Growing Roses: Types, Propagation, Insects and Diseases
Rose Types:
Hybrid Teas are my favourite.
They have an abundance of large clusters of flowers and it will bloom from March to the first hard frost.
Hardy to Zone 5 and grow to 3 to 5 feet tall with winter protection.
I also find Hybrid Tea roses easy to propagate.
Miniature Roses:
It can grow up to 12 - 24 inches tall and are easy to grow.
Most often used in rock gardens, containers, edgings and borders.
Miniature makes me stop and marvel how perfect the little rosebuds are.
Carpet Roses:
I don't think they are as pretty as the miniatures, but they do stay short and provide colourful ground cover for slopes.
Grandifloras and Floribundas:
Grandifloras can be grown as far North as Zone 5 with lots of flowers and healthy green foliage. A good beginner plant.
Glandifloras are a cross between a Hybrid Teas and a Floribunda.
Foribunda is a cross of Hybrid Teas and Polyanthas and grow about 2 to 3 feet tall.
Polyanthas:
I don't have any of these yet, but it's on my list.
They are little bit taller than the miniatures. Miniature are about 12" tall and Polyanthas are about 18 ". They are easy to grow and one of the hardiest rose types. My kind of rose. I hope I can find some this spring.
Container Roses:
You can grow these in large pots at least 20" deep by 20" wide.
Feed your roses with a liquid fertilizer according to direction and water when the soil is dry. At the beginning of winter bury your rose bush in the container somewhere in your garden. Use the same protection as you would your other rose bushes. Comes spring you have potted rose waiting for you.
Planting time
I live in Zone 5 and I like planting everything in the spring.
If you live on a warmer climate you can plant your roses mid to late fall or early spring.
Buying Roses
Do not be tempted to buy the cheaper roses unless it comes with guarantee. Plants should have plumb green canes. I usually like to see some growth on the plumb green canes as well. I have bought rose bushes with thick waxed green canes and nothing happened. Now, if I don't see any sign of new growth I just move on.
Planting Sites
Roses like sun. At least six hours per day.
When I moved to this house, I didn't have a flowerbed and the only place I could grow anything was by the fence and under a tree.
They were just existing and then I moved them to full fun ( Zone5 ) and they are growing and blooming beautifully.
My Mr. Lincoln rose bush is doing me proud. :)
I didn't fertilize anything either, but I did add compost and mulch often.
If you decide to feed your roses, do once after the spring growth and once in midsummer with 6-12-6. High in Phosphorus.
Soil PH should around 6.0-6.5 for best growth.
Disbud:
I only to this if I get a whole bunch of small lateral buds at the same time on one stem. If they are different sizes, I don't pinch them off. I just leave them, because I'm not looking for long stem roses.
Watering:
Water once a week or when the soil is dry. Mulch often, so you don't have to water as much. Also try not to water the leaves on your roses. So tempting to give the whole plant a bath, but that's out diseases finds its way to your roses.
Diseases
Powdery Mildew, Black Spot, Aphids and Rose Slugs
These are my roses worst enemies. None of these diseases seem to kill the plant, but it's not a pretty sight. The hardest one for me to get rid off are the rose slugs.
They are a green bodies - like a caterpillar - and overnight they can skeletonize all of the leaves on your rose bush.
Aphids - I use soap and water.
Powdery Mildew and Block Spot I used baking soda and water.
Rose Slugs - I use ammonia and water or I just use gloves and squish them.
Aphids - are the easiest ones for me - if I find a lady bug in the garden I just introduce her to the rose bush with aphids - problem solved.
Pruning:
I usually wait until the spring to do that.
Always cut on the slant just about an outside bud.
Look for discolored canes and cut down to healthy tissue as well.
Step back and see if you are happy with your plant shape.
On grafted roses, remove suckers if they're coming from the understock, as they might take over the desired cultivar that you want.
Cutting Roses for indoor use:
Cut roses in early morning, on a slant just above an outside leaf bud. Make sure your clippers are sharp and do not damage the growing stem. Using Roses as a cutting flower, is also a way of pruning your roses and encourage branching. So ripping or bruising rose stems is not a good thing. :)
Propagation:
Soft Wood Cuttings
Some roses I have a hard time propagating. However, hybrid tea roses, I just cut a piece of a cane at a node, when the cane just finished blooming and push it in the ground. Keep it moist until the plant starts growing new shoots. Others like; old shrub roses, it's a hit and miss for me.
Some people just root theirs in water like, my Mom. When I do that, mine just rots. If you have "rooting hormone" it will help with new growth. If you don't have any - dip the ends of your rose canes in honey and then plant them. Keep them moist. If you are planting your cuttings indoors, enclose the pot in a plastic to conserve heat and moisture, like a miniature greenhouse for your cuttings.