How to Care for Container Roses

Roses grow well as container plants.

Roses are suitable shrubs to grow in large containers like metal tubs, half-whiskey barrels and wooden planters. Growing roses in containers gives you the option of creating a changeable landscape. Rose containers are movable, which allows the gardener to relocate the roses to new growing sites, create different visual impacts and provide protection for the shrubs. Growing container roses allows gardening when there is no space to create a traditional garden. Rose containers require more care than roses grown in the ground though.

Things You'll Need

• Large container
• Bleach
• Water
• Drill
• Pebbles
• Potting soil
• Compost
• Perlite
• Organic mulch
• Fertilizer
• Clear garbage bag
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Wash your container with a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water. Choose containers that are at least 18 inches wide and 14 inches deep. Miniature roses may use 2 1/2-gallon containers, but all other varieties need at least a 6-gallon container. If there are no drainage holes in the container, drill holes in the bottom with a drill.

2. Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of pebbles in the bottom of the container to prevent the roots from becoming waterlogged. Mix together two parts potting soil, one part compost and one part perlite. Plant the rose bush in the container using this mixture. Leave 4 to 6 inches of space between the rim and the soil.

3. Spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch like wood chips, straw or dry grass around the base of the rose bush. Mulching the container keeps soil moisture in and the soil temperature cool.

4. Place the rose bush container in an area that receives at least 5 hours of sunlight. Roses prefer morning sun, but shade in the afternoon in hot climates. Shelter the containers in an area protected from drying winds.

5. Water the container rose bush when the soil begins to dry out. Containers need more water because they dry out quickly. Pour water in the top of the container until it runs out the bottom.

6. Feed the container roses each week with 1/4-strength 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer. This encourages lush growth and flowering. Do not apply any fertilizer after August 15 so the bushes can begin to get ready for winter.

7. Move the rose containers into an unheated, frost-free area once they go dormant. Expose the bushes to a hard frost first to encourage dormancy. Cover the rose bush tops with a large, clear garbage bag. Water the container once a month during the winter. Remove the garbage bag in the spring and set the rose containers outside once all danger of freezing has passed.

8. Prune the rose branches in early spring with a pair of pruning shears. Trim the bushes back to control the size and shape of the bushes. To keep the rose bushes healthy, cut only what is necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Roses planted in containers are heavy and hard to lift. Place the containers on casters so moving the containers does not require a lot of lifting.

• Fertilizer salt builds up in the soil of container grown roses. Every three years, change the soil mixture to eliminate salt buildup and refresh soil nutrients. Be sure to wash out the inside of the plant pot to get rid of the salt contamination.

References

• AgriLife Extension: Rose Gardening in Containers
• University of Michigan: Why Grow Roses in Containers?
• Colorado State University: Growing Roses in Containers
• University of Illinois Extension Our Rose Garden: Water, Mulch & Fertilizer