When To Take Cuttings

When you take the cutting is important. You want to time it so the cutting is soft but not too soft. I find when the thorns bend but do not snap off the cane, the cutting is too green (but it will root). When the thorns do not want to snap off the cane when you push them sideways, the cutting is too far along and will not root very easily if at all. Mature wood (the brown stem) rarely roots well if at all. But when the thorns will snap off with a little sideways pressure, the cutting is just about right. If in doubt, go with a younger shoot. A shoot should be 3-4 inches long to root properly. You can do it shorter or longer but the optimum is 3 inches.

Anti-Desiccant Spray

I like to spray the shoots with an anti-desiccant before I take the cuttings. This material can be purchased in garden shops (sometimes sold as Christmas tree preservative). It is a clear liquid plastic that stops the leaves from losing moisture. Your success rate will be much higher if you spray this. It does wear off after a few months so do not worry about having to remove it.

Potting Miniature Roses

The unrooted miniature roses are placed either in small individual pots or in cell packs (the kind annual flowers come in) and the soil is a regular artificial soil mix. Florist foam works very well too if you have some handy. Carve it into small blocks of 3×3 inches cube and keep it damp.

Use only Warm Water

Water only with warm water. Cold water can lead to rot. You don’t have to have full sun exposure. In fact, it is much better to keep the cuttings out of the direct sunshine until they are well-rooted. I use a north facing sunporch. I use a heat mat to keep the cutting warm.

Good propagation almost demands the use of this kind of tool in our modern home setting. These are available in most large garden shops (I got mine at a sale at the local big box store) This will keep the soil at the critical warm 70F (Note that if you don’t use this heat mat, your soil temperature will be 10F less than your air temperature)

And That’s It

That’s it. Water when the soil starts to look dry. If you have a clear plastic cover for your starter kit, it is a good idea to use it. It is not overly necessary if you have used anti-desiccant but if you haven’t sprayed, the cover increases survival rates.

The rose will root up anywhere from 3-6 weeks. As long as the leaves don’t fall off the rose is fine. When it starts to grow again and produce new leaves, you can remove it from the heat and start following the instructions in the indoor section for moving it outdoors. Do start feeding your new miniature roses with a dilute (50% strength) fertilizer as soon as it starts producing new growth (but not before).

Typical Fungal Problem

Like many fungal problems, this one lives on the outer surfaces of the leaf but sends little “roots” (actually called haustoria) down into the cells to feed. (Another great term to impress the cocktail party circuit.)

Powdery mildew is an ugly disease that disfigures the plant and leads to serious weakening. In many cases, it occurs in late fall (Rudbeckia) and the plant shrugs it off. In early summer infections, the plant will struggle all summer and then die over the winter in a weakened state.

Recognizing Powdery Mildew

It appears in several ways. The most common is a gray-white powdery dusting on the leaf surfaces. The actual color ranges from a white to brownish-white (almost a tan color) and there are few other problems that appear to be similar in the garden. If you see this dusting, it is almost 100% sure you have powdery mildew.

The real tipoff to this problem is when your young leaves start to curl and twist as they develop and do not fully unfurl. Roses twist the entire new shoot. Other plants simply twist the leaves.

Older leaves are pretty much immune to this twisting and usually don’t show any other signs other than a dusting or small spots where the outbreak is severe. The will also brown off once the mildew has developed.

Lower Level First

Leaves are usually attacked on the lower surface first and then the mildew moves around to the top of the leaf. If you’re in the habit of turning over leaves, you might notice a small, raised blister on the leaf surface (you have to be looking pretty carefully and regularly) and some slight purple mottling with leaf edge curling. The white powder develops after that and will eventually cover the entire leaf.

Flower buds are often attacked and when they open they are often distorted and do not last very long. Mature flowers are seldom attacked although you might see some powdery mildew (white dusting) on the sepals.

What Encourages Powdery Mildew

The biggest thing are the environmental conditions. Cloudy humid weather is ideal for this fungus. If the days are warm and the nights cool, it is even happier.

This is one reason why we like to ensure our garden plants are given adequate ventilation and we try not to water over top of the plant. We want those leaves to stay as dry as possible and reduce the humidity around the plant.

Not Just Water But High Humidity

It is not necessarily the water on the leaves that creates the problem but rather the high level of humidity around the plant. (lots of free water evaporating from the leaves rather than water sitting on the plant leaf).

It is also why we like to have susceptible plants in the full sun and particularly in the morning sun so the leaves and environment dry out and evaporate the dew as soon as possible.

And I note that the problem only takes 7 to 10 days from the time the powdery mildew fungus lands on the leaf to the time you’ll start to see symptoms. This is one fast fungus.

Treatment

If your garden tends to be a mildew trap, then your first line of defense is to always grow disease resistant varieties. While they are not immune to fungus problems, they’ll hold off the powdery mildew fungus as long as possible.

It is also interesting that while a plant might have resistance in one area to that area’s form of powdery mildew, it may be susceptible in another province or state. Yes, there are “families” of powdery mildew that vary from area to area.

Plant in full sunlight so plants dry out and humidity around the leaves is reduced quickly in the morning.

No Crowding

Do not crowd plants any more than necessary. If in the perennial garden, try to avoid having tall plants next to each other that will block air circulation or worse yet, fall into each other to shade or cover leaves (touching). This touching will increase the humidity between the touching leaves and put a big red sign up that says, “powdery mildew welcome here”.

Don’t Overfeed

Do not overfeed your plants. Overfed plants are high in nitrogen and this succulent growth is again, like hanging out a sign for both disease and insects to feed.

As soon as you see a problem, start spraying. Spray repeatedly and regularly to stop the problem. Remember that rain or overhead irrigation washes off the spray protection so you’ll have to reapply after these events.

Cleanliness

Garden cleanliness is next to powderylessness. Clean up your garden after the season and during the season to slow down the spread of this problem. Badly infected leaves and stems should be pruned out and discarded (they are overwintering sites).

Use a drip irrigation system rather than an overhead system. If you have to use overhead, then water twice a week with deep watering rather than a little bit every day.

Read the label on any spray product you use. Remember that if a fungicide kills fungus on the leaf, it will also kill beneficial fungus in the soil. Do not overspray so that the soil fungi are killed.

But do cover both the top and bottom of leaf surfaces with spray to the point of runoff. (Point of runoff means you spray but as soon as you see the moisture on the leaf starting to accumulate into drops and run, that is enough application.)

Organic Control Sprays

You can both spray and pour liquid seaweed onto your plant’s leaves. Research has shown that this has a powerful “booster” effect to your plant’s health and it helps fight off the powdery mildew. This is being used in many vineyards now as an organic control because it seems to work particularly well on crops that produce fruit. I mention it as a good alternative.

Sulphur sprays are quite effective at stopping the spread of powdery mildew. Remember that they do knock out beneficial soil fungi as well so do only spray to runoff. You can find sulphur in almost any garden shop.

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is recommended by many gardeners and when it is mixed at the rate of between 2 and 10 g per litre of water (add a small dash of liquid soap as a wetting agent). (1 teaspoon to a quart of water) I’ve seen research that up to 20g / litre of water has worked well with no burning.

And to just to make your day, it has also been reported (I’ve never used this myself) that urine when diluted at 1 part urine to 4 parts water is an effective powdery mildew control. There’s another reason to take a seventh inning stretch.

Milk is another very effective spray for powdery mildew. Mix the milk at a ratio of one part of milk to nine parts of water and spray weekly. Do NOT go higher than 3 milk to 9 water or you’ll attract other fungus problems that want to feed on the milk. Skim milk works well as it contains no fat to turn rancid (and attract other problems that like the smell of rotting fats.)

There are also products on the garden center shelves featuring jojoba oil and neem oil. Some gardeners swear by their effectivness for controlling powdery mildew.

So, in the interests of clarity, these are the “official” rose organizations classifications and these are the main ones you really want to consider growing.

Hybrid Tea Roses

Hybrid Tea Roses are the roses that you likely think of when you think, “I want to grow a rose.” These are the ones that the rose gardening experts tell you are more difficult to grow (I don’t believe that however).

They tend to be the roses that get all the press coverage in garden magazines. And you want to grow them because they are wonderful plants. These different types of roses usually have long pointed buds on long stems and come in a wide variety of colors (except black and blue) Fragrance is variable so be careful which you pick (some have it and many do not).

Floribunda Roses

These are different type of roses from hybrid tea roses in that they open their blossoms in a large, cluster (sometimes called a truss) with many of the blooms opening at the same time.

The flowers are not as individually perfect as the hybrid teas (and can be single, semi, or fully double) but there’s a lot more of them. Floribundas tend not to be fragrant as well. The do however have more flowers than hybrid teas and tend to produce them all summer long.

Grandiflora Roses

These are a cross between hybrid tea and floribunda roses. The flower clusters are carried on top of tall stems rather than the shorter stems of floribunda. Also, the flowers are larger than floribunda and the overall bush tends to be tall as well so they perform quite nicely in the back of the garden. The individual blossoms are double but the fragrance is variable between different types of roses varieties (check before you purchase one)

Miniature Roses

Miniature Roses are small types of roses. Yes, it’s that simple. Their size ranges from 6-inches tall to 3-feet tall (for climbers). Most of these bloom continuously but few have any fragrance. (They are all descended from a single dwarf China rose called ‘Rouletii’. Interestingly enough, miniatures are grown on their own roots and not grafted so they are very winter-hardy (and you can take cuttings to get more).

Climbing Roses

These are roses that can be trained or tied to supports to form an upright plant. These types of roses can be tricky for a cold weather gardener. The Explorer series of climbing roses are the hardiest, growing well into USDA zone 3. Varieties come in singles, semi and full doubles in a wide variety of colors and species. Check each for winter hardiness and fragrance.

Shrub Roses

Shrub Roses are gorgeous shrubs in the garden lending romantic perfumes and colours to otherwise drab mid-summer shrub gardens. They come in a wide variety of species, heights, flower shapes and fragrances.

I love almost every one of them but the one I’d start with would be a hybrid rugosa. These are tough plants, they come in a variety of colours and are mostly fragrant. You won’t kill this plant. If I were looking for other types of roses in this class, I’d grow musk roses. I adore musk roses with the fragrance that is unique and sultry on a still night.

Ground Cover Roses

There are increasing numbers of these low-growing roses on the market in a variety of brands. They mostly grow low to the ground and the newer hybrids bloom most of the summer. I really like these although I haven’t found them to be totally hardy in USDA 4 when the snow disappears in January (which is tends to do now in a thaw). Fragrance and flower form is variable on these different types of roses.

Carefree Roses

“Carefree Roses” are a mix of all kinds of roses. There are an increasing number of them coming onto the market that bloom all summer, don’t require regular pruning, have excellent disease resistance (although never as good as the ads claim) and are pretty tough. The new ‘Knockout’ series is one I recommend as garden roses for beginners. Read my post on Knockout Roses here.

Picking the rose variety that you want to plant is your first step and your decision will be influenced by the climate in your region. If you are thinking about getting Knockout roses, miniature roses, shrub roses, old world roses, climbing roses, floribunda roses, or hybrid tea roses, just make sure you go with what works for your region.

You can get the bareroot roses from your local nursery or garden centers, but make sure that you purchase only healthy looking ones. Roses also require considerable space so if you’re considering several bareroot roses, make sure to inquire about the planting area requirements. This will ensure that your roses get enough air circulation to prevent diseases or pests.

Since you will be purchasing bareroot roses, they need to be fresh, this is important for planting bareroot roses. When the roses arrives at the garden center or nursery, hurry down there, take your pick. When checking the canes – they should be healthy and green. Never get ones that are dried up. Get the grade “A”, #1 looking roses because this is the highest quality. Don’t get ones that are leafing out already or those that have waxed canes.

Before making the purchase, make sure you know where you are going to plant the roses in your garden. Most roses need at least six hours of sunlight a day so you need to plant in a sunny area. Another consideration is protecting the roses from intense summer heat. You will need to pick a spot where the garden gets a lot of sun during midday but in the afternoon should be shaded. It would also be best to plant the roses away from trees so that they don’t have to compete for water and nourishment.

Just before you plant bareroot roses, you will want to soak them in water, bleach, and vitamin B1. A very small amount of bleach will do (1 Tbsp/gal water). Soak the roses overnight. By doing so, the roses are sanitized and diseases will be better prevented.

Plant the roses in pots first for about 3-6 months. This will ensure faster growth of the root system. After that time frame, you can transplant them to the ground.  You don’t always have to plant in pots first but it’s a good way to insure better success.

If you are planting bareroot roses straight to the ground, dig a 12-18 inch hole with a small mound in the center. Put the rose in the hole and spread the root mass around the mound and add some superphosphate to encourage development of the roots. If the cane is still dormant you can mound up some dirt around the cane to help prevent shock and protect against a last minute cold spell.

After 4-6 weeks new leaves should start to grow from the bud nodes. This is the perfect time to use rose food, spreading it around the rose’s base. Make sure to water the rose the day before fertilization, to help with the dissipation of the fertilizer.

The rose bushes are usually sold when it is still dormant in the late winter just before springtime. When you first you get your roses; they will usually be wrapped in moss and bareroot, and you will need to keep the root mass moist until you have planted the rose. The rose should be planted in the latest part of the winter, just before spring, so that when spring comes, new shoots will start to come out. The best months for planting roses are March to April.

Plant the rose in a place where it will get at least six hours of sunlight everyday. The soil should also have good drainage and they love acidic soils (5.8 – 6.3 pH). If your soil doesn’t meet the pH requirements, you can always ask the people at the local nursery on how to increase the acidity of your soil. You can also use acidifying agents like lime and pine needles.

If you have several rose bushes to plant, they should be about 5 feet apart. This is necessary so that the air can circulate freely and to help ensure that the bushes won’t catch any disease. If you plant the bushes closely, they will only get crowded and stunted. Different kinds of roses have different space requirements so be sure to ask at the local nursery.

Before planting the roses, the garden bed should be free from any plant debris and weeds. The roses will thrive if the garden area is clean. To encourage new growth, you can help by pruning the rose bushes; the best time to prune is just after the dormancy and just before the growing season.

To prepare the rose, you will need to soak it in water for one day. Dig a hole that measures 2 square feet and in the center, build a mound. This is where you will spread the rose’s roots over. If you live in a cold region, the roots should be buried about 2 inches deeper to protect it from the winter season. To prevent rotting, clear the surroundings of the rose canes of mulch.

After transplanting, you need to maintain dirt around the base cane of the rose so that it can retain some water. In the first week, water the roses daily. After that, you can water it every 3 days depending on the weather. The mound can be removed once new shoots start to appear. The appearance of new growth is great news because it means the rose is growing and adjusting to its new habitat.

Again, just to touch on when to plant rose bushes; it is done just before springtime or right after the thaw of the winter. This will ensure a good awakening from dormancy into spring.

What is interesting to note about floribunda roses is that they do not always produce a perfect rose shape in the common sense.  Something else to note about these roses: care of floribundas is surprisingly easy.  They are hardy and can tolerate varying climates well plus withstand harsh environments.

Types of floribunda roses include the Rob Roy which maintains a rich red color.  Ballindallock Castle is just as breathtaking with coral colored petals flanked by dense foliage.  Larger flowers appear on the Glenfiddisch variety in mellow amber.  Truly, one can’t go wrong with any one of the floribunda varieties.  For those who like the brightest colors, the Sun Sprite bloom in sunny yellow hues.

When planting floribundas make sure you space them no less than 18 inches apart.  If you live in a colder climate the space between them should range at least two feet apart.  Warmer climate mandate still more space between flowers, up to three feet.  As hardy as they are, floribunda roses should be protected during the winter from harsh freezes.  Simply use the same precautions you would with any of your other outdoor plants.  For that wow effect, consider planting floribunda roses in groups of four or more.  They also thrive quite well as potted roses.

When purchasing floribunda roses remember to note that they are a modern variety of roses, care of them is easy but is a little more involved if you purchase them as a grafted plant.  If you purchase them as grafted plants, try not to plant them in a vulnerable location, in spite of their reputation for being a hardy plant.  They love the sun but can handle as little or as much sun as available where you plant them.  From November to early April floribunda roses should be planted as bare roots which will help them in their early growth and save you money.  Just remember to trim the roots before planting them to encourage new growth.  The quality of your floribunda roses will hinge greatly on how attentive you are to the process of pruning before you plant.

Planting Knockout Roses are a little bit different than most other varieties of roses.  So there are some basic tips and tricks to planting knockout roses to insure they survive. Knockout Roses are probably the best known rose today, and if  you ask about a good rose to grow at the nursery, you’ll probably hear about the knockout rose.

Why is this variety so well known? These roses are resistant to many diseases unlike any other rose varieties. These incredibly resilient roses were developed in 1988 by a man named William Radler. It took Radler many years of testing, developing and perfecting this plant before he came up with this variety of rose.

Planting knockout roses and caring for them is fairly easy and has become a popular rose with novice growers. Because they are so easily grown, knockout roses have become a big seller with the different stages of growers from novice to expert.

There are only seven varieties of knockout roses to choose from. The original Knockout Rose is called “The Knockout Rose” and the other six are called “The Pink”, “The Rainbow”, “The Double Pink”, “The Sunny”, “The Double” and “The Blushing Knockout”.

After getting a knockout rose from the nursery and if you live in the north, you should plant the bush at least 2” deeper than normal. The reason the soil needs to be set higher around the cane is so that the bush is protected during winter. If you live in the colder northern regions, make sure that you follow this rule of depth.

At the end of winter, you should see new canes emerging from the soil. To ensure that your roses bloom for the rest of the season, you should cut off the hips before the seeds start to grow and mature. By doing this, the roses will bloom for about three weeks followed by a rest period of three weeks and then bloom again. This cycle will then repeat itself all throughout the rest of the growing season.

When growing season is about to end do not prune your knockout roses, because you may not know how far the plant is into the start of its dormancy. Pruning back the foliage at the end of the season won’t let the rose to properly go into a dormant state. The rose needs its leaves to enter into a full state of dormancy for the winter; this is why we don’t prune.

Prune the roses at the very beginning of the growing season to encourage new growth and foliage. When pruning always use sharp sheers or any sharp blade for that matter and make your cut at a 45 degree angle. Also try to leave a bud that faces out from the center, at the top of the cane so the new foliage grows outward.

You can plant knockout roses in many places in your yard and it will go well with just about any style of landscaping. Once you’ve grown one knockout rose, you’ll probably find yourself wanting to grow other varieties. If you always keep in mind the deeper planting rule and basic care techniques when planting knockout roses, you should have no problems with this variety of rose.

Shrub roses come in various heights and colors.  If you desire beauty in your privay hedge you’ll love the Rosa Setipoda that grows an amazing 12’ tall.  No less amazing is the fragrance and beauty of this fiery orange roses type with petals measuring over two inches long.  Rosa Carolina is a more common planted medium size shrub.  This rose type blooms midsummer and is proven to be surprisingly hardy, given its delicate pink color.

If you’re looking to mix it up a bit, you’ll thoroughly enjoy the types of roses called Old Garden Roses.  From the Alba, a pale pink rose that blooms but once during the season, to the fragrant Bourbon that produces repeat blooms, your choices are virtually endless.  For a pleasant aroma around your garden, Damask is the rose type famous for its strong fragrance.  It adds the perfect hint of natural perfume to any yard.

Climbing roses are often used by those who need to hide unsightly fences or wall blemishes.  These types of roses can be easily trained to adhere to the curves of arches and pillars.  The Explorer Series is a favorite for this rose type and can usually be found in a wide variety of colors.  They are particularly stunning on arbors and entryways to secret, or not so secret, gardens.

Miniature roses consist of a small, dense bush with petite flowers and leaves.  Rarely will you find them taller than 18 inches high.  They prove to be exceptionally durable and bloom nearly all season.  If you are pressed for space then these particular types of roses are perfect.  While this rose type is aesthetically pleasing, they are usually not as fragrant as other types of roses.  However, they do make great potted roses that can be kept indoors to brighten dark corners, window sills or any other place you feel led to brighten with the perfect touch of color and beauty.