- 1). Plant the rose bush in loose, sandy, well-draining soil. Work peat moss in the garden soil if it is not well-draining.
- 2). Position the abelia rose bush in full sun where possible and in full sun to partial shade where necessary. The rose bush requires at least five hours of sunlight daily.
- 3). Spread 4 inches of organic mulch such as wood chips, bark or leaves around the base of the plant in early spring before weeds begin to come up.
- 4). Employ a bubbler attachment or soaker hose to slowly apply water to the roses twice weekly until the soil is moist to a depth of 18 inches. Apply water to the base of the plant without wetting the bush foliage.
- 5). Apply a general purpose fertilizer in early spring after the shrub has been hard-pruned, during the first bloom and in late July. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for appropriate fertilizer amounts and application methods.
- 6). Use sharp, clean pruning shears, long-handled lopping shears and a pruning saw to hard-prune the abelia rose bush early in the spring and as often as necessary during the growing season to remove dead wood, withered canes and to shape the bush as desired. Cutting the tips of the branches will encourage blooming. Deadhead the shrub at least once per week.
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