Roses in a pot look fabulous and can instantly enhance the look of a terrace, balcony, courtyard or driveway. It's easy to bring the pots indoors when the weather is bad or move them out of the way if they're bothersome. Container roses are ideal where there is a lot of root competition, for example in beds under trees or in areas with very sandy soil. However, not all roses are suitable for keeping in containers because they have shallow, spreading roots. Today we would like to tell you more about it and give you tips on how to properly care for potted roses.
Suitable types of roses for keeping containers
Avoid large shrub roses, which are likely to outgrow the pot, as well as climbing vines and old roses.Climbing roses need support to climband old roses tend to spread a lot.
Instead, look for potted roses with a compact habit. Small floribunda roses usually grow to 45 – 60 cm tall and mini roses grow to 60 cm. There are also micro-mini roses that grow to around 15 – 30 cm tall. English roses (tea rose hybrids) also feel comfortable in the pot. Further in the article you can read which rose varieties are perfect for container planting, depending on their color.
Which planters for potted roses?
Tall containers are a good choice for container roses because their roots grow deep. A half wine barrel or tall terracotta vase is a good example of the right depth.
The bigger the pot, the happier the rose. Wood and terracotta are the best choices. Metal gets very hot and dries out the soil quickly. And any plastic that is exposed to the sun becomes brittle and brittle.
Miniature roses do well in a 5-10 liter container, but for most other roses you will need a larger container with a capacity of around 30-50 liters. So if you want to plant two roses together, use a 60 liter container.
If your container doesn't have drainage holes, make a few in the bottom. Place a drainage layer of pottery shards or gravel at the bottom of the bucket so that water can drain away more easily.
Find the right location for your potted rose
Roses love full sun and good air circulation. Choose a location where your container will receive at least six hours of sun per day. Once you find the perfect spot, move the bucket there before filling it. Once the roses are planted, it would be too heavy to move. Rose pots are a real eye-catcher at the end of a walkway or next to the front door.
Which soil for potted roses?
Good air circulation in the soil is key to happy potted roses. The potting soil available in stores is often not coarse enough or nutrient-rich enough for roses. It is recommended to mix in coarse organic material such as bark mulch, peanut shells or gravel. Just five percent clay granules, well distributed, will work wonders for water retention, but any more will destroy air circulation. Still, avoid using too much compost as it decomposes quickly and settles at a low level.
Plant the rose
First, fill your container about halfway with a mixture of potting soil and well-rotted manure. These are mixed in a ratio of 10:1. Do not use potting soil that contains fertilizer. You will add that later.
Place the rose in the container so that the rootstock is covered with soil. Fill the bucket to the brim and press the bottom gently with your hands. Some gardeners prefer to keep the rootstock above the ground, but burying it will quickly anchor the plant to the roots.
Apply fertilizer
Once you've planted the rose, it's time to enrich the soil. To do this, rose fertilizer is incorporated into the soil in granular form with a slow release. Follow the instructions on the package and be careful not to damage any roots. The usual dosage is: one heaped teaspoon per plant for every 30 liters of potting soil or, for mini roses in smaller pots, one teaspoon per 10 liters of potting soil.
Finally, water the plant sufficiently. Some gardeners prefer a liquid rose fertilizer for young plants to avoid burning the roots.
Water the rose regularly during the growing season, but avoid waterlogging. Supply the rose with fertilizer every 14 days from March to July. Switch fertilizing about 4-6 weeks before the first expected frost.
After a year or two, the rose will use up most of the nutrients in the container, so you'll need to replace the potting soil and fertilizer. This is also a good time to repot your plant into a larger pot.
A layer of mulch helps to retain moisture in the pot. Alternatively, you can plant a few small plants with trailing growth around the stem of the rose. Choose plants with the same growing conditions.
Overwinter the rose in the pot
If your container rose stays outside all year and you live in a place where winters are cold, choose a hardy rose variety. You can use the USDA map as a guide. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland only zones 5 to 8 play a role. For example, if your area is in zone 7a, it is recommended that your rose has a hardiness up to zone 9. So it's best to always have a little more than the corresponding winter hardiness zone.
Make sure the bucket is weatherproof and won't crack in freezing weather. When temperatures drop, you can place a polystyrene sheet under the bucket and wrap it with insulation. With a cover made of perforated plastic film and a layer of mulch, container roses get through the winter well.
Prevent rose diseases
Roses in pots are very susceptible to red spiders (spider mites). To avoid this, you should take the following measures: always place the roses some distance from a wall and do not let the soil dry out, as this encourages pests.
If potted roses are plagued by diseases and insects, it means they are not getting enough water. When the water content in the leaves is low, powdery mildew and San Jose scale insect can occur. Using an imidacloprid insecticide will keep most insects away from roses for about six months. Spraying the leaves with an insect spray every month helps prevent fungal diseases. A tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), added to a 10 liter ready-made spray, also helps against insects and fungal diseases.
Cut potted roses correctly
Like all other types of roses, potted roses also need pruning. There are no particular differences. In summer, remove wilted flowers and dried inflorescences to stimulate flowering. In spring (March-April)the correct pruning takes place, when you have to cut all weak or frozen shoots back to healthy wood. The so-called blind shoots, which do not produce buds, can be cut off at any time of the year.
How often should you repot the roses?
The lifespan of a rose in a pot is unlimited, provided the soil is regularly renewed every year. The best time is in spring, at pruning time. After pruning, remove as much soil from the roots as possible and then fill the bucket with new compost. While the soil is being renewed, the plant should be kept in water because the roots dry out very quickly.
Suitable rose varieties for container cultivation according to David Astin
David Austin is without a doubt one of the most renowned rose breeders. As early as the 1940s he began crossing old English rose varieties with modern roses. Today his name is the epitome of the perfect art of rose breeding.
Pink English roses for containers
Olivia Rose, Harlow Carr, Princess Anne, Wildeve, Gertrude Jekyll, Emily Brontë, The Millon on The Floss, Scarborough Fair, The Mayflower, Maid Marion, James L. Austin, Boscobel, The Ancient Mariner, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Scepter’d Isle, Anne Boleyn, Noble Anthony, Lady Salisbury, Skylark, Darcey Bussell, Sir John Betjeman, Queen Anne, The Alnwick Rose, Jubilee Celebration, Young Lycidas, The Ingenious Mr. Fairchild, Sir Walter Scott, The Lady Blush, The Shepherdess, Eglantine, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Mary Rose, Cordelia, Windflower, England’s Rose.
White and cream blooming English roses
Susan Williams-Ellis, Kew Gardens, Lichfield Angel, Vanessa Bell, Desdemona, Tranquillity, William and Catherine.
Yellow and orange rose varieties
Lady of Shalot, Roald Dahl, Charles Darwin, The Lady Gardener, the Poet’s Wife, Blythe Spirit, Golden Celebration, Molineux, Charlotte, Jude de Obscure, Lady Emma Hamilton, Graham Thomas.
Which companion plants for roses in the pot?
Roses in containers generally do best when they aren't competing for root space with too many other plants. While attractive groupings of roses, perennials and annual flowers are possible, one should not overcrowd containers. Possible companions for container roses include stone herbs (Alyssum varieties) and small ornamental grasses that contrast with the rose petal colors.
Can you plant more than one rose in a container?
Yes, as long as the bucket is big enough. You can choose different colors of a rose variety. White, rosé and fuchsia, for example, together form a great color combination. Alternatively, you can plant an upright growing rose at the back and an overhanging small shrub rose at the front of the pot. Or try a standard rose (e.g. variety “Snow White”) in the center, and three smaller bush types around it. This standard rose reaches a height of 100-130 cm, so choose the smaller roses with a height of up to 50 cm.
