How to grow roses

TIMING

• There are two main seasons for planting roses, winter and summer. When you plant in winter the rose will be dormant. When you plant in summer they’ll be in full growth and often near flowering.

PLANT TYPE

• There are a huge range of roses available – so you’ve got to decide what you want from your rose.
  
  
  • Types of flowers
    Hybrid tea – one flower on a single stem.
    Floribunda – a cluster of flowers on a single stem.
     
  • Types of plants
    Climbers – grow over 2m, and come with both Hybrid tea & Floribunda type flowers.
    English or modern old fashioned roses – specially bred with great fragrance, flower form, and continuous flowering.
    Flower carpet roses – great ground cover, with masses of blooms.
     
• So if you’re not sure what you’re after, or what’s best for your garden, just come in to the Mitre 10 Garden Centre, have a look at what’s available, and have a chat to us.

LOCATION

• You can grow roses in the garden, in pots, or in containers. They love the sun – but can cope with a bit of shade during the day. They also like a sheltered area – as strong winds can just blow away your blooms. Plant them right, and you’ll find it’s easier to keep them healthy, strong and full of flowers.

SOIL

• Rich and well-drained soil is the key. Use a rose and shrub mix that is specially formulated with all the right nutrients to give your roses the best possible start and sustained growth. Adding a seaweed tonic when planting can also help stimulate root development, and improve plant health.

PLANTING

• Dig a hole big enough to hold the roots.
   
• Add rose & shrub mix to the hole and work it through the existing soil.
   
• Make sure you check the height of your pot with the depth of your hole.
   
• Then carefully squeeze out the plant from its pot, and place in hole.
   
• Check that where the roots and the stem meet is level with the top of the hole.
   
• Back fill with soil and add some more rose and shrub mix. Pat down gently but make sure not to bring the soil up around the trunk.
   
• Stake the rose, and tie it on.
   
• Water the plant in well.

WATERING

• Watering deeply is more effective than light sprinkles. Roses need plenty of water in summer. Avoid wetting the leaves, that can encourage the spread of fungal diseases.

FEEDING

• Roses like their food. Feed them in spring and summer when they’re actively growing. There are dedicated rose foods that have all the nutrients that they’ll need to get them blooming well. They’re specially formulated with the right NPK ratio.
  
  

SPRAYING

• In August to March spray fortnightly with an insecticide / fungicide combination spray to prevent pests and diseases. It’s a good idea to also use a foliage feed like seaweed tonic.
   
• In May to July use liquid copper and conqueror oil once a month to prevent scale, red mite and other fungal problems.
   
• In June spray your roses once with a lime sulphur spray which encourages defoliation and protects the stems from scale, moss, and lichen.

PESTS & DISEASE

• Check the underside of the leaves for common pests such as mites and aphids. Common diseases are black spot and leaf rust. If you spot any of these pest or diseases, head in store and we’ll sort you out with the right product. If you’re not sure what you’ve looking at – take a photo, and bring it in.

PRUNING

• Pruning is best done in July or August once the plants have become fully dormant. Don’t worry if there are still a few flowers left, it’s better to sacrifice them to ensure a good performance next year.
   
• To prune – first remove any dead or diseased growth.
   
• Cut branches back by half, making all cuts on an angle which slopes away from the bud.
   
• Clear the centre of the plant, thinning it out to allow air movement.
   
• Collect all the cuttings & debris in a garden bag and throw them away. This also helps to stop any disease spreading.
   

Mitre 10 Handy Hints:

• When you’re pruning, always use a sharp pair of secateurs, as you want a clean cut. Dip your secateurs in methylated spirits or bleach – to prevent spreading diseases from other plants.