Roses are some of the most cherished flowers. They are universally loved for the delicacy of their velvety petals, the exquisite beauty of the unfurling bud, the strength and brilliance of their colorful blooms, their heavenly fragrance, and their pure, unrivaled elegance.
Basic Requirements
Growing Requirements And Planting Suggestions: All Roses require a well-drained, medium loam, slightly acidic soil. Mix organic matter, such as peat moss and compost, approximately 12″ deep to improve soil’s drainage and aeration. The location site should have full sun exposure and plenty of air circulation.
- Plant early spring or late fall.
- Dig a hole several inches wider and deeper than the pot.
- Adjust so the bud union is just above the ground. Don’t plant any deeper than the original pot.
- Water the hole well before and after planting to settle the soil.
- Mulch the rose bed to retain moisture.
Care & Maintenance
Rose Care Directions:
- Watering Roses should receive the equivalent of 1″ of rain a week from the spring throughout the fall. In early spring water from overhead to prevent the canes from drying out. After foliage appears, apply water directly to the soil. Keeping water off the leaves helps to prevent leaf fungus.
- Fertilize often during the growing season (May-August) until six weeks before frost. You may select either a granular or liquid fertilizer. Please apply fertilizer according to the manufacturer’s directions. Liquid fertilizers will need to be applied more often than granular fertilizers.
- Deadhead faded blossoms for better performance. Clean all debris like damaged leaves and spent blossoms to help prevent diseases.
- Apply Fungicide and insecticide to prevent and control Black Spot, Powdery Mildew and Aphids. Susceptibility to disease differs from variety to variety. Preventative spaying with Ortheane Rose Pride or Fungonil Fungicide in MN is recommended because of the humid summers. Always spray in the evening when cooler to prevent sunburn.
Tips & Tricks
Wintering Roses
- All types need winter protection except shrub roses.
- Prune roses to 10-12″ from the ground except for Climbing and Shrub Roses.
- Use dry leaves or mulch to mound around the base of the rose. Make sure all the material that you use is dry.
- Cover with a rose cone. Cones must be weighted down to keep them in place during strong winds.
- For climbing roses mulch the base.
- Roses Trees can be tipped for over wintering. Dig a trench by the side of the rose, tip it over and then cover it with soil and mulch.
Varietal Differences
| Variety | Details | Our Top Picks |
| Climbing Roses | These are cultivars that can be trained to grow up trellises, arbors, or buildings. They are vigorous and easy to grow, and add drama and interest to your landscape. Give them plenty of room and fertilizer. No pruning required. In the spring, as the new growth starts appearing, remove any dead wood and withered shoot tips. | William Baffin (pink), John Davis, John Cabot (hot pink), and Ramblin' Red |
| Shrub and Rugosa Roses | Shrub roses are growing in popularity with each season. Many gardeners find that their ease of care and superior winter hardiness make them an excellent addition to the landscape, whether mixed in perennial gardens, as hedges, and even as ground covers! Their blossoms are not as big as the hybrid teas and have more of a wild appearance. They do not need to be cut back in the fall. In spring, as the new growth starts appearing, remove any dead wood and withered shoot tips. If the plant needs shaping or size control spring is a good time to prune. | Magnifica (purple), Carefree (yellow or pink), Champlain (dark red), Therese Bugnet (pink), Winnipeg Parks (dark pink), Knock Out (red or pink), and Easy Elegance series |
| Hybrid Teas and Grandifloras Roses | This is the most popular class of roses. Hybrid tea roses are grown for their scent, perfect blooms and the wide variety of blossom sizes and colors. They are also grown for their long stems. They also require the most care of all roses, including pruning, disease prevention control and fertilizing. Deadhead by removing the blossom with its stem down to the leaf branch with at least 5 leafs (about three leaf bracts down). Cut back to about a foot in the fall after the first heavy frost. Mound the base with soil and cover with rose cone. | NA |
| Floribunda Roses | These are lower growing than hybrid teas, and bloom heavily, producing clusters of flowers from June to frost. They typically have many blooms per stem. They are well suited to a massed bed of color and in border plantings. The plentiful blooms make great bouquets. In spring old stems should be extremely cut back just a few inches from the base. Prune new stems to shape. | NA |
