Roses – How to grow Miniature Roses.

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.