Rose Gardening Tips for Getting Started

Rose gardens are a beautiful addition to any lawn.  They not only improve the beauty and atmosphere; they’re also a great outlet to relieve stress.  The problem is: if you’ve never done it before, starting a rose garden can be pretty daunting.  Here are a few tips and suggestions to help make rose gardening a little bit easier.

The first thing you need to do is decide what kind of roses you’d like to plant.  There are lots of varieties to choose from.  A good way to get started is to visit local rose gardens and the gardens of your family and friends.  Your decision should be based not only on what looks best, but also on how much space you have, and how harsh the winter conditions are in your area.

Once you know what kind of roses you want, you need to start planning and preparing your garden.  The spot you choose to plant should get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.  You should also be aware of the landscaping in your yard.  If you have an area that floods during heavy rains, that’s probably not the best spot for your roses.   Once you’ve picked a spot; prepare the area by working compost or humus into the soil.  You can use excess humus mixed with manure to plant your bushes.  After planting is done, cover your garden bed with mulch for extra protection.

Once your bushes are planted, they will still require some care; including watering, fertilizing, and pruning.  Bushes should be watered at the base of the plant with about an inch of water once per week.  The amount of water used should be adjusted depending on how hot it is outside and how much rain you’ve gotten.  Fertilizer should be applied about every 6 weeks, starting in mid-spring and ending some time in August.  While you can prune dead or diseased growth during the growing season, any major pruning should be done in early spring while the plant is still dormant. 

While maintaining a healthy rose garden requires a lot of work, taking these steps will help get you started in the right direction.

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