Product Description:
Rose bushes have a reputation for being finicky plants, but some of this may stem from rose lovers’ obsession with perfection—producing the ultimate blooms each season. In reality, roses are pretty tough survivors and will thrive with little to no care. But it certainly is true that roses like a little pampering and will reward your extra efforts with vigorous growth and spectacular flowers. Most rose plants share the familiar general appearance, but their branch structure and size can vary widely, ranging from types with a few stiff, woody canes that get snipped back each year to wild masses of twisting, curling vines. Many roses are fast growers and can reach their full size in a few years.
Light:
While roses like six hours of sun per day, it does matter what part of the day those six hours come from. Six hours of morning sun is preferable to six hours of afternoon sun, for two reasons.
Soil:
Roses grow best in loamy, well drained soil with a pH ranging from 6.5 to 6.8.
Water:
Roses need a lot of water, but how much is a lot will vary. Typically, it is best to water roses twice a week—and to water them thoroughly. It’s better to water deeply twice per week than to water less deeply more often.
Fertilizer:
There a many different approaches to feeding roses, but a good rule of thumb for beginners is to feed them monthly with a 10-10-10 rose fertilizer.
Pruning:
This is something that should be done in early spring and will help to continue to produce flowers throughout the season. First, pull off all the leaves and use your pruning shears to trim the horizontal canes that are growing into the center of the plant, around, or anything crossing the plant. This will allow an open center and decrease friction of the branches and blooms. Next, remove any branches that are diseased or dead. Cut back the vertical canes to an outward facing bud, making the cut about a half inch above that bud at a 45-degree angle and away from the bud.
