Flower garden

How to Grow Roses Like an Expert – From Planting to Pruning

September 12, 2019

Apart from sitting pretty in the balcony, rose plants are great for attracting pollinators that promote fertilization in vegetables and fruits. They make lovely container plants and can grow without a garden bed.

More than 13,000 rose varieties grow around the world. Many of them are available in the Indian market. The two main species are the English rose and the Indian rose. The English rose does not flower in summer, but if you take good care of it in summer, then it will flourish in winter, which is its flowering season. On the contrary, the Indian rose plant blooms i.e. produces flowers throughout the year.

When to plant rose plants?

Rose plants can bear various climatic conditions. They can grow in hot and humid climates. However, they thrive at low temperatures as their roots grow actively in winter.

You can buy container-grown roses from your local nursery or online. These are available throughout the year and can be planted anytime.

For best results, plant them by late spring or early summer. In hills, October is the ideal month for planting them. In a temperate climate, they can be planted from October to November or February to March.

Where to grow roses?

Site selection is essential for growing rose plants successfully. Roses enjoy the sun. Plant them in an area that receives a minimum of 5 to 6 hours of sunlight per day. Morning sunshine is essential as it dries the leaves and helps prevent diseases.

In summer, choose a spot with partial afternoon shade. This shelters the rose plant from the scorching sun. Besides, that spot location should be devoid of dust and strong winds.

How to grow rose plants?

Did you know a rosarian is a person who cultivates roses? Well, you can be one too with these useful tips which apply to both the Indian and the English species of rose plants.

How to grow rose plants
  1. Add fertilizer to the soil. It provides the plant with adequate nutrition and helps in faster growth. You can also mix some homemade compost in place of fertilizer.
  2. Dig a hole twice the width of the roots of the rose plant and depth of 15-25cm. You can also propagate it in a pot having a diameter of at least 8 inches.
  3. Take a rose stem cutting from a rose stem that has already bloomed.
  4. Cut a healthy rose stem at a 45-degree angle. The length of the stem cutting should be 6 inches or longer.
  5. Insert the angled-cut portion of the rose stem 5 to 6cm deep into the soil. Maintain a distance of 7-12 cm between two cuttings if you are planting multiple rose plants.
  6. before placing the plant
  7. Back-fill with the excavated soil and homemade compost.
  8. Water the soil with a watering can till it is evenly moist. In case you planting it in a pot, ensure that it has drainage holes at the bottom to avoid water clogging.

How to care of rose plants?

How to care of rose plants

Let’s look at some important tips on planting rose plants in the garden.

  • The leaves can tell a lot about the health of a rose plant. So make sure you prune or chop off the dead leaves. Also, get rid of the lower branches as they tend to grow fungus when they come in contact with soil.
  • Keep a check on fungal growth and rose plant diseases. Remove the dead leaves from the soil. Spray some neem oil every month. It protects the plant from pests and diseases.
  • Water only the bottom part and avoid watering the leaves. Ensure that the plant is neither dehydrated nor waterlogged. During summer, water the plants frequently as soon as the top layer dries out. It can be as often as once a day.
  • It is better to water the rose plant early in the morning. This helps the plant withstand the water stress when the sun shines brightly during the day. Moreover, when you water rose plants at night, the chances of fungal growth are high.
  • Avoid watering from a height or with pressure as this may expose and harm the roots. Use a watering can instead of a mug and bucket.
  • Add an inch of cocopeat that helps the soil retain moisture for long. You can also use coconut husk, which is nothing but the other covering of coconut.
  • A rose plant requires a good amount of sunlight. However, the summer sun can be quite harsh, so put it in a place that receives partial sunlight.
  • Caterpillars eat up rose buds and young leaves, damaging them completely. On the other hand, aphids draw chlorophyll from leaves and buds. Spray Malathion @ 0.2% and Nuvan @ 0.15 to 0.2% to control aphids and caterpillars respectively.

Roses can be costly, but they are long-lasting and are easy to grow if you follow these steps religiously. The tips covered in this article will certainly enhance flower yield and the quality of flowers. Your flowers last longer and stay disease-free.

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