Rose Gardening Tips
If you’ve avoided planting roses as part of your landscape design because of their reputation as high-maintenance flowers that are difficult to grow, the following rose gardening tips will help you overcome your fear of planting them.
1. Look for the American Rose Society (ARS) rating to select the best roses for your yard. You can find hybrids that are specifically bred to be more disease-resistant, hardier and relatively low-maintenance. ARS ratings typically range from 6 (fair) to 9 (outstanding).
2. The Knock Out Rose is a shrub rose that blooms every 5-6 weeks from April to November and is recommended by many experts if you are looking for an easy-care rose. They bloom until the first hard frost and are disease resistant and drought, cold and heat tolerant; they are also self-cleaning so you don’t have to deadhead them.
3. Plant roses during the spring and fall. Water the plants well before planting to help them through the transition and mulch around them after planting. To prevent disease and insect problems, keep mulch away from the stems.
4. Water roses deeply rather than frequently. Do not sprinkle the leaves as this can lead to mildew and black spot. Apply a rose fertilizer according to the directions on the container. Prune roses in the early spring while they are still dormant. Roses that bloom only one a year should be pruned after it blooms.
5. Site selection: Plant roses on hillsides or terraced areas or in raised beds as they do best in well-drained soil. The location should receive a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight daily.
Learn more rose gardening tips on choosing the best site for Knock Out roses in this video:
There are only three points to consider when choosing a site for Knock Out roses:
1. Choose a sunny spot.
2. Make sure they have enough room to grow. Mature plants grow to 3-4 feet tall and are just as wide. Plant them four feet apart. This will promote air circulation which will keep the foliage dry and minimize the risk of fungal diseases.
3. Determine the size of your rose garden. Consider how much time you can devote to it and plan accordingly. Although Knock Out roses are low-maintenance, you still have to water, care for companion plants and tend the general area. It’s best to go for small and beautiful. You can always expand your garden later.
