Pink rose from my garden in '07.
Suzie Rose
(Though roses are shrubs, we categorize them with flowers since most gardeners look for them here!)
Rose shrubs come in forms from miniature to climbing, grown for attractive, often fragrant flowers blooming mainly in early summer and fall.
One classification by introduction date:
- Old roses (pre-1867): Lush, invariably fragrant, seen in old masters' paintings. Hundreds of varieties with varying hardiness for warm and mild climates.
- Modern hybrid roses: Sturdy, long-blooming, extremely hardy, disease-resistant, bred for color, shape, size, fragrance.
- Species/wild roses: Growing wild for millennia, adapted to modern gardens, typically spring-blooming.
Choosing can be daunting. Take time at nurseries and catalogs. See our Rose Guide in the Almanac.com store for recommended varieties and photos.
Planting Roses
Soil Preparation
Roses prefer near-neutral pH 5.5–7.0; 6.5 is ideal for most home gardens (slightly acidic to neutral). Test soil accurately. Acidic soil: add finely ground limestone. Alkaline soil: add ground sulfur.
Ordering Plants
Mail-order: order early (January–February, March latest). Shipped spring as bare roots when dormant—look like bundles of sticks. Not dead, just dormant. Container roses: plant by May/early June for best results.
Planting Tips
- Minimum 5–6 hours full sun daily. Weak sun weakens plants gradually. Ample organic matter; don't crowd.
- Wear sturdy gloves for thorns. Keep hose/bucket and tools handy. Keep bare-root roses in water until planting.
- Transplant in spring or fall only—never midsummer (heat kills). Cut large canes by ⅔, small ones to 6–12 inches.
- Dig hole much bigger than you think (15–18 inches wide for most). Add plenty of compost/aged manure.
- Old-timer trick: place 4-inch gypsum wallboard square and 16-penny nail in hole for calcium and iron.
Care: Watering, Feeding, Pruning, Winterizing
Watering
- Soak entire root zone at least twice weekly in dry summer. Avoid frequent shallow sprinklings (won't reach deep roots; encourages fungus). Roses want 90 inches rain/year—water regularly unless in a rainforest.
- Roses love water but hate wet feet. They'll die in waterlogged winter soil. Ideal soil: rich, loose, well-drained. Poor drainage is a top killer.
- Mulch 2–4 inches (chopped leaves, grass clippings, shredded bark) to conserve water, reduce stress, encourage growth. Keep 1 inch clear of stem base.
Feeding
- Feed regularly before and through bloom cycle (avoid chemicals if harvesting for kitchen).
- Monthly April–July: balanced granular fertilizer (5-10-5 or 5-10-10). ¾–1 cup per bush, sprinkled at drip line, not against stem.
- May–June: scratch in 1 tbsp Epsom salts with fertilizer; magnesium sulfate encourages basal growth.
Pruning
- Prune every spring; destroy old/diseased material. Wear elbow-length thorn-proof gloves and safety goggles (branches whip back).
- Use pruning shears for small growth; loppers for >½ inch; small pruning saw cuts on push and pull.
- Deadhead religiously; keep beds clean. Every leaf has a growth bud—removing spent blooms redirects energy to flowers, not seeds. Clean debris from base to prevent disease/insects.
- Late season: stop deadheading rugosas for hip formation (harvest/dry on screens away from sun; store airtight). Stop all deadheading 3–4 weeks before first hard frost to avoid cold-damaged new growth.
Winterizing
- No fall pruning—only remove dead/diseased canes.
- Stop fertilizing 6 weeks before first frost; continue watering in dry autumn.
- After a few frosts but before ground freezes: mound, mulch, or add compost. Where temps stay below freezing: enclose plant with sturdy mesh cylinder filled with compost, mulch, dry wood chips, pine needles, or chopped leaves.
- Avoid heavy wet maple leaves for mulch. Use oak leaves, pine needles, compost, or straw.
- Clean rose beds to prevent overwintering diseases. One dormant fungicide spray is wise.
Roses can be challenging (though hassle-free types exist). Find more rose care tips here.
Pests and Diseases
Good practices (removing dead leaves/canes) reduce pests. Check local nursery for prevalent issues. Common problems:
- Stem borers
- Japanese beetles
- Aphids: plant garlic and mint around roses to deter
- Black spot/powdery mildew
- Spider mites
- Rust
- Deer: plant lavender nearby (scent deters browsers); spread human/dog hair; see deer-resistant plant list
Recommended Varieties
- Rugosas: Showy bright-pink 5-petal blooms; great for hedges/barriers in exposed sites. Disease-resistant, hardy to Zone 3. 'Jens Munk' blooms most of summer.
- Pink shrub roses like 'Carefree Wonder': 3 ft, well-rounded, quiet character. Minimal spring shaping; hardy to Zone 5.
- Yellow roses like 'Harrison's Yellow' (Zones 4–9, 'Pioneer Rose'): early, bright, sweet blooms; survives Zone 4 winters.
Wit & Wisdom
- Rose hips: mildly laxative, diuretic.
- Rose petals: tea blends, gargles, tonics for congestion, sore throats, stomach issues.
- Rose water: refreshing skin splash. Try a flower facial! Gentle steam cleanses pores. For oily skin: rose petals in boiling water, towel tent, 10 mins, rinse cool, blot dry.
- Roses have long symbolic history.
- Roses are a June birth flower.
And I will make thee beds of roses,
And a thousand fragrant posies.
–Christopher Marlowe (1564–93)
Recipes
Cooking Notes
Tart, reddish-orange rugosa hips are vitamin-loaded for jams, jellies, syrups, pies, teas, wine. Petals: salads, candied for cakes, distilled for rose water.
