Growing rose the first time?

by Richard Chew

Are you considering growing roses in your garden? Is this your first time? Or perhaps this is your second attempt?

It is not unusual to have failed attempts. I had failed many times but I took it as a learning process. However I must say that it was rewarding to see positive results.

If this is your first time growing roses, I like to share some useful tips that I think will give you a good start.

Tip #1 - First choose a rose plant that is easy to grow. I find that miniature that is sun tolerant is easiest to grow here.




I can understand that we always want to have the prettiest rose for our garden, but most often the prettiest may be more difficult to grow for beginners. Choose one that it is easy to grow, if you have no idea, then choose a miniature that is sun tolerant.


Tip #2 - When buying a rose plant, choose one with strongest stem formation. Rose plants with stronger stem have greater potential for stronger growth and higher chances of success. Also don't just buy 1 rose plant, buy at least 3, so that if one dies, you still have others. This is important to maintain the momentum, as well as continuity in your learning process.


Tip #3 - Place your rose plant at location where it receives about 1 to 3 hours of morning sun. Avoid hot noon and afternoon sun. Please read How much sun does your rose plant need?


Tip #4 - Prune for more growth. Please read Pruning for more growth?


Tip #5 - When doing transplanting, choose a wider container. A wider container provides larger soil surface area that promotes more soil organism activities at the surface. And use the right soil mix. Try my recommendations at Soil Mix - Transplanting Part 2


Tip #6 - Apply mainly fish meal as fertilizer and regularly apply liquid seaweed extract on the soil. Later you may try bone meal for better flowering. As you get better at it, you can try other mixture.


Tip #7 - Spray pine & seaweed mixture on the leaves regularly. This is the organic way to repel pest and diseases. It also acts as foliar feed.


Lastly when you are rewarded with many blooms, please email me your bloom pictures and share your joy with me.


Thanks in advanced.





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