- 1). Plant the roses in a sunny spot with good air circulation. They need at least six hours of direct sunlight. They will produce the biggest blooms if their sunlight requirement is met.
- 2). Use a soil mixture. Loamy soil, which is a combination of silt, sand and clay, is ideal. Combine the local soil with organic matter to make it more fertile and improve drainage. Although roses can grow in many soil types, they do best in a soil pH of about 6.5. Plant the roses at crown level.
- 3). Water roses at the ground level when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil is dry. Avoid dampening the foliage. Soak the soil to a depth of 1 foot. Give the roses water in the morning so they have time to dry out by evening. In the first year after planting, roses need 1 inch of water per week.
- 4). Spread mulch around the plants. Pile organic matter 2 to 3 inches deep over the bed and around the base of each rose bush, maintaining a distance of 6 inches between the plant's stem and the mulch. This will create a basin which helps the soil retain water.
- 5). Fertilize the plants in the spring after all danger of freezing has passed. Apply 3 lbs. of fertilizer per 100 square feet or 1 heaping tablespoon per rose bush. Spread the fertilizer evenly around the plants and work it into the soil surface. Water to help it soak in. Feed the plants once every six weeks, stopping for the season in July.
- 6). Prune the roses lightly in the fall and heavily in the spring. During the fall pruning, remove all dead wood, which includes the tips of canes that suffered from die-back. Look for any wood that is dry and brown. Injured wood is sappy and green on the outside but dark brown and dry inside. Cut any unwanted canes as close to the parent branch as possible.
- 7). Perform a heavy pruning during the rose bush's dormant period (early spring) to invigorate it. Remove one-third the length of each cane, as well as canes that cross or rub against other branches, thinning out the less healthy canes. Make thinning cuts 1/4 inch above a strong bud and at an outward angle to promote new growth. This will widen the bush.
- 8). Remove leaves that appear to be affected by insects or disease. Cut them off where they meet healthy wood. Sterilize your pruning equipment with rubbing alcohol in between cuts to avoid spreading the problem.
- 9). Feed roses with 1 to 2 cups of organic rose food after pruning. Water the plant well if it is not in its dormant stage.
- 10
Apply fungicides to treat diseases such as mildew and brown canker. Follow the instructions on the product's label.
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