Whether you’re growing roses, vines, groundcovers, or miniatures, we all want more bloom from our roses!
We’ll walk you through the steps to get more blooms from all your favorite roses, from wild rose species to award-winning fragrant hybrid tea roses.
Did you know that roses have a record harvest, just like apples?
Secret #1: Choosing the Right Roses
Hardness
Know your zone and choose even tougher roses so they can thrive in even the worst weather conditions.
size and growth habit
Roses come in all shapes and sizes. Climbing rose varieties can reach 20 feet tall, while miniature roses can only be 6 inches tall!
For abundant blooms, choose the rose that will fill the space you have without crowding it.
flower shape
With many options, rose blooms range from flat or cup-shaped rosettes to tiered rosettes and pom poms.
While a revered, long-stemmed rose might win the Best in Show award, masses of 2-inch rosette clusters can deliver the floral power you desire.
flowering period
With thousands of varieties of roses, the flowering time also has a wide range.
Keep in mind when it blooms to make sure you’re there to watch your roses parade.
rebloomers vs. unique wonders
There are many options for reblooming hybrid roses, producing flower after flower from spring through fall.
Hardy Morden roses, available as Highland Roses and Knockout Roses® are excellent examples of repeat blooming hybrids.
Spectacular blooming roses, one-of-a-kind wonders, bloom vigorously in the spring in second year growth.
Prized for its hardiness and fragrant, use caution when pruning old, woody blooms so as not to suppress next year’s abundant blooms.
Resistance to pests and diseases
Infested with aphids or powdery mildew? Choose pest and disease resistant rose varieties to increase the blooming ability of your roses.
Secret #2: Plant roses correctly
Place
Roses need sun to bloom. Is reduced. Plant roses in full sun, more than 6 hours of sun, for prolific blooms.
Spacing
Let the sun in ! Roses with plenty of space and access to flowering daylight will bloom more than a crowded, sheltered rose.
Soil and Amendments
Rich, deep, nutrient-rich soils that retain moisture while draining well will allow your optimistic ambitions to thrive.
Secret #3: Rose Watering Schedule
For newly planted roses, water every other day as they become established.
Established roses should be watered deeply once a week, depending on the weather.
*Top secret: Let your roses dry out a bit to signal the bushes to produce more buds.
With new bloom of rosebuds, well water and deep water for lush, lush blooms.
Secret #4: Feeding the Roses
timing is everything
For beautifully blooming roses, give your roses extra nutrition in early spring, early June, and late June.
Stop fertilizing at the end of summer to signal your roses to prepare for winter.
if it ain’t broken
Cheerful roses that adapt well to their situation and grow in nutrient-rich organic soil may not need additional fertilizer.
NPK and Rosen
N – Nitrogen for luscious green vegetative growth, giving your roses a vibrant shine.
P: Phosphorus for healthy root growth, bud and flower formation, especially important for maximizing the flowering power of your roses.
K – Potassium for strong plant tissue to help your roses maintain a large number of beautiful blooms.
NPKs are the macronutrients necessary for the growth of all plants. Roses benefit from a good dose normally available in good quality soil. Roses also benefit from many micronutrients, including calcium and magnesium.
shredded
Mulching is a wonderful way to provide additional nutrition while retaining moisture.
Mulches made from well-rotted compost, well-rotted manure, and leaf mulches provide additional nutrition for highly productive roses.
foliar spray
Commercial organic foliar sprays or homemade compost teas can promote healthy rose bush growth.
Alfalfa
Alfalfa meal or alfalfa pellets help activate living soil, allowing plants to absorb more nitrogen and other nutrients.
epsom salt
Epsom salt contains magnesium, an important micronutrient for flowering roses.
Many rose growers mix Epsom salt into the planting hole or into the topsoil around their rose bushes.
egg shells
Pulverized eggshells are a natural, slow-release fertilizer made up of minerals and nutrients, including rose-loving calcium.
For more information on feeding your rosessee Fertilizing Roses.
Secret #5: prune the roses
Time of the day
Roses blooming on old wood: Roses like vines or family heirlooms only bloom on old wood. These roses have an abundant flowering season, usually in mid-spring. Prune these rose varieties soon after flowering has finished. This keeps the rose bushes tidy and gives the plant time to grow vigorously for next year’s bloom.
Roses that bloom on new wood: Maximize roses that bloom repeatedly by pruning them first in late winter to early spring. Then dead roses that bloom again to promote persistent flowering.
Cleaning
To prevent the spread of disease among your roses, keep all pruning tools clean at all times.
Second, if you are cutting diseased branches, sterilize pruning tools with rubbing alcohol or the like between cuts.
Finally, avoid composting diseased rose branches, as they may harbor soil-borne diseases.
Where to cut?
To keep your rose bushes open to bloom-forming sunlight, place your cuttings less than an inch above an outward-facing bud eye.
Dead head: the rule of 5.
Whether you are pruning or topping, always place your cuttings on leaves with 5 or more leaflets. This stimulates the growth of strong, mature rose branches. Weak or young branches will have leaves with only 3 leaflets and subsequent growth will not bloom as profusely.
Secret #6: Prevent diseases and pests
Nothing wilts a rose bud before it’s fully bloomed like pests or rose diseases.
Choose pest and disease resistant varieties, especially if you know your area is prone to certain rose problems.
shredded
Mulch provides nutrition, retains moisture, and most importantly, minimizes water splashing onto the leaves. This translates into helping to prevent rose-susceptible diseases.
companion plants
Besides looking spectacular, rose companion plants can help fix nutrients in the soil that promote healthy, happy roses.
Additionally, companion plants can deter problematic pests or attract beneficial insects that ward off problematic pests, such as aphids.
Plants that go well with roses include: lavender, alyssum, foxglove, shasta daisy, marigolds, etc.
Maximize Your Flower Power Roses
Keep your roses happy with these six secrets to getting more blooms to keep your roses blooming profusely.