It is no coincidence that the rose remains the favorite flower of many people: the one who is nicknamed the “queen of the garden” stands out from afar for her elegance, the profusion of her colors and her scent recognizable among a thousand. Poetic, romantic and timeless, the rose offers a spectacle of incomparable beauty, inviting you to daydream and wander your mind. And what could be more satisfying than contemplating a rose bush in full bloom?
What a joy to see roses come to life in our garden! They bring a unique lush touch to the environment, immediately sublimating the place with their majestic splendor. Indispensable in spring and summer, if well cared for, the rose bush offers a majestic spectacle. Are you passionate about these unique flowers? Here’s the secret to successfully growing your roses. Follow these few planting and maintenance steps to have sumptuous summer blooms!
Roses, a true source of colors and scents
When roses are well cared for and bloom profusely, they automatically beautify your home, whether they are planted in the garden, as a garden hedge or to accent perennial flower beds.
Roses will always have the most beautiful effect in an environment: because they reveal a formidable chromatic palette, alternating bright and gaudy colours, ranging from red to pink to white and purple, passing through lavender, yellow, orange and even black. Their peculiarity: they can be single-coloured, striped, spotted or in an infinite number of combinations. Aside from aesthetics and visual spectacle, roses are also known for their intoxicating fragrance, whether it’s a hint of citrus, a tea scent, or fruity notes.
It must be said: there are few plants as rich and varied as roses. They differ greatly in size, shape, color and scent. Thus offering a multitude of localization possibilities. Sometimes shrubs, climbers or dwarfs, roses can be planted in a lawn, in a border, in a pot, to dress a fence, a pergola or a facade. Some people prefer to admire the classic large roses, while others choose a small and attractive bouquet. This summer you can also opt for perennial tree roses to plant in containers and place on terraces or planters.
Good to know : Before making any purchase, rose growers always recommend thinking carefully about where you want to plant your roses. Because not all houses are necessarily suitable for planting roses, just as some gardens are not suitable for giving life to a red oak, a fern or an azalea.
In fact, before starting any rose plant, it is important to take into account some essential parameters and ask yourself the right questions: is the place sunny enough, is this type of soil really suitable for roses, is there a water source nearby ? It should not be forgotten that the rose remains a very delicate flower which tends to fade quickly if all the appropriate conditions to favor its growth and development are not met.
How to plant rose seedlings?
- Light : Know first of all that roses need a position in full sun or at least 6 hours of sun per day. In other words, choose a location that receives plenty of morning or afternoon sun.
- Terrain : Once you have decided on the brightest place, immediately find out about the most suitable type of terrain. You should know that roses like deep, fertile, fresh and well-drained soil. However, they also adapt to clayey and slightly sandy soils. If this is the case for you, and if the soil also contains gravel or rocks, consider adding compost or plant mix to provide more nutrients. This will help your roses grow better.
- Watering : Remember that they need well-drained soil, as the roots of roses should not sit in water. This means that you will necessarily have to water them throughout the summer, especially during the hot days of August. Therefore, always choose a location near a water source and try to water early in the morning.
- Sowing : generally sowing takes place between November and the end of March. It is necessary to dig a deep hole (60 cm) in the ground and space the rose plants at least 50 cm apart. Since roses love rich soil, to have abundant flowering, the soil must be enriched with compost, manure or organic powder fertilizer. Immediately afterwards, water your roses generously to help them root well.
- Pests and Diseases : Alas, your roses will not be immune to undesirables such as aphids, caterpillars or spider mites that love to dwell there. It will therefore be necessary to arm yourself with powerful repellents to get rid of them. Likewise, although today’s roses are more resistant to disease, they can still be affected by certain ailments such as chlorosis, powdery mildew, rust or marsonia fungus. It will therefore be necessary to treat them to prevent your roses from dying.
How to stimulate flowering in summer?
How to make roses bloom throughout the summer? Just cut them! Pruning roses is an essential step to ensure their longevity, increase their resistance to diseases and obtain abundant flowering. A few strokes of the shears and you will get a profusion of fresh and radiant roses! Yep, it’s essential to remove faded flowers as you go, remove dead or tangled branches so the rose bush can breathe properly. Your roses should be pruned in late winter and after flowering.
It is therefore important to cut off any old, discolored or damaged stems.
How to proceed? Cut the withered flowers 1/2 cm above a group of 5 or 7 leaves with shears. The shoots will then produce more roses. If you cut off leaves that only have 3 leaflets, the rose bush will continue to grow but will not produce enough flowers.
When it comes to roses with clustered flowers, don’t hesitate to regularly prune the flowers that tend to fade before the others. As long as you consistently remove dried flowers, roses will continue to bloom throughout the summer. Then you will have to fertilize them after flowering: you have to give them enough nutrients and energy to stay fresh and beautiful. This also allows the leaves to maintain their bright green color throughout the summer season.
NB : always use shears with disinfected and sharp blades for a clean, precise and harmonious cut.