How to Grow a Rose Garden in Pots
Everything can come up roses, even without a plot of soil in sight. This step-by-step guide to growing roses in containers shows you how
Have you ever heard that anything that grows in the ground can be grown in a container? That’s true, even for roses. While potted roses have additional watering and fertilising requirements, they are wonderful for patios, decks and balconies, making them adaptable focal points in any size garden. See our step-by-step guide below to make growing a rose container garden easier.
2. Mix your soil. Roses are heavy feeders, needing a lot of nutrients to keep growing and blooming. Container-grown roses will need a consistent diet of quality soil and nutrients, so get them off to a good start when planting.
Mix together in equal amounts:
• Potting soil
• Garden compost
• Well-rotted steer manure or well-rotted mushroom compost
You can also add a cup of perlite for added drainage and an additional cup of bonemeal for fertilising.
This is not a hard and fast recipe — really anything along the lines of compost, worm castings and drainage material added to potting soil will do.
Mix together in equal amounts:
• Potting soil
• Garden compost
• Well-rotted steer manure or well-rotted mushroom compost
You can also add a cup of perlite for added drainage and an additional cup of bonemeal for fertilising.
This is not a hard and fast recipe — really anything along the lines of compost, worm castings and drainage material added to potting soil will do.
3. Plant your roses.
• Fill the container two-thirds full of your planting mix.
• Place the rose on the soil surface with its roots gently spread out.
• Fill in with more planting mix and add any additional plants you desire at this time.
• Fill the container to the top edge with soil, as it will settle down when watered.
• Water in thoroughly.
• Fill the container two-thirds full of your planting mix.
• Place the rose on the soil surface with its roots gently spread out.
• Fill in with more planting mix and add any additional plants you desire at this time.
• Fill the container to the top edge with soil, as it will settle down when watered.
• Water in thoroughly.
4. Care for your roses. You’ll need to fertilise and water container roses more often than those planted in the ground. If you poke your finger into the soil surface and it’s dry about 1 inch down, it’s time to water. Fertilise every two weeks with your preferred water-soluble fertiliser, following the package directions.
Be prepared to move your potted roses indoors during very cold winters in northern climates. In the spring apply a tablespoon of epsom salts at the base of each plant for healthy foliage. A springtime application of fish emulsion is great for blooms.
Keep the containers spaced at least 2 feet apart for good air circulation around your roses, which reduces the risk of fungal diseases. Potted roses need the same amount of full sunlight (at least six to seven hours a day) and the same pruning regime and schedule as inground roses.
Be prepared to move your potted roses indoors during very cold winters in northern climates. In the spring apply a tablespoon of epsom salts at the base of each plant for healthy foliage. A springtime application of fish emulsion is great for blooms.
Keep the containers spaced at least 2 feet apart for good air circulation around your roses, which reduces the risk of fungal diseases. Potted roses need the same amount of full sunlight (at least six to seven hours a day) and the same pruning regime and schedule as inground roses.
Suggested roses for containers. Nearly any rose will grow well in a container, with the exception of very large shrubs and climbers. Look for roses labeled “miniature,” “patio rose/larger miniatures,” “small shrub” or “medium shrub rose.”
Read more:
How to Grow Beautiful, Healthy Roses
Tell us:
Share you tips and secrets to growing beautiful roses. Write in comments below.
Read more:
How to Grow Beautiful, Healthy Roses
Tell us:
Share you tips and secrets to growing beautiful roses. Write in comments below.
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Use containers that are large enough for the type of rose you’ll be growing –10-inch-deep containers for miniature roses up to 1 1/2 feet tall; at least 1-foot-deep containers for patio roses up to 2 feet tall; 15-inch-deep pots for small shrub roses up to 2 to 3 feet tall; and 18- to 22-inch-deep pots for larger shrub roses that grow up to 4 feet tall.