Caring Roses For the Busy People
Caring for roses can be really tedious especially if you are just starting. If you want the glory of bush roses in your front yard yet you hardly have the time to grow them, don't despair. You can still have them.
The Right Spot
The first thing you have to do is find a spot for your rose. Now, normally, I would suggest a bright spot that has full sun for the whole day; however, if you can't tend to your rose everyday, I will suggest picking a spot with "half light." What I mean by that is a place where there is muted or indirect light. Pick a spot that the morning sun hits but not the noon sun. Roses love the morning sun! Placing your rose beside your house will prevent your rose from wilting from too much sun.
If you're living in a relatively temperate area (zones 7-9), you can place your rose outside but you will have to set up netting above it against the noon sun. This might sound inconvenient. Trust me; it will save you a lot of time checking your rose for signs of drying.
If you live in colder regions, you can plant your rose under full sun. It won't mind as long as you take proper winter preparations. You may also want to plant the rose beside a wall facing south to maximize warmth.
The Right Rose
After the rose has established in a new planting ground, it can practically tend to itself. This gives you the freedom to focus your care to promote bloom. Find a rose that can thrive best in your area. This will ensure fast acclimation and healthy growth. Also, pick roses that are disease-hardy. There are cultivars bred to resist common diseases.
Old England Roses are a good pick for colder regions. However, what you can plant will still depend on your local clime and soil conditions.
Winter Preparations
If you live in a relatively warm region, planting your rose will not be a problem at all as long as you give it 6 inch of water every week or two and weekly organic plant food. On hindsight, living in colder regions will have significant impact on rose growth and its ability to thrive. This is where winter preparations become a must. Ensure you can allot time to prepare your rose for winter. Don't worry. You can sit back the whole season with minimal checking as the rose becomes dormant.
The part of the bush rose most sensitive to fluctuations in temperature (especially the cold) is the crown or bud union. It is the part of the rose where all mature canes meet, at the base, usually just above where roots grow. Make sure this spot is covered during winter. Mulch it if you must. It is even better for the bud union to be covered with snow than be exposed to chilly gusts.
If there is danger of frost in your area, simply dig a collar around the rose just outside the drip ring (the distance where foliage reaches the farthest). The collar should be about 6 to 12 inches deep. Fill this collar with new soil mixed with peat moss. Don't return the soil you dug. Get the filling soil from somewhere else. Raise the soil around your rose to about 8 inches. Mulch if you can. Water minimally.
Pruning
The rule in pruning a rose is simple: For warmer zones, prune minimally (just enough to encourage new growth). For cold regions, cut down to about 4 canes and prune down to about 3 to 5 inches from the bud union.
The Right Spot
The first thing you have to do is find a spot for your rose. Now, normally, I would suggest a bright spot that has full sun for the whole day; however, if you can't tend to your rose everyday, I will suggest picking a spot with "half light." What I mean by that is a place where there is muted or indirect light. Pick a spot that the morning sun hits but not the noon sun. Roses love the morning sun! Placing your rose beside your house will prevent your rose from wilting from too much sun.
If you're living in a relatively temperate area (zones 7-9), you can place your rose outside but you will have to set up netting above it against the noon sun. This might sound inconvenient. Trust me; it will save you a lot of time checking your rose for signs of drying.
If you live in colder regions, you can plant your rose under full sun. It won't mind as long as you take proper winter preparations. You may also want to plant the rose beside a wall facing south to maximize warmth.
The Right Rose
After the rose has established in a new planting ground, it can practically tend to itself. This gives you the freedom to focus your care to promote bloom. Find a rose that can thrive best in your area. This will ensure fast acclimation and healthy growth. Also, pick roses that are disease-hardy. There are cultivars bred to resist common diseases.
Old England Roses are a good pick for colder regions. However, what you can plant will still depend on your local clime and soil conditions.
Winter Preparations
If you live in a relatively warm region, planting your rose will not be a problem at all as long as you give it 6 inch of water every week or two and weekly organic plant food. On hindsight, living in colder regions will have significant impact on rose growth and its ability to thrive. This is where winter preparations become a must. Ensure you can allot time to prepare your rose for winter. Don't worry. You can sit back the whole season with minimal checking as the rose becomes dormant.
The part of the bush rose most sensitive to fluctuations in temperature (especially the cold) is the crown or bud union. It is the part of the rose where all mature canes meet, at the base, usually just above where roots grow. Make sure this spot is covered during winter. Mulch it if you must. It is even better for the bud union to be covered with snow than be exposed to chilly gusts.
If there is danger of frost in your area, simply dig a collar around the rose just outside the drip ring (the distance where foliage reaches the farthest). The collar should be about 6 to 12 inches deep. Fill this collar with new soil mixed with peat moss. Don't return the soil you dug. Get the filling soil from somewhere else. Raise the soil around your rose to about 8 inches. Mulch if you can. Water minimally.
Pruning
The rule in pruning a rose is simple: For warmer zones, prune minimally (just enough to encourage new growth). For cold regions, cut down to about 4 canes and prune down to about 3 to 5 inches from the bud union.
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