Contain It: Ten Things To Think About When Growing Container Roses

If you want to grow roses, but don't think you have the space or enough time to care for them, then container roses might be the solution for you!

1. Location, Location, Location!

There are many advantages to growing roses in containers. If you live in an apartment and don't have a yard to garden in, they are an ideal solution. They can also be placed on a patio or moved around to suit your decorative needs. It is really easy to transport or move container roses as long as you're gentle, although some of the larger containers can be quite heavy once filled with soil and the plants. With very large containers, be sure you have them in place before you start planting. You can also rotate the containers so each side of your plant gets enough light exposure.

When thinking about a location for your container rose, you do need to keep in mind factors like light exposure, ease of watering and temperature. Roses in containers have the same requirements as roses planted right in the ground so exposure to six hours of direct sunlight a day is a necessity no matter what.

2. Type of Roses

Not all roses are suitable for container growing. You need to do a bit of research to find the roses that will thrive in your container. Try consulting your local garden center - they should be able to offer all sorts of useful information on this.

3. Size of the Container

With containers, you can put plants closer together than if planting them directly in the ground. You still need to ensure that there is enough room in your container for the plant to grow. Any plant in a container needs room to grow and enough space for air to circulate. One mistake that a lot of first time growers make, is planting their roses in containers that are too small. You may need to re-pot if your roses grow too big for the original container you selected.

4. Type of Containers

There are many different types of containers you can choose for your roses. Most roses come in plastic pots that you can use, but you need to keep in mind that black and other dark plastic containers will absorb heat and dry out your roses faster than lighter colored pots. You can also use wooden or ceramic pots. Many garden centers sell decorative terra cotta pots for planting in, but they lose water faster than other types of containers. When selecting a container, you want to choose one that is practical as well as attractive. Rose size, color, and the surrounding landscape should be kept in mind when making your selection.

5. Drainage

When selecting a container, you need to make sure that there is proper drainage. Some pots may be attractive, but they be lacking the necessary holes to allow the run-off of excess water.

6. Soil Mix

A high quality soil mix is essential. You can purchase an appropriate pre-mix soil at your local garden center or you can create your own mix using top soil, compost and organic material.

7. Watering

You need to make sure that you are not over-watering or under-watering your container roses. Water will drain out more quickly in the container than it does in the ground. If your roses are planted in hanging baskets, then you will need to water them more than other types of containers. Hanging baskets lose much more water than roses planted in the ground or in other containers. It's important that you try to avoid getting a lot of excess water on the leaves.

8. Feed Me!

You should dilute plant food for your container roses. You will also need to fertilizer more often than roses planted in the ground since water runs out more quickly in containers.

9. Grooming and Pruning

You need to watch your roses for signs of disease or pest infection - especially if your roses are located inside. Be sure to remove dead blossoms and prune old canes.

10. Baby, it is Cold Outside

Roses in containers are more sensitive to hot and cold and are therefore more prone to freezing than roses planted in the ground. You need to give them some extra care to prevent your roses from freezing and you need to be sure to bring your container roses indoors during the winter.