Mother's Day. I live in Wisconsin and the forecast says we could have some frost tonight and possibly tomorrow night. Should I cover them, because I leave for work at about 4:15AM. They would be covered until I get home after 2 PM
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I bought a rose plant n a pot .i am living in U.A.E.the climate here is very hot nd sunny here at temp of 40degree now.i kept rose plant n ma balcony.its slight sunny at 6am to 9am.but its so hummidity outside..so will u help me what all i want to do to care ma rose plant..the other thing is the rose flower is not seem to be smell..only slight odour..whot to do to get odour to the flower
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I have just bought 4 rose plants from uk to India . Before I flew I had cut back all leaves and large roots to pack them in moist tissue and planted them In pots within 3 days. It's now 30 days and all of them look dead. What shall I do . Have j lost them
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My grandmothers rose bush was transplanted into our garden and grew for 21 years. Poison Ivy grows at the base of the rose bush now, and the rose bush appears dead. Is there anything we can do to save it? Can we dig up the bush and save the roots and try to grow it in water temporarily until we dig the Poison Ivy out and try to regrow our grandmothers bush? Some of the stems look prickly and hairy, and they are all dry and brown. No blooms, no leaves. Thank you, any help were grateful for?
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Hi Natalia,
You can dig up the rose bush and see if you can find any sign of life. Remove all the brown dead branches and stems. If you find a branch that has some green in it there is hope. Spray the roots with water to remove the soil and cut off all the dead roots. Replant the rose in a new location and give it water and some rose food.
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I live in the desert sw where the soil is very poor and it rains very little so pots are the answer for my roses. Have read that Baer Rose products are great but 'do not use on plants in pots'. Can you explain? Also experiencing yellow leaves but only on plant in pot with saucer..is that the cause.
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So when I replanted my rose a lot of the dirt fell off the roots I pushed it back together then today it was droppy is it in shock or dead?
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Let's hope it's transplant shock which is normal.
--Give them lots of water, but not soggy.
--Cut their buds off just below the bud. They need to conserve energy.
--Don't give them any more fertilizer for a while.
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I have time bushes that have black spots on the leaves and the leaves die and fall off. What is this and what do I do to stop it?
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Hi, Eddie, "Black spot" is a very common affliction of roses, especially hybrid teas. Control is usually with a fungicide (the problem is a fungus), and must be applied every 10 days or more often if it rains between applications.
Temps of 85°F and above inhibit it—something that you can not do much about in most cases. The plants should be in sun to take advantage of every ray.
Rake and clear the ground under the roses every spring. Prune and discard infected canes. Avoid wetting/watering the leaves on cloudy days. If at all possible, plant disease-resistant varieties. We hope this helps.
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How will wood ashes in the soil affect a rose bush? Everything in town is in bloom but my rosebush still looks like its dead. Could it just be dormant for some reason? It is in full sun all day and has not bloomed since we moved here last summer. It was already there but had no blooms and was probably not cared for at all. I have cut it back some and started to water it. Is there any chance it is still alive?
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It's recommended to add 1/2 to 1 pound of wood ash per year per rose bush. It's important to spread the ash evenly on the soil around the plant and then rake it into the soil lightly. Piles of ash will leach excessive salt into the soil around the plant and can damage the roots. If your rose doesn't have any leaves it may be dead. Cut a branch off to see if there is any green on the inside.
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A friend of mines told me she puts banana peels around her rose bushes, and the grow like crazy, is this a myth, or truth.
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Truth! Roses love rich soil with great organic amendments. They really thrive on banana peels and coffee, as well as ground alfalfa meal.
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Hi I need your help I have six varieties of roses how to make them have many leaves as we are in winter and here where I live there are only two seasons thanks and please how to calculate the pH of the soil
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I live in West Texas and bought and planted six rose bushes. One is growing great and the others did for awhile. Now the other five look like they are dying. What can I do to save them? They get plenty of sunshine and watered twice a day morning and evening.
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Don't water in the evening, it causes root rot.
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A few years ago we took cuts off of my great grandmother's rose bush ( I'm guessing it's a climbing one because it goes up a tressle).. Our issue is we can't seem to get then to bloom. We water and feed them and they get plenty of sunlight. We also prime them some and cut any dead branches and they grow like mad... But yet we've never had a single bloom... Any ideas? We live in southwest Missouri!
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Try adding some Epson salts to the water every week. Or use rose food, but I would still use Epson salts as well. Makes clematis vines bloom like crazy!
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i have three double knockout roses in my yard that i have had for about 3 or 4 years and i want to move them to the side of the house i just recently pruned them around the first of march is it ok to transplant them to the side of the house now
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Hi Scott,
Yes, you can transplant the roses now. Spring and fall are the best times to move roses. See more tips under Planting on top of this page.
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Do I need to cut my rose bush all the way down to start growing an watering at the end of last year I cutviff the dead the branches an vines are still pretty long was just wondering if I cut them short
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I live in Northern India with summer temp rising to 38 C & winter down to 15 C. I have Knock out variety of rose plants . For the first four years , the branches were healthy & good blooms came . Last two years the plants have started growing very tall - about 6 ft with very thin & weak branches which do not support the bloom & bend down. Blooms are still Ok. What should be done to rduyce the height & strenthen the branches . Plants get about four hours of sun light !!
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hi. the leaves of my rose plan are getting damaged , and how to identify the manure , which one is good?? and how ro test the soil good for roses,. i dnt have any idea regarding this...
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Check your roses for pests. Add compost or aged manure around the rose or use a fertilizer specifically made for roses. Epsom salts are also good for rose growth. See our planting and care advice on this page.
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hi, I live in zone 8b nd recently got old English roses from David Austin. All bare foot, soaked them in water for a day, dug hole wide enough nd filled with organic matter. They started to show red tipped shoots. Unfortunately now we r having freezing weather now for a couple of days. Will they die? Will they survive to be healthy or this mini frost will kills them? I feel terribly bad like I set th Out there to die. Thanks for any advice. I did put abt an inch of mulch on top - will that help? Thanks
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The frost may kill the new growth. The plant will be OK. The mulch will protect the roots. You can cover the roses with sheets or towels if the night temps. are low.
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Hi. I am from India, what should be done to recover a rose plant. I buy plants for trading. But after each lot few remain behind. The Bush appearance is lost. What should I do to make these look great again for trading.
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hi there, i wanted to ask, why roses need to be put far away from the the open window and sunlight and at the night , they need to be put in the refrigerator ? i know that it is something to do about to freshen up the roses but, can you explain further about it? thank you :)
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It is Oct 29, and we live in Zone 6. We just received a rose tree called Lavender Sunblaze as a gift. It is currently in a pot. I am trying to figure out if it is too late to try to plant it outside, or over winter it indoors. Do I have enough time to plant it outside? At this stage, I have a feeling I am going to need some advise, as to where to go from here. Thanks Dave
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Can I cut a stem of a rose and plant it can it grow
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Hi, I was really confused about the drainage part of caring for your roses... If I have them in a pot, do I need there to be holes in the pot for the water to drain out? How often should I water my plant? How do you know when to trim off the rose? Do I keep them in direct sunlight all day? Thank you.
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You need to have drainage holes in the pot. Roses don't like "wet feet". Keep the soil moist but don't overwater. Give your roses as much sun as possible. Cut off spent flowers regularly but save any pruning of branches until early spring.
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Can you get a cutting off a rose bush and start a new one
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All of my roses seem to be healthy but do not have a lot of bloom. They grow high with long stems without leaves and bloom first when they are over five or six foot high. Problem is possible that they don't get enough morning/eastern sun, but I am not sure. Sun is coming in after 11 am and stays all day. So as higher they get the more morning sun they receive. Is there anything I can do to encourage more lower growth and more flowering. One bush is established for 5 years and has hundreds of flowers all during the year. Why are the other ones not doing the same?
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Hi Jurgen,
What type of roses do you have? Different varieties have different growing habits. Pruning helps to keep bushes managable and it also encourages blooming. Early spring is the best time to prune most roses. See our pruning tips on this page. Do you fertilize the roses? Phosporous and bone meal will promote blooms and also adding compost to the soil will help your roses grow stronge and bloom more.
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I am planning to transplant roses from my grandfather's home in western Minnesota to my home in northeast Iowa. They are old (30-40 years?) but I don't know if they are considered old-fashioned or modern roses. I would like to do this now (October-November). What special steps should I take? Was thinking about cutting them back and just moving them.
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Hi Sara,
It's better to move roses when they are dormant (late winter, early spring). But you can transplant them now, if you do it soon, the roots need some time to get established in the new location before the soil freezes. Water the roses well the days before digging them up. Don't prune the roses way back. Just cut back branches that are dead or too long. Make sure to get as much of the roots as possible. Cover the root balls with wet burlap and plant the roses as soon as you can at the new location. Add compost or aged manure to the soil when planting. Water the roses daily before the soil freezes.
Good luck!
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I brought two mini rose bushes and I have had them in pots, I brought them in side as we have had some freezing weather during the night. But they are not doing as well in side. Would it be better for me to plant them out side.
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If the roses where used to outside conditions it may take a while for them to get used to the indoors. Mini roses sold in grocery stores are not going to make it outdoors in the winter. If you bought these bushes from a nursery they may have a chance to survive cold temps. Try to find find out what variety they are and if they are hardy enough. If you do plant them outside cover with lots of mulch.
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I planted 4 climbing roses this year. I've had roses before so I know what to do to winterize them. Is there something different I should do for climbers?
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Good question. Winterizing climbing roses is a little more challenging because you need to cover the entire plant with soil. Remove the rose from its climbing structure/trellis. Gently bend the canes to the ground; carefully pin the rose down and cover the canes with several inches of soil plus a layer of mulch. When spring arrives, uncover just as you would with other roses.
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I have worked with the climbing variation of Rose for 20 years. I have one presently that is actually older than I am which is saying something if you know what I mean. I have never done anything except prune it back a little during the winter. It remains healthy but seems to kind of fall into a dormant type state. Hey, the books may state something different but I`ve never covered mine and they grow thick and gain several feet every year. Just sayin`....
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hello, i am from India(Gujarat).we are having a soil of about neutral pH.and climate is now turning on winter.we are having a full of sunlight(9 to 10 hrs per day.i wish to cultivate rose plants in my farm.i am planning to continuously sprinkle water on roses.it would be beneficial for roses health?
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I planted a Peace Rose in the spring. Watered it twice a week until we started getting a lot of rain. I assumed that rainwater was enough. But now (September) I haven't given it additional water and it is loosing its leaves. Have I killed my rosebush?
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Hi, Pat, You do not indicate where you live, but it might, in fact, not make much difference. It may not be only about water. Hybrid tea roses, of which this is one (and a lovely one), require attention to details. A couple of things come to mind: Does your soil have the proper pH? That would be 6 to 6.5, but not over 7 or less than 5. Was it bare root or potted when planted? Bare root are typically put into a bucket of water when the hole is prepared—a hole with a cone-shaped mound of soil‚ including good organic material, in the middle and essentially on which the bare root is positioned, with the graft union above soil level. Container roses are usually put into a hole about the size of the container, with the graft also above soil level. Watering should be once or twice a week, depending on conditions, and enough water to penentrate 4 to 6 inches. (Another reason to have well-draining soil with organic matter.)
Rose foliage should not be watered. Yes, rain certainly falls on the leaves, but that seems to be different... And, yes, it might have been enough. For the record, watering should be done in the morning or during the day when the sun will dry the leaves. Some say an inch per week. A general rose-specific fertilizer is beneficial, applied at intervals described on the package, but not after September.
All that said, "black spot" is a very common affliction of roses, especially hybrid teas. Control is usually with a fungicide, and must be applied every 10 days or more often if it rains between applications.
Finally, you might go back to the source to ask for specific advice...even possibly a replacement (or credit for next season). It's unfortunate to see your hopes fade.
We hope this helps.
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How much roses need water in september to nov
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Nilofar joon it all depends where you live and what kind of weather your having. If you live in Los Angeles like I do the temperatures can be into the 90's at that time of year and since we don't get a hard freeze the roses never go completely dormant and can be watered normally 'till maybe the end of Nov. If you live in a climate where an actual winter occurs I think maybe watering should be stopped and the plants winterized at that time.
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I just pulled my potted Rose bush out of my garden little did I know the roots were right threw deep into the garden. I heard the root snap now my rose plant is whillting can I save it? Will it die? Help
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Your rose is in shock and will recover if you give it a little bit of extra care. Get a bigger pot if you are going to keep it as a container rose. Mix fresh soil with compost and add superphosphate to the soil. Superphosphate will encourage new root growth. Prune some of the top leaves and branches so that the bush is smaller and easier for the roots to support.
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For the first three years my newly planted rose bush bore an abundance of beautiful flowers but the last two years it has only given me leaves and yes the are healthy looking. 5 feet awy is another rose bush doing well. I treat them the same. Can you tell me why this may be? Other roses in the yard are also doing well and this is my third house I've owned where I have seen this problem with my roses. Thanks for your response.
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My roses were very fragrant the first two yrs. Now at 5 seasons, they are not. Could it be insecticides or Bayer fertilizer? Help. Thanks
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I bought several different colors of climbing roses from my local Home Depot and Lowe's last year to climb the posts of my wrap around covered patio (pink, yellow, red). This year all the blooms were red? Is this normal? I don't mind really because it's still beautiful, but can I prevent this if I buy more variety of roses to plant in the future?
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Hi, Yes, it's normal for roses to change color. There are several reasons. Pink can change to red in cooler weather. Also, roses are grafted so the root and branches are different varieties and this can affect the rose color.
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Most of my 20 rose bushes have gone back to the native stems or wild roses. How do I prevent this from happening.
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Hi Bobbi,
It is important to remove any suckers, or wild branches, from their source which is below the graft union, usually under the soil. You need to scrape away the soil to reveal them and then cut them out. If you don't do it the wild, native rose will take over.
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Hi. Can you help to know about the average/approx productivity of an rose plant can be..??? Annually ??
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I live in ct. I would love to grow some roses as my wife loves them. I have a garden bed right next to my house that faces east. The sun here comes up in the east. There are no trees blocking the sun from hitting this garden bed. Are there any special types of roses that i should use here.
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Hi Kevin,
Most roses love the sun and there are so many varieties and colors to choose from. We suggest that you get a hardy shrub rose. They are easy to care for and don't mind cold winters. 'Knock Out' roses bear masses of blooms are disease resistant and bloom all summer long. They come in many colors. 'Firecracker' is another easy to grow red rose. We suggest that you visit a local nursery for more information.
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The rose bush I bought has wax on the tips of the cut branches,will it still grow, or should I cut a little bit off? I am new at planting flowers, and would like to see them grow to flurish. I"ve had it for about a month, and it seems to have not grown at all. Or have I bought a dud!!
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If your rose bush doesn't have any buds or green leaves by now it is probably dead. The canes were dipped in horticultural wax to prevent them from drying out during shipment and while in the store.
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I have my grandmothers roses - very old, hardy, very fragrant with light pink ruffly flowers. they bloom in the end of June/beginning of July. Happy where they are, they send out baby plants. When and how should I prune them? How should I fertilize? Any other special care I should give them? Thanks. We used to call them 'grandma roses' and take them to our teachers.
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If the roses are doing well just prune damaged or dead branches in the summer and fall. To keep the bushes manageable prune in early spring. See our care tips on this page for more information.
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My 5 rose bushes all seem healthy but as the rose buds form something is eating the tips. All of the roses seems almost dead when they open. My knockout roses has some type of parasite eating the leaves. What is eating the tips, what are these conditions called is and how do I treat them?
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Have you spotted any insects? First line of defense is simply blasting them with water early morning. You can also spray the undersides with soap spray or apply Neem oil. If you must resort to insectides or have regular issues, use 'Bayers 3 in 1 Rose Care' and next year drench your soil with it in April.
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I have this problem also. New growth dies and I never get to flower. Buds get chewed... Don't see anything really. Water blasting does nothing and neither does soap spray. I'm about to just throw them out. Started with a knock out rose I purchased & now they all have it. Will try Buyer next year per your suggestion. But I want to know what is the culprit???
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my roses has a little hole in almost each leaf. How do I know what is making that hole, and what do I do about it?
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You probably have a roseslug. They won't cause serious damage. Spray insecticidal soap or horticultural oil (“organic” options) on the undersides of leaves. If it really bothers you, you could kill them with Bayer’s All-in-1 Rose Care but your roses will survive the small holes.
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I had planted two rose plants in tubs. At first they bore big flowers, but gradually the succeeding flowers became smaller. What should I do to get big flowers like I did earlier? I must mention the climate here: nowadays it is monsoon and the temperature fluctuates between 30-38 degrees.
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We're assuming that the degrees are in Celsius? Which means 86-100 Fahrenheit. That's high for many roses, and they will respond with smaller blooms, or none at all. (Some roses don't seem to mind heat.) We'd suggest providing a shade cloth or similar during afternoon heat to help the plants cope, and keep up with the watering (although if it is monsoon season, check if the soil isn't becoming too soggy). Place mulch over the soil, to keep the soil cool.
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mu mother has an old rose tree about 7 feet tall that gives roses all year round is an old tree but new stems come out. there was a small bulb that my mom said tolet it dry and then inside has seeds to go ahead and plant the seeds after it drys. is this ok to do? to open the round bulb and there should be seeds inside?
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Yes, the bulb that forms where the flower is is called a rose hip and contains seeds. If you plant these, the plants may not produce flowers that look like the parent, if the parent was a hybrid rose. But on occasion, a seed might develop into a really special rose. It may take years, however, to see results. For the specifics on how to collect and prepare the seeds (they need a little special care), see:
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One of my first-year roses, which had just started to grow leaves nicely, got broken by our dog. It lost its only leaf and now all it has is its short (but green) stem. Does it have any chances to survive and sprout more leaves? :( The weather has been good, we've had enough rainfalls.
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I bought several Rose Bush Hedges online about 5 years ago. They came as bare root plants, and we followed all of the planting instructions that came with them. They have never gotten taller than about 3 feet and have never gotten "bushy". Over the years a few have died and we replaced them with different roses (thinking maybe they were the bush). They just aren't growing as well as they should have. We have other Roses that are planted in the same type of soil and environment and do great. But we just can't seem to get these to grow and flourish. I was just wondering if you have any thoughts or suggestions to try. Thank you!-Mandy
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bought 2 rose bushes last year planted and they bloomed all season.This year one of them is growing good but the other one looks totally dead,is there a chance it will come alive or should I just pull it and plant a new bush??
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Hi Cathy,
It sounds like you need to plant a new bush. If you have severe winters make sure to mulch the bushes before the cold weather sets in.
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How do I stop bugs (japanace beetles) from destroying my roses
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Planting garlic or other alliums close to the roses helps to keep the beetles away. You can also use Japanese beetle traps, found at garden centers. See our Japanese beetle section at
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my husband got me a rose bush for my birthday it is my first rose bush I have the packing said it was a yellow climbing rose bush but it isn't a climber nor yellow its a big pink flower I noticed its like the one on top page that says from my garden I seen it has the same pink spots on lower pedals could you please tell me what kind of rose bush it is so I can take care of it properly the pic says credit suzie rose thank you
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Hi Judy,
There are so many pink rose varieties which makes it hard to tell from one picture what kind of rose you have.
See our care section above for general advice about taking care of roses.
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my rose plant has gave around 6 flowers and has got 3 or 4 new buds growing do i cut back the old bud completely to the stalk or the head?
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Traditionally when you deadhead a rose you cut the stem below the faded flower above the first or second five leaf set. It's OK to cut lower to promote more leaves and stronger stems. The further down the stem you cut, the longer it will take for the rose to rebloom.
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Are roses affected by juglone ?
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Wild roses are not susceptible to juglone.
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for how many days can roses stay in a vase??
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Hi, The leaves on my roses are turning brown around the edges and getting worse. They are watered twice a day via a drip line and I have given them rose food. (Our spring is warm and dry, and our summer is hot and dry.) Can I save them? Thank You!
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MINE DOING THE SAME IF YOU FIND OUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU
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It sounds like your roses are either being attacked by insects, such as thrips, or the roses have a fungus. Check with your local garden nursery for a fungicide to use on the plants. To control thrips, combine 2 teaspoons of mild dish detergent with 1 gallon of water. Wipe down the leaves with this solution.
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It sounds like your roses are either being attacked by insects, such as thrips, or the roses have a fungus. Check with your local garden nursery for a fungicide to use on the plants. To control thrips, combine 2 teaspoons of mild dish detergent with 1 gallon of water. Wipe down the leaves with this solution.
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Hello, How tall will my 4" Mini Rose grow? Thank you, Eva
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There are hundreds of miniature rose varieties so it depends! Some are 12 inches, many are 18 to 24 inches.
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TinyBabyKnockoutRoses: Surrounding my knockout rose bush are what appear to be new teeny tiny little baby rose bushes. They are scattered about and are not connected to any part of the existing rose bush. Can I transplant these to pots? If yes, is it better to put several of them together in one pot or one per pot? What do I need to do to ensure they mature? *It is currently early May & I live in southern IN near Louisville...I am relocating to southern MI near Lansing.
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Before cutting, make sure the stems have several leaves. Cut the bottom leaf at an angle. You can put a rooting agent on the cutting or we've even heard of dipping it in honey. Plant the cuttings in their own pots and keep the soil moist.
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We have the same situation (baby knockouts growing independently from their parent[s]). However, we planted the parents this spring and they gave rise to the babies that are now about 1 foot tall (it's now late October in southern Ohio). Do we follow the same procedure as described above if we want to plant them next spring separately in another bed?
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I am interesting in growing knockout roses for use in my wedding next year. The wedding is May 2nd, is that too early for these flowers?
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It depends on where you grow them. If you live in an area that has low winter temperatures, then May 2 will be too early for blooms.
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I just bought 9 climbing roses at a big box store (not sure grade, or anything) they have the wraper around them..I planted them yesterday, and going to put the mulch around them today. I used an organic compost/ manure and top soil to backfill the holes mixed ever so slightly with some dirt from the holes I dug. I'm a newbie at growing anything, but I'm trying...okay my questions are : Do I fertilize them with miricle grow, or wait to fertilize?? Some parts of the tips look to have wax or something on the end of the plants where it looked like they were cut to be packaged and the dripped this stuff on the end of the stems...do I cut some back, or just leave it on and let it grow for now?? I got one "love" 6 "chrysler imperal" and 2 "mr linicoln" I'm in zone 5 and the plants all look healthy and all had small red and greenish leaves with looks like new growth on some of the stems. And with those varieties will I have to do anything "special" to over winter them?? I have some neghibors that have beautiful rose bushes or climbing roses and I've tried to as them what they do with theirs, and they said they just leave them alone, they don't water, mulch, cut them back, or anything and they grow like weeds...I'm not sure if the ones I got will be those that will take off and not need much care. I bought a smooth touch thornless rose last year and thought I planted it right, mulched it etc and it died over this winter. So I made sure from reading through the comments here, these new babies, I sat the crown an inch or so and put soil over it and I'm adding mulch today because I am thinking with the rose bush I lost, I had the crown, if you will, level with ground level and just mulched it real good in the fall and I am thinking that's why it died because I didn't set the crown down into the soil since it gets cold here in zone 5 Any thoughts or advice would be VERY helpful as I don't want to kill all of these beautiful plants :)
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Hi Jamey,
Make sure your newly planted roses get plenty of sunshine and water. No need to fertilize yet. The mix of compost and manure will nurish the bushes as they get established. Only cut back any dead branches now. Add extra mulch or leaves around the bushes in the fall to protect them from severe cold. Good luck!
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I live in MN and it is still pretty cold here..Highs in the 50's and lows in the high 30's. I have my rose bush covered, when is it a good temp to uncover it and leave it uncovered?
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Hi Ann,
Uncover your roses when night temperatures are consistently over 32 degrees.
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It is beginning of May in Massachusetts and I have 7 roses all planted last year late spring early summer. My Therese bugnet is looking lively with leaves on purplish New cane growth. It did not do much last year. I have a cl pinita, a cl America and cl Don Juan, three hybrid tea touch of class, Angel face and kordes perfectica. My kordes perfectica is brown stems with some purple year old cane with small leaf buds. Don Juan purple, brown, green canes with leafbuds. Angel face some green light brown canes with year old canes with leaf buds. America leaf and green leaf with more leaf buds up brownish longer cane. Touch of class green canes and leaf buds. Cl pinita purplish green canes with leaf buds, some black on these canes. I guess I'm answering my own questions here about the plant vigor at this point. I am so excited for growth and have done some early removal of winter protection and fertilizing with compost, bone meal compound and Epsom salts in April. They are slower to grow than my neighbors roses I think, but maybe that is due the varieties or perhaps because they are newly establishing plants just as of last year. Any response will be most appreciated. These are by far my favorite hobby.
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I live in ocala forest . fl the soil here is very sandy. I have just planted 8 bareroot roses,, floridia,s i believe... i put dried up cow manure ,mircle grow garden soil and some clay. to help the soil. well here,s the problem,, i then ordered a soil tester and it showed no nitorgen whats so ever in the soil.. so i bought some blood meal but im afraid it might be to much all at once for just planting them, what do u think. so i put down the nitorgen or wait?????? thanks so much . elise
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It's best to hold off on fertilizing your newly planted bareroot roses until after they have finished blooming. At that time, test the soil again: the dried cow manure and miracle gro soil may have contributed to the nitrogen and other nutrients. If the soil is still low in nitrogen, you might add a little to the area if needed, according to manufacturer's directions.
Also, keep up with the watering to help the plants establish themselves.
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I have purchased five rose bushes from a garden centre. They are wrapped in seem to be moist. They have budded out and leaves have started to form. I live in Nova Scotia and the temperature has not warmed up very well. I was wondering if I can plant the roses now or should I wait for warmer weather. The temperature this morning was 2C. These plants seem to be very healthy. Irene
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Do not plant until after the last frost is safely behind you and the ground has thawed so that you can dig a hole, but before the hot summer weather arrives. The roots grow well in cool weather.
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PLEASE HELP...I have 14 rose bushes and all seem to be dead. All stems are brown and some black and very brittle. I am just sick. Not one sign of a leaf or bud just brown canes. Should I accept they did not make it thru the bruttle winter and pull them? Shouldn't there at least be leaves appearing or something to show they are alive by now? Thank You Pat Rizzo
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Before you pull them, look carefully:
• are there any buds (tiny raised reddish nubs) anywhere on the canes?
• are there green or deep red sems at the base of the plant?
• scratch the cane with a fingernail; is there green tissue under the surface? If not, the cane is dead.
• using clean pruning shears, cut the dead cane/s back to any green wood and remove any canes that crowd in the center
• in a week or two, check for nubs (beginning buds) or new shoots; allow more time, if the plant is old
• if all else fails, gently unearth the base of the plant and check to see if it has light-colored, strong roots. If it does not, it has not survived.
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Hi, I live in Chicagoland area, and we just had one of the worse winters on record, as far as snow and cold, we just had snow April 15th. I went out to prune my roses today. My Carefree Delight totally fine. But my Tiffany and Tropicana, the canes look totally black, some green toward ground, cut way back, are they dead? Also looks like rabbits may have been eatting green off bottom, kind of stripped, but still green and buds further up, can they survive? Or should I yank and pirchase new ones. Kinda sad because they survived a flood a few years ago.
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It sounds like your Tiffany and Tropicana roses suffered freeze damage, which can blacken the stems. Once the threat of frost/freeze/snow is over, then prune them back to healthy wood, just above an outward facing leaf bud. Pruning them too soon will encourage new growth that is more susceptible to cold temperatures.
If you haven't already, you might consider winter protection. Even after spring has arrived, but you are expecting temperatures around freezing, you might want to offer the more tender roses some cover. For winter protection ideas, you might be interested in: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/roses/winter.cfm
Hope this helps!
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Thankyou, carefully pruned cut back all the dead yucky black thorny canes to green, and now with sun and warmer days seeing buds and leafing out. No wonder roses are such a symbol of making it through the hard times of life!
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just plant 4 rose bushes and 2 of them dying. what can i do to safe them? Thanks
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Larisa, With roses, there are many reasons why they could die from the quality of the rose you purchased to how you planted the roses to diseases. We suggest that you take some photos of the dying bushes, some leaves and stems, and a soil sample into your county agricultural extension agent.
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I live n trinidad its mostly hot here I have abt 14 rose plants 1climbing rose , its nt flowering an one other it looks like its die an I hav a bachac problem need help
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I bought some red roses from lowes last week.. and I bin watering them twice a day... morning and aftrnoon... they look like they Wana die... is there any fertilizer that I need to buy? This my first time planting anything bc I just bought a house n San Patricio cnty...
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It all depends on your variety of rose and whether this is a container rose or a rose bush set in the ground. However, it sounds as if you are overwatering. The general rule of thumb suggests that one inch of water be applied per week during the growing season. To know if you're getting an inch of rain, you can set out an empty tuna can and see how much water falls.
Yes, all roses need a fertilization program. Usually a general-purpose fertilizer will do (such as a 10-10-10 or 12-12-12). Apply about one-half to one cup per plant in the spring. Don't get too close to the base of the plant. Start 6 inches out and work it in lightly. Then water.
You could fertilize again in mid-June. Do not fertilize after mid-August. You could fertilize one more time AFTER the plant has gone dormant in the fall so it will be available when growth resumes in the spring.
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I have my rose garden for about 3 years. The leaves on my plant are very dry and scorched and crinkled looking.I live in Jamaica and it is very hot. What is wrong with my roses? should I water the leaves.
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If you live in a hot and sunny place, you want to avoid having the sun rays blast your rose plant. Avoid planting in full sun or on the west side. Roses do best with afternoon filtered shade--perhaps from a tree. Or, consider making a shade cloth canopy for them for the hotter months.
Also, be sure to water at the base on the plant, not on the leaves. Use lots of organic matter. Keep those roots moist with 4 to 6 inches of mulch on top of the rose beds.
Are you over-fertilizing? Use rose food but do not use high nitrogen fertilizer; this burns your rose roots and foliage. Fertilizing should be done in the late afternoon when the sun is setting.
We hope that these tips help!
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I have 2 climbing roses, and 1 bush. I seem to have made a mistake with my pruning and pruned the roses in the fall. I feel like I butchered them. I cut them down about 3/4. A bunch of snow hit us, and I did not think much of it damaging my poor roses. But now, I looked at them and the canes fade from green to deep brown to black and on some brown black to a deep black. On very few canes there are some budding, but I do not know if it is to early in the year for this. My last frost date is the second week of may. I really have an urge to go out and prune them early because I do not know what else to do. I have not had this happen to me before. Is there anything you can suggest for me to do to make them beautiful again? Thank You! Julia
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Don't prune more. Let the roses start growing and then cut out the dead branches.
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I have many rose plants but they dont grow properly I want to know what kind of fertilizer I have to give them. for makeing them strong and how they give me lots of flowers.
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In the spring, apply a general-purpose fertilizer (such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-12) at about one-half to one cup per plant. Spread the fertilizer in a band starting six inches from the crown of the plant, going out to about 18 inches. Work it in lightly and water. Apply a second application at the end of the spring bloom period. For continuous-flowering or repeat-blooming roses, apply a third application in mid-July. No fertilizer should be applied after August 15 until the plants go dormant. Some gardeners apply a late fall fertilizer so that it is available as the plants start to grow in the spring.
Besides your fertilizer, watering very consistently is also an important part of a roses' wellness. Mulch to hold in moisture and avoid weed competition.
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Beginning rose gardener. Live in SE Texas. It's Feb. I've bought two bareroot roses that are beginning to put on very nice leaves. Should I plant them now? When is the best time? I'm worried that these roses will die since they are already putting out leaves if I don't plant them. We may have several more frosts and some freezing weather before winter is over. PLEASE advise.
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If you've bought the bareroot roses from a mailorder company, contact them for the best advice--they normally ship at times that are best to plant in your area.
In general, bareroot roses should be planted as soon as possible, but can be kept in their packaging in a cool, frost-free area for a few days, making sure that the roots are moist (check them when they arrive, add water as necessary, and then reseal the package). Just before planting, soak them for several hours in water.
Because your plants have started to break dormancy, you might try planting them directly in the ground according to directions provided with your plants (soaking them for a few hours first), and then provide protection each time that frost is a threat. To do this, cover the base root area with about 5 or so inches of soil, compost, or mulch (being sure to cover the graft union at the base of the plant). Then place a cylinder of wire, or stakes wrapped in fleece or burlap, around the plant. Fill in loosely with shredded fall leaves, mulch, and/or straw, being sure to cover the stems, emerging leaves, etc. Once the threat of frost is past, uncover the plant, but leave a few inches of mulch at the base of the plant (but make sure the graft union is uncovered). Water the area thoroughly, and as needed, so that the roots do not dry out.
Or, you could try planting them in large pots and setting them in a cool, sheltered area--either inside (make sure it has light), or outside with protection as needed during threats of frost, until such time as you can plant them in the ground. Keep up with the watering so that the roots don't dry out.
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I have about 60 plant of roses planted in pots.pls advice me how can i treat them better. Is it the time to cut the branches of the plant.
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i bought a house this past summer with several different types of rose bushes, all flowered well into late fall. The vertical bushes were really leggy with about 3'+ of stem before any leaves began. I was told to cut them back to about 6" above the main root within 1/4" above a leaf. I did this a couple weeks ago and one has new leaves but the others do not. Is there anything I can do to help them survive?
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You have different varieties of roses and some may start growing leaves earlier than others.
It's recommended that you feed your roses when you prune in the spring. You can add compost to the soil or use rose food or an all purpose fertilizer. You can also give the roses a handful of Epsom salts for an extra dose of magnesium.
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My son bought me a GORGEOUS bouquet of store-bought, de-thorned roses for my birthday in late December. I added the powder/preservative/food that came in the package, and they have been just beautiful. Now that the flowers have dried, they are STLL so pretty...still pointing upward and looking like they were professionally dried when they were still alive and blooming. Now comes the weird part... The stems are still green and are sprouting new stems and very healthy-looking new leaves. There 'appears' to be the very primative beginnings of roots, under the water, on the end-tip of each stem. I would love to think that I can 'somehow' plant them and keep them alive as new rose bushes, because they are such a pretty variety/color. What is happening to my roses, and can I save them for bushes to plant in my garden? Thanks.
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You can propagate roses from stem cuttings and sometimes roses in a bouquet will root. Cut off the dried tops and plant the rose in a pot with soilless potting mix. To speed things along you may also want to dip the bottom end in a rooting hormone (available at garden centers). Be aware that most roses are grafted onto the rootstock of a different kind of rose, for hardiness, strength and disease resistance, so your rooted rose may not resemble the parent rose at all.
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Recently, I bought a few rose plants, and I have noticed that they have hard roots. I planted them, but only two have started showing their leaves. Should I expect good results? If yes, please tell if buying plants with such roots grow well or not.
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You bought a bareroot rose. Many people have an unfortunate experience with a garden store in that they have bought a rose bush whose roots have dried out so the plant is essential dead from day one. You mentioned "hard" and that is what triggers our response. The bark should be soft and greenish in color. If it is hard and brown with wrinkly lines, then it is dead or dying. We hope this advice helps you spot a healthy plant and advise you return the dead sticks to the garden center.
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Thank you for your valuable advice. I will look forward to get more advice from your site. Keep up the good work!!
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I moved into a house about 6 months ago and it came with a rose bush. It seems like it's been in bloom forever. It's still blooming strong, I've done nothing to maintain them and they still look great. I'm wondering how to identify what 'type' of rose bush this is so I can research and plant more when it's time to do so. Any ideas how? I have many photos. They're red with a lot of blooms. Please respond or email, what have you, if you have any information. Thanks so much.
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Hi Brittany,
Visit a garden center that sells roses and bring your photos. They may be able to help. Your local library may have rose books with color photos. Try to find a match to your rose. The internet is also a good research tool. Use the image search function in your browser or find a local rose society at http://www.ars.org/resources/local-societies/
Good luck!
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I just bought 3 roses that come wrapped up in a bag, how long can I keep them before planting them. The reason I ask is because I'm gonna be moving in a month .
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It may be best to return them if you've discovered you can't plant them right away. Otherwise, get them into a bucket of water and soak them (just the roots up to the graft) for a few days and then heel them in a temporary place in the ground, completely burying them uder damp soil and leaves until you can move them. As long as they don't freeze, they should be fine. Or, if you can't heel them in, they need to be in a cool dark place covered in burlap; you don't want the roots to dry out!
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We live in southeast Texas and have inherited my husbands grandparents home. His grandmother has very established roses, in very firm soil. I have been trying to gently rake and add fresh soil to it and I want to make sure that is the right thing to do. Also, something is eating all the leaves off the smaller rose bushes. I mean, down to sticks. I have purchased some rose insect killer spray but I was wondering if there is a more natural way to keep whatever those nasty rose eating creatures are away?
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Hi KatieMarie,
Roses are heavy feeders and need good drainage. Gently loosen the soil around the bush, without hurting the roots, and add compost or aged manure to the soil. Another option would be to dig a new hole and amend the soil and then replant the rose.
Try to find out what type of pest you have eating the leaves. If you can't identify the insect or critter try spraying with insecticidal soap.
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I live in NJ zone 7-9 and have 5 large pots of rosé bushes that I just planted this spring. I am interested in finding out the best way to keep them over the winter. Is wrapping them in burlap the best way?
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If you have hardy varieties you only need to put mulch or leaves around the base of the rose. If they are hybrids and more tender a burlap wrap is a good solution. You can also use rose cones. Prune as little as possible in the fall. Most of the pruning is best done in the spring.
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Hello, just wondering...I transplanted 2 mini rose bushes into large pots this summer, I know that they don't do well in the house but I don't have a garden yet (that's coming in the spring)...Can I plant these roses in the ground while still in the pots for the winter so that I can easily move them in the spring when the new garden is there?
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Absolutely. Make sure your pot is no less than 15 inches in diameter. And don't forget to mulch it well in the fall.
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I have two climbing roses growing against a trellis. These plants are about 15 years old, and now the only have growth at 6ft from the base of the plant, can i prune these back to produce more growth lower down?
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There might be two things going on with your roses. First, climbing roses produce a hormone at the tip of each cane that inhibits blooming further down the cane. The trick to getting blooms along much of the cane is to arch the cane so that it is mostly horizontal and the tip of the cane is lower than most of the rest of the cane. Check to see if the tips of the canes of your roses are higher than the rest of each cane, and adjust.
Also, older climbing roses often need rejevenative pruning, as over time the canes become woody and less and less flowers appear each year. For climbing roses that bloom once a year, prune just after blooming. For repeat-bloomers, prune when they are dormant, in late winter or early spring. To rejevenate climbing roses, select one or two of the oldest canes that are producing an unsatisfactory display, and cut them off near the base. This will encourage new canes to sprout in a few months. These new canes will not flower that same season, but next season, they should start to produce blooms. Keep up with the rejuvenative pruning every year (working on other old canes the following year, and rotating) to keep your overall display attractive.
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hi i m intrested in rose garden want make it as buisiness , can u provide me the details ,,how many days it will take after planting of a rose plant in soil to produce flowers,,
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It depends on many factors: your gardening zone, the rose variety, and how you will plant the rose bush. Many newly-rooted roses take 1 year to become a grown specimen.
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I Want To Plant A Rose In Pot So How Can I Prepare Soil Without pests
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To avoid problems, make sure your roses are a) planted in a large enough container to start -- no less than 15 inches in diameter and b) drain really well. Use 50% Perlite added to lighten the mix and provide faster drainage. Have drainage holes and do not use a saucer which invites root rot. Give each container plenty of space and air circulation to avoid a fungus.
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Can anyone advise I bought three similar roses to the two I have in my garden at the moment. I planted them two weeks ago, following all instruction, they have sun, I water them daily, I have fed them but they look like they are wilting. Can anyone help. Thank you
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It's common for newly-planted roses to wilt for a couple weeks until they adapt to their new place. Water at soil level to make sure the roots aren't thirsty. Keep the water off the foliage. We hope you didn't put fertilizer near the root zone. Mulch to hold in moisture and then fertilize next spring.
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I just bought 3 roses that come wrapped up in a bag, how long can I keep them before planting them. The reason I ask is because I'm gonna be moving in a month .
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Normally, you can keep bareroot roses for about 7 to 10 days if you store in a cool place and keep the top of the plastic wraps open and the roots moist. If you are not moving for a month, you could try this: Unpack them, put them in a bucket or box, and repack the roots and top third of the plant with moist (but not soggy) soil. Store in cool (35° to 40°F) place and check the packing often to make sure that it’s moist. Unpack very gently at planting time.
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I have roses with yellow on the leaves any help
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Yellow leaves are caused by a variety of problems. Heat stress, too much water or rain, drought, and/or pests can cause yellow leaves. Please see our advice above for additional information.
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Planted two bare root double knockout roses last spring. Both bloomed and grew well through the summer. This spring after forsythia bloomed pruned dead/brown stems back to green. Then came a very late heavy frost [NE Ohio]. Now only tiny clusters of green growth around thorns but no new stems or leaves. Plenty of water, sun and mulch. What can I do to save them?
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Prune off any remaining dead stems so that the new growth has a better chance and dust with sulphur to help prevent diseases. Baby the roses this summer and you may be able to save them.
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I have gotten a couple roses from a funeral and would like to plant them so I can enjoy them and remember the person for years to come. How am I able to do this? Should I pot plant them inside until they root and start to grow? Any advice (including somewhere to look) would be greatly appreciated!
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Here is a web site that has step by step instructions on how to root hardwood rose cuttings. www.hartwoodroses.com/2011/Articles/rootingroses.php
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Help lol i have purchased two rose bushe's from a department store and both went from five leaves to seven leaves i was told to prune the new suckers with the seven leaves off as they wont flower ! could you please help as i live in Australia my hotmail is allisond54@hotmail.com
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Roses are prevalent in our southern CA neighborhood, and, as a new homeowner here, I'm trying to ensure my dozen or so bushes are healthy and beautiful. I noticed a neighbor has stripped all growth off of each of their rose canes, and cut the height back a bit (to about 4 feet -- they seem to be mature roses, as the canes are thick). What is the reason for this? Does it promote blooms (rather than just pruning and leaving the leaf growth on each cane)?
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When roses are producing leaves and flowers cut stems back to just above a set of mature leaves and remove all dead brown stems. Deadhead the faded flowers for more blooms. Stripping all the leaves off is not a good practice.
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I just purchased and planted bare root roses for the first time. The ends of the branches all seem to be covered over and dormant. Do I need to trim these until I see green or do I just leave them alone? Thanks
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Bare root roses are dormant when you buy them and it's going to take a little time before they show signs of growth. Don't prune now. Let the rose start growing and then prune any dead branches.
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We just bought a home and there is a 6 foot 5 stem rose bush. Should I cut it back for more flowers this year or wait till next year because I really need all the flower I can get for out wedding in August. What I'm asking is ( will I get more roses if I cut it back or leave it as it is? )
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Some roses bloom only once a year in the spring, but flowers can cover plants for more than a month. Others bloom several times in a season, usually re-blooming 50 to 60 days after the first flush of flowers. If your rose is a repeat-bloomer, or a late-summer bloomer, then you may have a good floral display in August; those types that bloom mainly in spring, however, will be a disappointment in late summer. However, here are some guidelines to pruning different types: Hybrids and Floribundas: Repeat-flowering roses generally bloom on new wood. In very early spring, about the time forsythias bloom, take out all the dead wood, crossing canes, and spindly growth. Then shape and prune back to the desired size and style. Always cut to a live bud pointing away from the center of the shrub to encourage outward growth. Start deadheading after the first flush of flowers, and continue throughout the summer to encourage more blooms. Species, Old Roses, and Once-blooming shrub roses: These bloom first on old wood in June; re-bloomers repeat on the current season’s growth. Remove diseased, broken, or dead branches in early spring. After flowering, prune lightly and selectively to shape the bushes and control growth.
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I have 70 year old climbing roses. The flowers used to last for a week. Now they open and die in one day. Is there anything I can do to change the life of the flower?
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When is the best time to transplant roses?
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See above. Roses can be cut back and moved in either spring or fall, but not in midsummer, as they might suffer and die in the heat.
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please advice the best fertilisers and manure for rose plant in pots i am in india and planting it nowin winter please advice some suitable methods for deep red and pink ones-gouravpatrirkl@gmail.com
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Organic fertilizers will help improve your soil. A fish/kelp liquid fertilizer provides nitrogen and adds the necessary trace minerals roses need. If you have aged manure and composted yard debris or lawn clippings you can add that to the potting soil. It will improve the soil texture and feed your roses. Nitrogen promotes healthy green leaf growth. Phosphorus helps to build strong roots and aids flower production. Potassium encourages vigorous growth. Water your roses well the night before you are going to add any fertilizer.
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I cant seem to get them to grow. I fertiliczed, watered regularly, they get about 5 hours of sunlight each day. I even play music for them in the morning ,. What else can i do?
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Sometimes it just takes a while for the root system to develop. Make sure they are getting TONS of sunlight and lots of water. Other than that, keep patiently waiting! They'll come around. Thank you for your interest in the Old Farmer's Almanac and our Web site.
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I love your info, pics & articles, I would like to get your help on identifying the names of the roses in my garden in Bethlehem, Palestine. I have taken pics and would love to share them with you, if you have an interest? Thank you,Marie
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Hi Marie, Thank you. We're willing to try. You can upload the photos to our free ecard gallery: http://www.almanac.com/node/add/image Then, respond to this post with the titles. Better yet, take a real live sample to your local garden nursery or contact your county cooperative extension.
Years ago I purchased a Crimson Glory rose bush. When we moved we were unable to take it with us. I have searched everywhere and have been unable to find another. Could you help?