Everything’s coming up ROSES

For those eager to venture into rose gardening, you know that there are TONS of varieties to choose from. Consider this guide your helpful starting point.

This fall, I’m excited to expand my garden to include both in-ground and raised bed planted roses. I hope this inspires you to plant some as well!

Here’s a quick overview of the types of roses that thrive best in our climate:

Floribunda:  These roses bloom in large clusters, are highly disease-resistant, hardy, and robust. Try 'Cinco de Mayo.' 

Grandiflora:  A combination of Floribunda and Hybrid Tea roses, featuring long stems and a range of colors from soft pastels to deep purples, often with a sweet floral scent. Try 'Queen Elizabeth.' 

English Roses:  Also known as David Austin roses, these incredible blooms often resemble peonies with full, fluffy petals. They come in various shapes and have great disease resistance, coupled with an intoxicating scent. Try 'Evelyn.'

Hybrid Tea Roses:  A blend of Tea & Hybrid Perpetual roses, dating back to the 1800s, offer large, showy blooms in colors ranging from pink to white to purple. Try 'Easy Tea Traviata.'

Miniature:  These are compact versions of Hybrid Tea or Grandiflora roses, usually growing to 15-30 inches. Try 'Grandbaby.'

Climbing Roses:  Easy to grow and disease-resistant, these roses are low-maintenance. Try 'Peggy Martin.' 

Requirements for Growing Roses

This guide is particularly relevant for our friends living here in Houston. For those in different zones, please note that these recommendations are for hot and humid Zone 9.

Sunlight:  At least 8 hours of direct sunlight is essential (ten hours is even better).

Soil:  Well-draining, sandy loam soil is best.  Raised beds work beautifully for roses, topped off with compost. Roses need lots of organic matter to thrive.

Water:  Newly planted roses should be watered two to three times per week.  If leaves droop, they’re thirsty; if they turn yellow, they may be overwatered.  If you use drip irrigation, keep it on the same setting for veggies & herbs but make sure to pay attention to what the leaves are doing. 

When to plant:  Fall is a great time to plant roses in Houston, allowing time for root establishment before summer. Roses typically handle winter well and don't need covering, even in freezing temperatures. Can you believe that?  However, if you have newly planted roses in pots, you may want to move those into the garage during a freeze.  Summer is the hardest time for roses. 

How to plant:  Dig a hole twice as wide as the container and deep enough to keep the bud union 2 inches above soil surface.  

Spacing:  Follow the guidelines on the plant tag and consider the mature size of your rose variety to avoid overcrowding, which can lead to fewer blooms and increased susceptibility to black spot.

Fertilizing and Pruning:  Use a slow-release organic fertilizer for newly planted roses. Stop fertilizing and avoid pruning two months before the first frost to conserve the plant's energy for winter dormancy. When we prune and fertilize, we are asking the plant to produce more blooms. This is the equivalent to asking a sleep deprived parent to run a marathon. It’s simply not the right time! 

A good once a year pruning will happen around Valentine’s Day, or after our last frost (just remember to never remove more than ⅓ of the plant at a time).  This will also be the signal for the plant to push out big, healthy blooms. 

Common Issues and Bloom Time

Potential problems:  Black spot fungal disease is common here with the high humidity.  Pay attention to leaves~ If you notice yellowing leaves with black spots, prune the infected area, disinfect your snips, and apply an organic fungicide to nearby leaves and stems.

Bloom time:  Springtime is magical for rose blooms in Houston.  They do very well in cooler months too, but the peak blooming season will be April to mid-June before the real heat sets in. Cross your fingers for a few flushes during spring / early summer and again in fall. 

Patience and Enjoyment

Roses take about three years to mature, with blooms reflecting this maturity. Newly planted roses will look very different compared to mature, established roses.  Have patience and enjoy each bloom because no two will ever look the same.  

To check out the roses that we’ve recommended and hundreds of others, head straight to The Antique Rose Emporium 

Let us know what you’ve planted, how it’s doing, and remember to enjoy each and every bloom!