How to Grow Mini Roses Indoors

Jeanne Grunert
by Jeanne Grunert
You can grow roses indoors like a house plant if you choose the right type: miniature roses, tiny plants and flowers that fit nicely on a window sill. Knowing how to care for them properly will keep them healthy and happy for many years to come.
Mini roses were developed from a full size floribunda rose called Rosa chinensis "Minima." A miniature rose has flower less than one and a half inches across. They can be grown as house plants or outdoor plants. Mini roses are available in many shades of white, lavender, pink, yellow and red.
Miniature roses need bright, full, direct sunlight - and plenty of it - in order to flourish. A southern window is the best place for them inside the house. You may also need to add supplemental plant lights, especially in the winter, to keep your mini roses happy. A full spectrum plant light provides adequate light. You can also move your mini rose outdoors during the summertime to help it get plenty of sunlight if you have the opportunity to grow plants outdoors.
One thing that miniature roses need and seldom receive inside the home is adequate humidity. They need about 50-60% humidity, and the air inside most homes, especially during the wintertime, hovers around 5 - 12% humidity. To make the air more humid around your mini roses, place the pots inside small saucers or dishes filled with fish tank gravel or small pebbles. Fill the saucer or dish with water. As it evaporates, it will add humidity to the air near the roses. Add more water as it evaporates and clean the pebbles or change them regularly to prevent mold and mildew build up. Water your plant carefully when the soil feels dry to the touch.
If you find that caring for your mini roses indoors is too difficult, you can move them outside and plant them as you would any type of rose. My miniature rose, above, does have black spot, but it shrugs it off each year and keeps on growing. Outdoor miniature roses receive the same care as other larger roses. You can also move a miniature rose outdoors during the summer, and then bring it back inside during the winter months, too.
Jeanne Grunert
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  3 questions
  • Cathy sunshine Cathy sunshine on Oct 08, 2018

    I purchased mini roses and I love them. I wanted to know do I have to do anything to get them ready for the winter ? Should I keep the pots against the house so the don’t suffer much from the wind?

  • Annette Olstad Korn Annette Olstad Korn on Dec 03, 2018

    How often should I furtlize?

  • Dana Miller Dana Miller on Oct 14, 2021

    Will misting work the same as the fish tank pebbles under the container with water? My container is so big I can’t move it now that it is in the house.

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 8 comments
  • Gary Lynn Street Gary Lynn Street on Sep 02, 2018

    I have always killed mine. Now I know why. Thank you

  • Starr Durrant Starr Durrant on Oct 28, 2018

    This is perfect timing and great directions. I just won a miniature rose at a fund raising event and its so cold here already I wasn't sure what to do with it. Big Thanks for sharing this great info.

Next