Collin County Rose Society

Four Keys to a Great Rose Garden
in Collin County

• Site
• Soil
• Selection
• Support
  

1. Site:

Select a plant site where the roses will receive at least 6-8 hours of full sun daily and will not have to compete with trees or other shrubs for air, space, and nutrition.

Make sure site drains well. Provide additional drainage with a raised bed. (See "Soil.")

Give the roses plenty of breathing room. Good air circulation reduces the chance of disease. Generally, space roses 3 to 6 feet apart. Miniature roses, 18 to 24 inches apart.

To grow roses in containers, use glazed pottery, whiskey barrels, cedar, or thermo-insulated containers. Use 20-inch or larger containers for modern hybrid tea roses; 16-inch for smaller roses; and 14-inch for miniatures. The container should have 4 or more drainage holes. Prop up container from ground for good air circulation and disease control.

2. Soil:

Roses will grow in almost anything that resembles soil, but they will do better in slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6 to 7) amended with lots of organic matter.

Kill the grass at the bed site if you don't build a raised bed. Or, build the bed on top of the ground 10 - 16 inches high, cover grass with layer of newspaper 8 sheets thick, fill with sandy loam soil or other good soil mix into the bed.

Dig a hole about 12-15 inches deep (not through the
newspaper) and plant:

Roses with a bud union (grafted) with the bud union just
above the ground.

Roses on their own roots should be planted at the same
level as in the pot.

Cover the roots with prepared soil, add root stimulator, add rest of soil, and gently firm. Water well.

3. Selection:

Select the healthiest, best quality roses you can find. Consult a local rosarian or nursery professional for recommendations of rose that grow well here. Look for # 1 grade roses that have at least 3 healthy canes, each a minimum of 3/8 inch in diameter:

If potted, pots should be no smaller than two gallons.
Beware of roses in small pots or packages;

Roses whose roots have been severely amputated may survive, but they will spend their entire first season rebuilding a healthy root system.

Avoid buying roses with wax on canes. The wax damages
the plant in the Texas heat.

Check for signs of disease. Don't buy a rose with yellow
or brown leaves, broken canes, black stumps, or black
spots or powdery residue on the leaves.

4. Support:

Water at least one inch per week, but don't keep soil soggy. Roses don't like wet feet. It's better to water deeply once a week rather than a little every day. For roses in containers, water when the soil an inch below the surface is dry.

Apply 3-5 inches of mulch around your rose bushes to conserve moisture, maintain even temperature in the root zone, and discourage weeds.

Conduct a soil test to determine which fertilizer ingredients are needed. Contact the Collin County Extension Service at 972-548-4232 for a soil sample bag and instructions.

Fertilize with a soluble fertilizer or a granular fertilizer 3-4
times from March through August (follow label directions).

Don't use weed 'n feed products on roses, and don't fertilize beyond August.

Select a fertilizer that has a 3-1-2 ratio unless your soil test indicates otherwise. Our black clay is high in phosphorous; if you add too much, it will harm the roses.

Prune modern hybrid teas, floribundas, and polyanthas from mid-February to the end of the month. Prune once-bloomers and climbers after the first bloom cycle. Make
your cuts an inch above a leaf stem or bud.

To control the spread of disease, disinfect shears with a 10 percent bleach solution after pruning each bush and after pruning a diseased cane.

Disease & Pest Control Spraying: Water roses before you spray, and spray only in the evenings or early mornings (don't spray when sun is out). Avoid using fine horticultural oil spray when temperatures are above 80
degrees.

Control disease: Black spot fungus (leaves turns yellow with black spots) and powdery mildew fungus (leaves get a white powdery coating on top) are the two most common diseases in our area. Prevent fungi by spraying weekly before disease occurs with a chemical fungicide (such as Ortho's Funginex or Diaconil2787) or organic fungicide. If disease appears, remove diseased leaves to keep fungus from spreading to healthy leaves.

Control the most common pests by using a systemic pesticide or by the following methods (in order of toxicity):

Aphids: Magically appear as soon as the roses start growing. Wash off pests with a strong spray of water, spray with insecticidal soap, or spray with a garden insecticide.

Thrips: Appear in mid-summer. Signs - bloom petals will get brown edges and sometimes buds will not open. Since they attack the buds, spray insecticidal soap or garden insecticide on the buds. No need to spray the foliage.

Spider mites: Appear when it gets hot. Signs - leaves discolor then turn a tan, leather color from bottom of bush up and eventually drop; webs appear with a heavy infestation. If caught early, control with a strong spray of water underneath the leaves. If caught later, spray insecticide soap or miticide at three-day intervals. Continue control method for two or three weeks.

It isn't hard to create a rose garden that will be the envy of your neighborhood. If you carefully prepare the site with healthy soil, plan your selections, and give the roses a little basic support, they will reward you with beauty and fragrance all season. To learn more about roses, visit a Collin County Rose Society meeting.

Also, visit the American Rose Society web site at: www.ars.org.

Originally developed by Glenda Mesomboon & P J McMurdy.Updated 3122102 by Collin County Rose Society