GardenGap.com » Flowers » How To Care For Roses - 101

How To Care For Roses - 101

Ask any woman to name her favourite flower and, more often than not, you will find that her flower of choice is the rose. And why not? It is a symbol of eternal and ethereal beauty, as it is also a symbol of never-ending love. The red rose is the most popular variety of rose and has a rich and vivid history. From dashing knights on white stallions presenting it to their lady love, to the more modern concept of a single stemmed rose on Valentine's Day, the rose has come a long, long way.

Choosing Correctly

If you're looking to enjoy the beautiful scent of roses every morning when you wake up, the best thing you can do is set up a little rose garden of your own. Of course, you might say that it takes a lot of patience and time to care properly for delicate roses which are vulnerable to the different conditions of weather. But, I say that's utter nonsense!

All you need to do is equip yourself with the right breed of flowers, which do not require much maintenance and can also brave weather conditions to a good extent. The most important part of having a blooming rose garden is buying the right variety of plants. While making your purchase, ensure that plants which aren't pruned have 3 or more, heavy, 18-inch canes and those which are, should have canes with a diameter of 1/4th inch at the top.

Another thing you should keep in mind is the location of the plants. When you're planting, make sure you do so in an area which receives adequate sunlight and is also well-drained at the same time. Regularly trim off broken or bruised roots, it hardly takes any time and the beautiful blossoms make all the effort worth it.

Feeding Routine

Another aspect of rose gardening is rose care. Feeding, is one of the primary aspects of it and should be done at the right time. The first feeding must be done during the spring months when the leaf buds show their first signs of swelling. What you must do, is work in plant food into the soil on which the flowers grow. You will require about one rounded teaspoon of fertilizer per plant. If you are cultivating the tea-rose variety you can stick to half a teaspoon.

The second feeding should also be done similarly and right after the first heavy bloom. The third feeding should be done in late summer and is done in much the same manner as the first two. This is followed by a fourth and last feeding in October. If you want, you can also have a monthly feeding schedule.

You may also control diseases and pests, with good results if you use the appropriate chemicals. Chewing insects and fungus are also quite well taken care of. Also combine this with regular dusting every week and Voila! You can wakeup to the beautiful scent of roses each day.

Article Source: GardenGap.com

About the Author

Learn how to design your rose garden at home. Important things in delicate rose care is finally discovered.