Growing Better Roses
Many people who love to grow roses in their garden and pots. However, many others are often apprehensive because of the many misconceptions about growing roses. All you really need to do to successfully grow roses is follow a few simple instructions, usually included on the tag when you buy your rose plants.

To begin your rose garden, you’ll need to have good soil and proper sun exposure. The basic needs for your roses are the same, regardless of whether it is bare root, pre packaged roses or container grown roses. Be sure that the area you are considering for your rose bushes has proper drainage and plenty of sunlight. Before planting, be sure to prune any dead leaves or thin and decayed shoots on the plants.

After choosing an appropriate location for your rose garden, you’ll want to decide the type of rose, or roses, and the colors that you would like in your garden. There are many different kinds of roses available in the nursery. These include bare root, container grown and pre-packaged roses. Bare root roses are usually found during winter and the beginning of the spring. These roses are meant for planting soon after the last frosts, when the ground becomes warm and the soil is workable. Pre-packaged roses are sold in a box and are found with bare roots with saw dust around them to hold moisture. The container grown roses are found in early spring in containers and are usually either budding or in bloom.

If the rose plants have any damaged roots or there are any extremely long roots to them, they should also be trimmed. Bare root roses must be soaked in water for a period of 10 to 12 hours so that the moisture content in the roots is restored before they are put in the ground. Also, be sure to water the area well before planting any type of rose, so the soil will not pull moisture out of the roots. Dig the hole about 2 times as wide, and 2 times as deep as the root ball or container to encourage proper growth of the rose. Use compost or mulch in the soil, to provide extra nutrients for your roses.

Because of their beautiful blossoms, rose plants require more fertilizers than most other plants. I recommend using one of the commercial fertilizers specifically formulated for roses. You should start using fertilizers early in the spring and continue until the beginning of fall. However, be careful not to over fertilizer, and be sure to water the plant after each usage of fertilizer. I have also had terrific success using the rose fertilizer spikes that will continuously feed your roses for about 3 months. As roses also love water, you’ll need to give them a good soaking at least twice every week.

To encourage healthy growth and bigger, brighter and more frequent blooms, you’ll also need to prune your roses regularly. During the growing season, this simply means to prune away all blossoms once they are spent. This is also known as "dead-heading". At the beginning and end of the growing season you’ll need to prune according to your winter weather conditions. For more specific guidance, visit different websites about rose cultivation on the Internet.

About the Author:

Steve Knapp is author of this article on Rose Bushes.