Now is the time to begin planning your spring garden. If you have always wanted to try your hand at growing roses, here are some basic tips to get you started. Also contact your local cooperative extension (check the web or look in the yellow pages under county offices) to find out what species work best in your area.
*Buy the best rose plant you can afford. You'll be rewarded with a hardier plant and bigger, more numerous blooms. Dormant plants are best.
*Hybrid or antique? Both have desirable characteristics, but antique roses are hardier and more disease-resistant. Hybrids usually produce the biggest and most beautiful blooms.
*Plant in fall or early spring. Test the pH level of the soil and add lime if needed. The ideal soil for growing roses should be slightly acidic. You can buy soil-testing kits from your nursery.
*Roses in the South must be mulched to conserve soil moisture and keep weeds out. Pine straw, peat, and pine bark are all good choices.
*Roses must receive at least 5-6 hours of sunlight daily to produce the most blooms, so avoid shady spots.
*Water your plants every morning (making sure to soak the roots) but avoid wetting foliage as this can lead to disease.
*Check plants daily for pests and treat immediately.
*Enjoy your roses. Take a pail filled with warm water outside when you clip the blooms and place them in the water immediately. Cut the stems again under water at an angle, removing the bottom inch.
*Visit these sources or your local rose supplier for more information:
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0157/
http://www.weareroses.com/culture.tmpl
http://gardeningtips.org/Rose.shtm
Recommended Reading:
Antique Roses for the South by William Welch
The Organic Rose Garden by Liz Druitt
Foolproof Guide to Growing Roses by Field Roebuck
These books are available through mass retailers such as Amazon.com and Books-a-Million, or can be ordered through your local bookstore.
