Growing Bare Root English Roses in Containers
Love English Roses but don’t have the space to grow beautiful rows of them? Not a problem! Tons of English Rose varieties are able to grow in pots and planters! There are few extra steps you need to take to ensure your blooms flourish, and this post will help you do just that!
Let’s start with pot and planters!
English Roses do need some extra space to grow and establish strong roots, so you’ll want to find a planter that is about 24” x 24” in size. I’ve grown shrub roses in round terracotta and plastic pots, and climbing roses in square cedar planters, the shape does not matter! You’ll want to make sure there is nice drainage (more on this later), and is placed in a spot with at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight.
The pot shown in this photo is from my local Lowes, and looks beautiful in the corner of the patio! It sits at the entrance to my Kitchen Garden and is already full of gorgeous Apricot Blooms to welcome you in.
Next up, SOIL!
For potted roses you’ll want to find an organic potting mix and some rich compost! Since we want to make sure there’s good drainage, you’ll need to either drill or pop out holes in the bottom of your planter. I like to line the bottom with a layer of stone or large gravel. If you don’t have that handy, you can also break down used styrofoam. This helps ensure the soil won’t fall out of the holes, and also aid in drainage. Fill your pot with organic potting soil about half way, then add your bare root rose in the center. Make sure the roots can spread out, and the union is positioned just a couple inches below to top edge of the pot.
Now you’ll want to sprinkle some mycorrhizal fungi over the roots, and fill with organic potting soil to just below the union of your bare root.
To finish off filling your pot, add a few inches of rich compost to the top layer - covering the union. This will add a ton of amazing nutrients to help your new rose baby take off. This is my secret weapon! You can easily find mushroom compost, cow manure compost, and lobster compost at most nurseries and hardware stores. Whenever my plants are struggling in my kitchen or rose garden, I add a heavy layer of compost and am always amazed!
Watering
Depending on the type of pot you’re using, your watering schedule may change. Rule of thumb is to keep the soil moist, not soaked. Terracotta, wood, and other porous planters will need more frequent watering. Plastic pots and planters will hold more of that moisture in, so may give you more time between waterings. Either way, consistency is key! In the beginning, I like to keep my roses watered daily. In the Lowcountry heat my soil tends to dry out faster, so I water daily. Once the roses have established I move to anywhere between every other day to twice a week, depending on how hot it is.
Here comes the hard part… Waiting…
Now we just sit back and wait for your shrubs to grow buds and show off their gorgeous blooms! Which can seem like the “not-so-fun” part, but it always amazes me how quickly these bare roots take off once they’re planted! I find myself going out with my coffee every morning to look for new growth. It’s incredible!
What happens after they bloom?
We call this the “First Flush!” And it’s the most exciting! But then the petals start to drop and it’s time for next steps! Fertilizing! After the first flush of roses begin to fall, it’s time to sprinkle on some fertilizer to help feed your shrubs.
My first two years growing roses I was told to try “Rose Tone” but was really disappointed. This year, I reached out to David Austin’s (where I order all of my bare root roses from) incredible customer service team and they recommended I switch to either Scott’s Rose and Bloom or Vigoro Rose Food. I tried the Vigoro option and BOOM my garden was exploding with buds!
The downside is that these 2 options are not organic; however, there are organic options! Vigoro sells an organic rose food online, and my rose group friends also recommended Flower Tone.
That’s it! Whether you have a tiny terrace or large patio space, you can grow roses! Get growing and start enjoying gorgeous shrubs filled with bright colored blooms!
Happy Planting!
