7 Tips for Rose Bush Care to Help You Grow Beautiful Blooms

Colorful and aromatic, roses add classic beauty and elegance to any garden. From miniatures and grandifloras to groundcovers and climbing varieties, your blossoms will blossom—if you give them a little TLC. Read on for seven tips on planting, watering, fertilizing, pruning, and more so you can make your rose bushes stand out from the crowd.

1. Buy the Right Roses

When choosing roses for your garden, your options include:

• Potted or container roses. Roses growing in soil in pots are a great choice if you’re a novice gardener. Visit your local garden center to find these easy-to-plant and quick-to-establish varieties. You can plant them right away without any extra steps and won’t need to wait long (or at all) before seeing flowers.

• Bare root roses. These can be more difficult to source and also require a bit more care. They arrive dormant and need to be planted soon after bringing them home (soak their roots overnight in water beforehand). After planting, keep their roots moist for the first few months. Sit tight since it will be a while before you see the first blooms.

• Disease-resistant roses. These sure bets include old-fashioned (heirloom) varieties like albas, bourbons, centifolias, damasks, gallicas, noisettes, and rugosas. Landscape (shrub) varieties, such as rosa “Carefree Celebration” and rosa “Fire Meidiland,” are also wise choices. These plants should more ably resist powdery mildew, black spot, and other common rose afflictions.

2. Plant Properly

These planting tips will help ensure your roses survive and thrive:

1. Plant in spring (after the last frost) or fall (at least six weeks before the typical first frost).

2. Choose an area with well-drained soil that receives six to eight hours of sunlight daily.

3. If you’re planting several bushes together, space them at least 3 feet apart.

4. For each bush, dig a hole deep and wide enough to allow roots to grow. Combine the soil you removed with garden compost or peat moss and add some of this mixture to the bottom of the hole.

5. Place the bush in the hole, with the crown 2 or 3 inches below ground level if you live in a cold climate.

6. Fill the hole with soil, enriching it with a slow-release fertilizer.

7. Water, add the remaining soil, then water again and mound loose soil around the canes (stems).

3. Water Them Regularly

Depending on your soil type and climate, your roses will need different amounts of water. Bushes in sandy soil will require more than those in heavier clay soil. Ask your local landscaper about your type of soil to get more specific guidance. It’s safe to assume between 1 and 2 inches of water per week during the growing season.

Use a soaker hose, in-ground irrigation system, watering can with a long spout, or watering wand to take on this task. Try to avoid wetting the foliage and, if your bushes look wilted, water immediately.

4. Fertilize Your Roses Occasionally

Apply fertilizer after each bush produces its first blooms, plus twice more throughout each year. Water first, fertilize, then water again. Use an all-purpose fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer for the right balance of potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and other nutrients.

5. Prune and Deadhead

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Some newer rose varieties don’t require much or any pruning. For bushes that do, follow a few pruning tips like pruning in the early spring, and getting the right tools like sharp clippers or pruning shears and rose pruning gloves.

Assess winter damage and remove dead leaves and dead or damaged canes. With canes, cut back into about 1 inch of healthy stems—you should be able to see their white centers.

Some types of reblooming roses require deadheading (removing dead flowers) to encourage reblooming during the growing season. You can skip this step with roses that don’t develop rose hips (those types are known as “self-cleaning” varieties).

6. Manage Pests

Several pests can feed on your plants, including your rose bushes. Pests that can wreak havoc on your roses include:

• Aphids

• Japanese beetles

• Rose slugs

• Rose midges

• Sawflies

• Spider mites

If you suspect any infestations, take photos of the insects and the damaged plants, then show them to employees at a garden center or a local gardening pro.

Ask which insecticide or insecticidal soap you should purchase to treat your rose bushes. The one you choose should target the type of insects afflicting your rose bushes. If you have a light case, go the organic or homemade route. For a heavier infestation, you’ll most likely need a chemical insecticide.

7. Guard Roses Against Disease

In the summer, look out for powdery mildew. This pesky fungal disease, although not usually fatal, can lead to spotted, yellow, or brown leaves and weakened plants. Another fungal disease, black spot, also results in spotted leaves. Beginning at the bottom of bushes, an infection ultimately results in defoliation.

Here are some tips to help prevent both diseases:

• Water plants in the morning at ground level and prune bushes to boost air circulation.

• Treat rose bushes with an organic fungicide (such as neem oil) or 1 tablespoon of baking soda and a small amount of horticultural oil or liquid soap dissolved in a gallon of water. Start slowly and monitor their progress as you treat the plants.