With their intoxicating scent, velvety petals and gorgeous colors, roses deserve to be enjoyed up close rather than from a distance in a distant garden bed. Planting your roses in pots, window boxes or hanging baskets allows you to create a small rose garden on a sunny patio, balcony or windowsill where you can best enjoy these gorgeous blooms. Although potted roses are easy to grow even for a beginner, keep these important tips in mind to ensure healthy plants and beautiful, uninterrupted blooms. How to care for roses in pots is the topic of this article.
Grow the right rose
Almost any type of rose can be grown in a pot, but miniature roses, polyanthas, minifloras and small shrub roses are best. Ground cover roses also do well in containers, primarily in hanging baskets and flower boxes, where they can spill over onto the patio or other outdoor areas.
If you want to create vertical interest, try thiswith a tree rose(also called “standard”), a compact rose bush that is grafted onto a trunk to appear like a small tree. For the best blooms, choose rose varieties that bloom repeatedly, as opposed to varieties that only bloom once per season. Many newer rose varieties bloom continuously from early summer through fall.
Choose the right pot
Choose a container that is appropriate for the size of your rose - one large enough to accommodate the root ball while still providing enough room for growth. In general, the larger the pot, the better, as the roots can go deeper, soil temperatures stay cooler, and the soil dries out more slowly. The disadvantage of large pots is that they are heavy. It is therefore best to place them in a place where they will stay all season or on a wheeled base that allows you to move them easily.
Caring for roses in pots – To keep the roots cool and comfortable, avoid dark containers as they absorb more heat. Plant in larger pots that can hold more soil.
Caring for roses in pots – Plant them in good soil
Caring for roses in pots – A necessity for this is rich, fertile potting soil. Use a high-quality soilless mix enriched with compost for an extra nutrient boost. You can also mix some perlite into the soil to improve drainage.
Tipp!Never use garden soil or topsoil for your pots. These soils work well for garden beds, but are too dense and heavy for potted plants and do not allow the air circulation and water supply necessary for healthy root growth.
Make sure you get plenty of sun
For your potted roses to bloom best, place them in a location that receives at least six hours of sun each day. Although more sun is usually better, too much sun can overheat the container and stress the roots, especially in hot weather or warmer climates.
Which roses are suitable for partial shade? Thefind out here!
Caring for roses in pots – Water often and fertilize properly
It is important to water roses in pots well as the soil dries out quickly. Water whenever the top inch of soil feels dry and saturate the soil until the water runs out of the drainage holes and the soil no longer forms bubbles. In the heat of summer, daily watering may be necessary, even if it is a large container.
If your lifestyle doesn't allow for watering your potted roses daily, try planting them in self-watering containers, which can reduce the time between waterings to once a week or even longer.
Fertilize correctly:Roses also need a lot of nutrients to bloom. You should fertilize potted roses more often than garden roses. To get your container roses off to a good start, incorporate a granulated slow-release rose fertilizer into the potting soil when planting, along with a handful of bone meal for healthy root development.
Since frequent watering leaches nutrients from pots, a liquid rose fertilizer will benefit them. If you give it every 4 to 6 weeks, your plants will bloom all season long.
Prune as needed
Most miniature and compact roses require very little pruning, and many newer varieties are self-cleaning, eliminating the need to remove petals. If youNeed to prune potted rosesTo maintain their shape or remove unwanted growth, use the same techniques recommended for standard-sized rose bushes.
Caring for roses in pots – overwintering properly
Because roses are hardy, they can survive in their containers for many years if you give them a little care during the cold season. Here are some of your wintering options:
- When your rose plants go dormant in the fall, store them in their pots in an unheated garage or garden shed to prevent the roots from freezing, and move the pots back outdoors in the spring.
- For pots that are too large to move easily, keep the soil warm by placing a thick layer of mulch on the surface and wrapping the plant with burlap to protect it from wind.
- If you have enough space in the garden, you should take the plants out of the pots after the dormant period and plant them in the ground where the roots are better protected. In early spring, as soon as the ground thaws, you can dig up and repot your plants.
Tipp:The best time of year to repot your roses is winter or early spring when the plants are dormant. This is also a good time to prune the roots of your roses if they are over-rooted.
More tips on rose carecan be found here!
