Pink rose from my garden in '07.
Suzie Rose
(Though roses are shrubs, we categorize them with flowers since most people 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, from old masters' paintings. Hundreds of varieties with varying hardiness for warm/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, usually spring-blooming.
Choosing can be daunting. Take time at nurseries and with catalogs. See our Rose Guide in the Almanac.com store for recommended varieties and photos.
Planting Roses
Preparing the Soil
Roses prefer near-neutral pH 5.5–7.0. pH 6.5 is ideal for most home gardens (slightly acidic to neutral).
Accurate soil test reveals current pH. Acidic soil: apply finely ground limestone. Alkaline soil: apply ground sulfur.
Choose varieties proven in your climate. All-America Rose Selections winners are safe bets. Check local nurseries.
Ordering Plants
Mail-order: order early (January–February, March latest). Shipped spring as bare roots when fully dormant, before leafing out. They'll look like sticks—not dead, just dormant.
Container-grown roses: plant by May/early June for best results.
Planting Tips
- Minimum 5–6 hours full sun daily. Weak sun weakens plants gradually. Amend with organic matter; don't crowd.
- Wear sturdy gloves for thorns. Have hose/bucket and tools ready. Keep bare-root rose in water until planting.
- Transplant in spring or fall, not midsummer (heat stress). Cut large canes back by ⅔, smaller to 6–12 inches from ground.
- Dig hole much bigger than you think (15–18 inches wide for most). Add plenty of compost/aged manure.
- Old-timers recommend a 4-inch gypsum wallboard square and 16-penny nail in hole for calcium and iron.
Care
Watering Roses
- Diligently water. Soak entire root zone at least twice weekly in dry summer. Avoid frequent shallow sprinklings—they don't reach deep roots and encourage fungus. Roses want 90 inches rain/year; unless in a rainforest, water regularly.
- Roses love water but don't drown them. No sitting in water; they die in wet winter soil. Ideal soil: rich, loose, well-drained. Inadequate drainage is a top mistake.
- Mulch 2–4 inches (chopped leaves, grass clippings, shredded bark) to conserve water, reduce stress, encourage growth. Leave 1 inch between mulch and stem base.
Feeding Roses
- Feed regularly before and throughout bloom cycle (avoid chemical fertilizers/pesticides 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 Roses
- Prune every spring; destroy old/diseased material. Wear elbow-length thick gloves and safety goggles (branches whip back).
- Pruning shears for small growth; loppers for >½ inch; small pruning saw cuts both push and pull.
- Deadhead religiously; keep beds clean. Every leaf has a growth bud—removing spent blooms encourages more flowers over 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 Roses
- Don't prune in fall. Only remove dead/diseased canes.
- Stop fertilizing 6 weeks before first frost; continue watering in dry autumn.
- Mound, mulch, or add compost after a few frosts but before ground freezes. Where temps stay below freezing, enclose with sturdy mesh cylinder filled with compost, mulch, dry wood chips, pine needles, or chopped leaves.
- Don't use heavy wet maple leaves. Use oak leaves, pine needles, compost, or straw.
- Clean rose beds to prevent overwintering diseases. One dormant fungicide spray is wise.
Roses can be notoriously difficult (though hassle-free types are emerging). 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 five-petal blooms, good for hedges/barriers in exposed sites. Disease-resistant, cold hardy to Zone 3. 'Jens Munk' blooms most of summer.
- Pink roses like 'Carefree Wonder' — well-rounded shrubs, 3 feet, quiet character, minimal shaping, hardy to Zone 5.
- Yellow roses like 'Harrison's Yellow' (Zones 4–9), 'Pioneer Rose' — early, bright, sweet, 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: few petals in boiling water, towel tent, lean 10 inches above, 10 minutes, rinse cool, blot dry.
- Roses have long symbolic history.
- Roses are June birth flowers.
And I will make thee beds of roses,
And a thousand fragrant posies.
—Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)
Recipes
Cooking Notes
Tart, reddish-orange hips of rugosa roses are vitamin-loaded for jams, jellies, syrups, pies, teas, wine. Petals: salads, candied for cakes, distilled for rose water.
