Fragrant and Fabulous: The Hometalker’s Guide on How to Grow Roses
When it comes to creating a gorgeous garden, roses are a firm favorite. Beautiful, fragrant, and available in an amazing array of colors, they add grace and elegance to your flowerbeds that’s unrivalled by other blooms. But they’re not always the easiest plants to grow. In fact, when it comes to incorporating them into your floral arrangements, it can be handy to have a few tips and tricks from the experts on hand. Enter our amazing Hometalkers!
1. Can Roses Grow in Shady Spots?
Roses look and smell beautiful, but they do require certain conditions to thrive, including plenty of sunlight. That being said, even those with shady gardens don’t necessarily have to go without. Hometalker Nell explains what it takes to grow roses in dim outdoor areas, saying that adding lime to the base of flowers and feeding them continuously helps enormously. Get tutorial here
2. Is Growing Roses in Pots Possible?
There are lots of different types of rose bushes available, which makes them a good choice even for those with smaller gardens. Indeed, it’s perfectly possible to grow petite varieties in pots, as Hometalker Alexis demonstrates. According to her, all you need to do to get started is choose a suitably sized container, add drainage, and plant. Get tutorial here
3. Does Growing Roses Indoors Work?
While roses make a beautiful addition to your garden, even those with limited outdoor space can enjoy them, thanks to the development of miniature varieties created for this specific purpose. Hometalker Jeanne shows how it’s done, explaining that direct sunlight, such as that found on southern-facing windowsills, is essential to growing healthy and happy roses. Get tutorial here
4. How Can You Grow Roses from Cuttings?
One of the simplest and most economical ways to add more roses to your garden is to use cuttings, and this Hometalker demonstrates how to grow roses from cuttings. She suggests planting them in a box with a well-draining bottom, using a loose mix for the soil, and placing at least two leaf nodes below the dirt before covering your cuttings with a fish tank. Get tutorial here
5. Is There a Simple Way to Root Rose Cuttings?
We’ve already covered how to grow roses from cuttings, but one particular aspect that people tend to struggle with is rooting. Luckily, this Hometalker has shared the simplest way to do it. She recommends cutting below a leaf bud, using a rooting medium such as perlite mixed with potting soil, and placing in a clean plastic cup with holes at the bottom for drainage. Get tutorial here
6. Can You Explain How to Grow Roses from Seed?
Growing roses from seeds can be difficult, so it’s usually recommended that you start with cuttings or an already established bush. That being said, it can be done, as Hometalker Ann’s fabulous flowers show. The process involves storing seeds in a cold, moist environment before planting in a seedling tray, at a depth of around ¼ of an inch. Get tutorial here
7. What Can I Feed Roses to Keep Them Healthy?
Roses are voracious eaters, and there’s lots you can do to help keep them healthy. As well as purpose-bought food, another popular choice is coffee grounds, as recommended by this Hometalker. Lowering the pH of your soil, these attract worms, which loosen the surrounding dirt and allow plants to access essential nutrients. Get tutorial here
8. Can You Make Food for Your Roses at Home?
Roses have pretty big appetites, especially during growing season. Luckily, you don’t have to spend lots on buying food for them – instead, you can make natural alternatives at home. Hometalker Joy has some handy ideas to share, detailing her own special blend of flower fertilizer, alfalfa meal, and chicken manure/worm castings. Get tutorial here
9. How Do Epsom Salts Help Roses?
If you’re a fledgling flower enthusiast, you might have heard that some people add Epsom salts to the soil around their roses. Hometalker Luis recommends that you do too, explaining the reasoning behind this: that it’s said to make foliage greener and lusher and that it can also cause plants to produce more canes. Get tutorial here
10. How Long Does It Take for Roses to Grow?
Roses are typically planted in early spring, and it takes until roughly summertime for their first blooms to appear. In the case of floribunda, hybrid tea, and shrub/hedge roses, you’re looking at a time span of around six to eight weeks. Hometalker Wet & Forget explains that feeding during this stage is recommended for optimum growth and good health. Get tutorial here
11. How Can You Get More Blooms on Your Roses?
Roses are a beautiful, bright, and showy addition to your garden, and it’s fair to say that you can never have too many blooms! If you want to optimize flowering for your bushes, Hometalker DesertRose has some ideas. She suggests lots of sunshine and plenty of potassium from fruit peels blended, mixed with water, and spritzed on your plants. Get tutorial here
12. Do Your Roses Need a Trellis?
While trellises are not a necessity when it comes to growing roses, larger, taller varieties will often benefit from additional support. That being said, there’s no need for you to go out and buy one. Hometalker Jan shows how it can be done on a budget at home, by using two pallets, tied together, painted, and decorated to make them look pretty. Get tutorial here
13. Are There Different Types of Trellises?
Garden trellises can be great for providing extra support for larger rose bushes, but did you know that there’s an almost endless variety to choose from? Hometalker Wet & Forget explains their various uses, as well as ways to construct them at home if you’re working with a limited budget. Get tutorial here
14. Do Rose Bushes Need Pruning?
When it comes to growing roses, there is a lot of debate surrounding the topic of pruning. Seen by many as an art form, it should be done to remove winter damage and dead wood and to keep the size of your plants in check. An expert on the subject, Hometalker Susan recommends that properly sharpened, clean tools and a pair of gloves are essential. Get tutorial here
15. How Do You Deal with Black Spots?
One of the biggest problems with roses is that they’re prone to developing black spots. This fungal disease can prove devastating for flowers, so you need to get a handle on it quickly. Hometalker Alexis tells us how, revealing that you should immediately remove infected leaves, before keeping the plant as dry as possible and applying fungicidal spray. Get tutorial here
16. Is There a Way to Grow Bigger Bushes?
When it comes to roses – especially those that are kept outside – most people are of the opinion that bigger is better, so you might be wondering how to grow a rose bush faster. Hometalker Alexis has some handy tips, recommending that you trim often, keep black spots at bay, and use coffee grounds to create nitrogen-rich soil. Get tutorial here
17. Should You Use Garden Markers?
While there's no rule to say that you have to use garden markers, we would recommend them if you want to keep track of the names of what you’re growing, as this makes learning how to care for them a lot easier. Luckily, Hometalker Lora has a great way to create these at home, and her designs would certainly make an adorable addition to your flowerbeds! Get tutorial here
