Roses are many gardeners’ favorite flowers. It has taken a bit for me to grow a good rose but with time and killing a few bushes I have a nice rose garden.
photo credit: *clairity*

One rose I have always wanted is a rose that grew at the farm where I grew up. It’s been there so long no one know what variety it is but it is an old fashioned heirloom rose. It’s so delicate and the fragrance is unbelievable!

So I have taken a few cutting from the bush and plan to start a few of my own bushes.

There is a small trick to growing roses from cuttings that will give you a successful cutting and plant every time.

The trick is in when to take the rose cutting.

With your thumb, gently push sideways against the green thorns on the shoot you are considering cutting.

·  If the thorn bends over and doesn’t easily come away from the shoot,
the cutting is too green. It will not root easily.
·  If the cutting resists and doesn’t release easily, it is too woody. At this stage the thorn may even stick you.  Again this cutting will not root well.
·  However, if the thorn will not bend and will suddenly release from the shoot with a little pop with a medium amount of pressure, the cutting is at the perfect stage for a successful cutting to be made.

This time is roughly when the flower buds start to open up on the first flush of blossoms.

Rose Tips:

Spraying rose cuttings with an anti-desiccant works very well to assist in the rooting process. Why? Because it stops the cutting from losing moisture.

Growing roses from cuttings taken in the morning are more successful than those clipped later in the day. There is less plant stress or water stress early in the morning.

I use a liquid rooting hormone and a sandy soil mixture that will allow the roots to grow easily. A clay soil or rocky soil will not work well. Many people mix peat into a potting soil mix.

Bottom heat is almost a necessity for fast healthy rose clipping roots. I used a heat mat with a temperature of 72F to keep the shoots warm. I also use warm water when watering and misting any plant. Cold water gives a plant shock and that is bad for any plant. Room temperature water is always the best.

Roots should appear after four weeks. Do not jiggle the rose cutting – it disturbs the roots that are forming and will slow the process and perhaps even kill the root. Treat your rose cuttings like any other shrub or woody cutting

You’ll know you’ve been successful when the rose cutting starts growing new leaves.
photo credit: ripplestone garden

My grandmother could root roses in a glass of water, but I have never had luck doing this.

The difference between roses grown from cutting and roses that have been grafted is that grafted roses are hardier and will flower more. The tenderer a rose is the harder it is for them to be over-wintered.

But if you have an old heirloom rose that you cannot identify a cutting may be you only choice.

And if you decide to graft a rose this information should help you, grafting roses.

Technorati Tags: flowers, growing roses, Roses, starting a rose cutting

Miniature roses are becoming quite popular. It gives people a chance to have roses that may not have a garden spot or to enjoy them in the house year round. They are perfect for  a small space garden area.

Miniature roses are better suited to growing in pots or container gardening than growing in the ground, although I have seen them planted outdoors successfully. Outdoors they need to be specialty plants so that they do not get lost in all the larger plants and flowers.
photo credit: blmurch

Miniature roses are ever-blooming, but you must remove or deadhead the old blossoms. They do not have the fragrance of normal roses. But they bloom so heavily that you don’t notice the lack of fragrance.

Miniature Rose growing tips

• Miniature roses will range in height from 12 to 16 inches. Most plants are double blossom flowers but there are a few single-flowered varieties.
• If you grow your roses indoors they should have few problems with insects and fungal diseases. They make wonderful indoor plants.
• They will thrive in rich, moist soil and a sunny exposure. Feed them every week with a high phosphorus liquid food.
• The roses will not bloom continually, but in periodic bursts of bloom. Snip off the old blossoms after each flush to prepare your little rose bush for its next burst of bloom.

When your rose plant needs a break and will has finish blooming for the year-usually in December. This is the time to prune it. Cut the plant back by one third of its height using sharp scissors. You will not need to count leaves or worry about which way the nodes are facing like with other larger roses. These roses naturally grow into well-shaped plants.

After you have pruned the plant place it in slightly cooler, but still brightly lit location to rest. Water it less, and do not feed it during this phase. It may drop most or even all of its leaves at this time! Don’t worry this is normal winter behavior
photo credit: (be·holder)

If you’re really worried that your rose plant may be dying just scratch the bark with your fingernail. If the cambium layer is green, the rose is fine.

Place the rose back in full sun and resume your normal feeding and watering schedule when you see new growth forming. Your rose is now ready to start its ten-month cycle again.

Technorati Tags: indoor plants, Roses, small space garden

Roses have a history that flows through time. You will notice there are very few gardens or yards that do not have a rose bush. I have a few and I am just moving into the miniature roses. I grow most plants successfully but the rose is a challenge. Mine live but do not thrive. I think its time I conquer the rose.
photo credit: slgckgc

Growing up we had what would be called a wild rose or heirloom. They are known for their fragrance.  It was a light red rose with a yellow center that only bloomed in June and early July. I have never seen this rose in any other garden and it still grows up at the old house. It was there before my parents bought the house so my guess the rose bush is over 70 years old.

Besides the delicate beauty of the rose there are all the different colors and styles of roses. All rose do not have a fragrance but those that do make a statement.
photo credit: Paul Schultz

For those of you thinking of selecting roses for your yard you may want to select them by the color. All flowers are said to have meaning but the rose seems to be the flower that most people know. Below are listed the rose by color and its meaning:

• Red Roses – Love and romance
• Black Roses – Vengeance
• Blue Roses – Mystery and intrigue
• Pink Roses – Gratitude and appreciation
• Purple Roses – Love at first sight
• White Roses – Innocence and purity
• Green Roses - Fertility
• Yellow Roses – Joy and friendship
• Lavender Roses - Enchantment Orange Roses – Enthusiasm, passion

If you have a tip for growing roses successfully please let me know.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Flower Garden, Roses