Tips for growing roses organically
Whether it is roses, other flower or vegetable gardening or just about any type of plant, the secret to successful organic gardening of any kind is to understand the way nature works. Nature always tries to maintain a delicate balance. By understanding the basics of how plants grow, you will understand how to maintain nature's balance and thus keep your roses and other plants healthy.
Next you need to think about what you want in your rose garden, where you want to plant your roses and what colors you like. Be sure to consider the other colors in your yard, as well as your house, walkways, etc. Roses grow best with a minimum of six hours of full sun, although some varieties can tolerate a bit more shade. Your shade/full sun areas will affect your possible rose garden locations.
The next thing to do is to find out what roses grow well in your climate. Look at rose gardens in your local area to see what roses seem to grow well and how much you like them. Ask nursery experts what roses grow well in your area. Another good source is your local rose club. This will give you a good idea of the colors, sizes, and other characteristics that will grow well in your area.
Once you have decided on the roses you like, you need to learn about companion plants. Roses really do love garlic, as well as other plants of the onion family. Onions are of the order Asparaginales and family Alliaceae. The onion family is made up of 500 species. Although planting garlic in your rose garden will help protect your roses, there are many other onion varieties that will protect your roses and also provide beautiful flowers to enhance your roses. Marigolds, mignonettes, and thyme are also good companions for roses. When you are deciding on companion plants for roses, check to see when they bloom. Other characteristics, such as texture and height, should also be considered before deciding on your companion plants.
An excellent book on companion planting is Roses Love Garlic by Louise Riotte.
Choose hardy roses. Generally, old varieties of roses are the hardiest and the most disease resistant Choose the colors you like. Bare-root roses are less expensive than potted roses, but potted roses are easier to plant and more likely to survive Choose flowers from the onion family, or other companion families that will complement your roses. Once you have chosen your colors and plants, and have decided how to arrange them and what your rose garden will look like, you can dig in and begin working with your soil.
Soil, rich in organic materials is the key to healthy, beautiful roses. Take the time to test your soil pH. You can contact your local extension office and ask for a soil testing kit or there are pH kits that are available in nurseries and on the internet. A good pH test kit is worth the expense because inexpensive ones are often inaccurate. Most roses grow well with a soil pH of 5.5 to 7, although a pH of 6.5 is ideal. pH is a measure of acid-base balance and uses a scale of 1 to 14. 1 is extremely acid; 7 is neutral; and 14 is extremely basic (alkaline). Few flowers will grow in a pH that is too acid or too alkaline.
A pH of 6.5 is the point where nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, plus trace minerals, are most easily available to your flowers. Arid regions tend to have alkaline soils and regions with heavy rainfall tend to have acidic soils.
If your soil is out of the correct pH range, you can change it. This is where the magic of soil biology creates miracles. By adding compost and rich organic materials you can change the pH and help make the soil as healthy as possible.
Roses like a lot of water during the growing and blooming season. But this doesn't mean give them a small amount every day. Like with watering other plants, it is better to water deeply rather than just a little bit at a time, so that the water can fully penetrate the roots.
Let the hose give your roses a full, thorough soaking on the ground. A good four or five gallons worth of water per rose bush is a basic rule of thumb. Depending on how much rain your garden gets, a deep watering once a week is usually enough even in drier parts of the country. If it is extremely hot and dry, perhaps every four days or so.
Avoid watering during the heat of the day in direct sunlight. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to water. Never water roses overhead, it makes them more susceptible to fungal diseases.
It is best to plant your roses between spring and early summer so that they have time to develop a root system before winter sets in. Roses don't like to be crowded, so give them enough room.
Hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribundas should be planted 18 to 30 inches apart.
Climbers should be planted 8 to 12 feet apart. Miniatures can be planted approximately 12 to 15 inches apart.
If you have container roses, make sure they have been watered and keep them wet while working. Dig holes for your roses that are 2 times the size of the root ball. It is a good idea to put some well composted organic matter in the bottom of the hole. Mix more composted matter with the soil that you removed, but are planning to put back in the hole.
If you don't have composted matter available, you can substitute a good quality planting mix. It is best to use planting mix that doesn't contain chemical fertilizers, although it is sometimes difficult to find.
Take the rose plant out of the container and put the rose plant in the hole. Pack the prepared dirt under and around the rose, making sure that the dirt on the top of the rose root-ball is level with the ground. It is a good idea to put a straight stick across the hole to make sure the dirt level of the rose is the same as the ground level. If your rose is planted above or below ground level, it may have a difficult time growing properly.
Planting bare-root roses is the same process, except that you must gently pack the dirt around the roots. If you have a grafted rose, you need to make sure that the graft union is a little bit below ground level.
Mulching will help your roses after they are planted. Mulching is the practice of adding plant material, such as leaves, dead grass, or shredded bark on top of the soil. The plant material will eventually be broken down and pulled into the soil by soil denizens. It will become humus. Mulching also helps to retain moisture in the soil. In a natural environment, leaves fall to the ground and stay there. They act as mulch.
You will not need to prune your roses until next season. It is best to prune just before the early spring growth appears, which is February - March in most areas. You can check with your local nurseries to find out what is the best time in your area.
If you are unfamiliar with pruning, it is best to watch a demonstration. There are many articles and books that explain how to prune, but a demonstration is worth ten thousand words. Do-it-yourself television shows often give demonstrations. Nurseries and rose clubs also sometimes give demonstrations.
Once you see a demonstration, you will feel much more comfortable with the idea of pruning.
For basic tips on pruning roses, see the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge4_P_d8yh0
http ://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0201/rose_pruning.a sp
If you have planted repeat-flowering roses, your rose bushes will bloom more bountifully when you remove the spent blooms. This is called dead heading.
Hybrid tea roses or grandifloras are best for classical long stem roses, but floribundas, rugosas, shrubs, or climbing roses are a better choice if you want your rose garden to bloom continually.
Climbers on a trellis can create an amazing display of color or hide an unsightly shed.
Roses need well-drained soil. If you have clay, or other soil that doesn't drain, you may have to create a drain line or plant your roses in a raised bed.
Don't forget mulch. Mulching around your roses and other plants will make them very happy and reduce pathogen problems.
Purchase hardy roses that are resistant to infestation. These are often the older varieties. You will also find that sturdy varieties vary from region to region. Check with local organic gardening associations to find out what works best in your specific area and under your specific conditions.
Instead of planting your roses in even rows, you can stagger them. By staggering them, you get more roses in a small space without crowing them.