8 Secrets For Growing Fabulous Roses

Do you dream of growing vibrant and flourishing roses in your garden, but don’t know the inside secrets to make it happen? Don’t worry my friend! I have dug around and asked quite a few ‘Ashley appointed’ rose experts what their secrets are to thriving rose bushes are! Read on to learn the 8 secrets for growing fabulous roses, making even your most garden savvy friend ask what you do!

1. Give them sunshine.

Make sure you plant your roses where they can soak up at least 4 hours of sunshine per day and mulch them with well-rotted compost.

2. Don’t plant new roses where old roses once lived.

It is unknown why, but new roses don’t seem to do well where old rose bushes once grew. If you have removed roses from a certain part of your garden and are hoping to replant there, experts say to find a different place to plant.

3. You can grow new plants with cuttings from your favorite bushes.

Is there a certain rosebush you love? Cut a 6-inch piece of the stem, stick it into a pot with potting soil or directly into the ground. Cover it with a mason jar to protect it from the elements and give it a few months. That pretty little stem will begin shooting out new growth as the stem creates roots.

4. Deadhead old blooms to grow new blooms.

Deadheading simply means removing a dead blossom from the rose bush. By doing this, you will cut the rose off from sending nutrients to a dead bloom and redirect it back to the plant, providing the ability to grow more blossoms. I didn’t actually believe this worked until last year when I faithfully deadheaded my roses after each bloom died. I was quite impressed with my results, when my rose plants bloomed over five times during the summer season!

5. Overall pruning is also key to abundant growth.

This last fall I cut back my rose bushes down to the core trunk. I was terrified that my well-established roses would not be able to handle that kind of pruning. The previous owner of my house apparently never pruned these poor bushes, leaving many of them either dead or overgrown. I knew that pruning them down to only the healthiest core of the plant was the only chance they had to become healthy again. All winter I was worried, but this spring they have been rapidly shooting out healthy new growth. By cutting them back at the end of winter to remove dead branches, you allow for healthy new blossoms to grow.

6. Bareroots are faster growing but potted can be planted anytime.

Bareroot roses may grow quickly, but they are finicky about when they are planted and need to be planted early enough to be established before the first frost. Potted roses may take a bit longer to grow, but can be planted at any time in the year as they are already more stable.

7. Roses cannot feed themselves.

They derive their nutrients from the soil or food you provide them. It is important to treat them like pets and feed them often. As said before, well-rotted compost is their preferred cuisine. The best time to feed roses is right after pruning and while the bush is budding. They are pulling their nutrients the most at this time, so make sure to give them plenty of TLC. Look for specific rose feed at your local nursery or hardware store.

8. Bananas and egg shells make great rose feed.

Believe it or not, roses pull nutrients from some of the same foods as we do. Save your egg shells, crunch them up and spread over the soil around your roses. That banana you had with breakfast? Save its peel and bury it right underneath the top layer of soil by the roots allowing it to naturally feed your plant. Added bonus, worms also love banana peels!