7 Rose Care Mistakes You’re Probably Making (And How to Fix Them)

Roses are generous, but unforgiving! How many times have you seen these thorny and flowering shrubs suffer, with sick leaves and blooms, dry stems and, on the whole, crying out for help? Why is this? Are they being “capricious”? Well, they can be – but the reality is that you are making some really basic mistakes. Growing a hybrid tea, a floribunda, a climber or any other variety is a delicate and precise art!

There are seven “deadly sins” with roses, which you must absolutely avoid if you want them to grow healthy and fill your garden with their iconic blooms. Let’s go through them!

Rose Deadly Sin 1 : Bad Pruning

One of the biggest mistakes you can ever make with roses is pruning them the wrong way. It is a very special art, and you cannot treat them like any other shrubs. Some typical errors amateur gardeners make result in sick plants, poor blooming and badly shaped bushes. Let’s see the main ones:

• The main pruning of all roses should be in early spring, “when forsythia is in bloom”; in fall you should only cut dead and very sick wood.
• You should always cut a stem or cane just above a 5-leaflet leaf! Sometimes roses produce foliage with only three leaflets. If you prune them above them, all the wood to the lower 5-parted leaf will die.
• Prune shrub roses into a basket shape; you don’t want stems and branches to grow inside; it is bad for ventilation and the wind can get them to rub against each other, causing cuts that let infections in!

If you want a full guide on how to prune and grow climbing roses, check it out here!

Rose Deadly Sin 2 : Did You Check for Diseases, or Dod You Spread Them?

There are shrubs and perennials that grow healthy and strong virtually all the time, but roses are not among them. When was the last time you saw one of these shrubs, climbers or ramblers without some disease? Black branches, spotted leaves, and sometimes even browning blooms are all too common.

Good pruning, without branches pointing inward and in a basket shape is the first and foremost solution; as we said, the thorns (technically prickles) cause lesions and bacteria, fungi etc. get in from them. But maybe you were the guilty one?

Did you sterilize the blades of your secateurs before and after every rose you prune? You must absolutely remember to do this, or you will literally transport all these bacteria and other pathogens from a rose to another, be they shrubs, ramblers or climbers.

Of course, you must check your roses for any disease or pest regularly; some can spread very fast, and we are all too familiar with aphids suddenly taking over a whole shrub and taking us by surprise. I would never let more than two weeks pass before I give them a thorough checkup. And do look under leaves and buds too; they are hiding places for insidious little creatures!

Rose Deadly Sin 3 : You Planted It in the Wrong Place!

Roses don’t grow everywhere; they need the right location to thrive and blossom. So, no matter how much you take care of your thorny shrubs, ramblers or climbers, if the place is wrong, they will suffer. So, what do they need?

• Most roses need a full Sun position; only a few will tolerate part shade, mainly ramblers. But in summer, some afternoon shade will benefit these prickly queens in hot countries. But always make sure they get at least 6 hours of bright sunshine every day.
• Roses also need a sheltered but ventilated position; they need air, or they catch molds and diseases, but if the winds get too strong, they end up “scratching themselves”, as we said.
• Most shrub roses don’t like big trees growing too close to them. A small maple is fine, but if you plant them close to a maple or oak tree, they will simply grow and bloom less – yes, in this case they are being capricious.

If you have planted your rose in the wrong place, the only solution you have is to transplant it.

Rose Deadly Sin 4 : Do You Prepare Them for Winter?

Roses are cold hardy, true, usually to USDA zone 5 (some varieties less though, check it out!) However, especially in colder regions, you need to prepare them for winter. As I have been saying, they are prone to many diseases, so, maybe your lovely English shrub or hybrid tea won’t die in the cold season, but it will be very weak in spring if you don’t winterize it.

• In any USDA hardiness zone, mulch your roses before winter, and with a generous layer, like 4 inches, or 10 cm.
• Also in USDA hardiness zone, stop fertilizing your roses 8 weeks before the first expected day of frost! If you don’t, you will encourage them to grow new and tender stems, and these will die and catch infections…
• In USDA zone 6 and below, cover your shrubs with a rose cone, or a home-made one.
• For climbing roses, tie them loosely but safely to the support, and check that it is steady and strong. Winter winds can cause havoc on them!
• Finally, improve drainage, scattering 1 to 2 inches of coarse gardening sand (2.5 to 5.0 cm) at the base of your roses.

Rose Deadly Sin 5 : Are You Feeding Them Well?

If you underfeed roses, they will not be very thankful with their blooms, and yes – they “eat” a lot. But they also want the right fertilizers and the right time! If you get this wrong, you can cause them a lot of problems.

• The main fertilizing season for roses is early spring; give them an abundant dose of compost, and if you can, add some well-rotted manure, worm castings and a tablespoon of Epsom salt.
• Then, as soon as you see the first buds, give them a fast release, liquid fertilizer with NPK 5-10-5 or 10-15-10.
• Repeat this with reblooming roses.
• After the last blossom, and especially if your roses are looking tired, give them a final, small dose of balanced fertilizer, like compost, but maximum 8 weeks before frost. At this stage, do not feed them with a high nitrogen product! For older roses, 4-8-4 is ideal.

But roses do not only eat, they drink too…

Rose Deadly Sin 6 : Watering Is Not Drowning!

Now, we all know that if you underwater your roses, like many other plants, they risk drying up, and in very hot seasons, they may even die. But the most common mistake is the opposite: overwatering! So, how can you irrigate your thorny beauties correctly?

• You need to be flexible; seasons are all different, in heat and rainfall. What’s more, the colder it gets in fall, the wetter, and, at the same time, roses are going into dormancy, so they need less water, therefore…
• As fall comes, reduce watering. In thus season and in winter, I would suggest you check the soil; when the top 2 inches are dry (5.0 cm), it’s time to quench their thirst.
• In winter, do not water your roses before a severe frost! The water will freeze underground and the roots will suffer, even die!
• In hot periods, water every 2 to 3 days.
• The average shrub rose needs 2 to 3 gallons of water per week (8.0 to 12 liters), include rainfall and reduce in winter. Newly planted rose shrubs will need 3 to 4 gallons (12 to 16 liters) of water per week. Larger varieties, including many ramblers and climbers will need much more.
• Water at the base; if you sprinkle water on the leaves, they can work as lenses and burn them.
• Water in the evenings, though if days are very hot, you can irrigate them in the early morning.
• Make sure that your roses have very good drainage!

So, now you know how to keep your roses well fed and watered, what next?

Rose Deadly Sin 7: How Did You Plant Your Rose?

So, you are doing everything right, and yet your newly planted rose is not responding? Is she playing up? Most likely not; check how you planted her. And why? Because this is a very, very common, but really deadly mistake with amateurs.

If you planted your rose too deep, it can catch rot! On the other hand, if it is too shallow, the roots may be exposed. So, how can you get it right? Well, it also depends on the climate your garden is in.

• In cold climates, plant your roses with the graft union just below soil level (1 inch or so, 2.5 cm).
• In mild climate, the graft union must be at soil level.

And what is the graft union? Is simply where the rose variety you have bought has been grafted on a sturdier one. You can clearly see is as a line at the base of the shrub, climber or rambler you are planting.

Avoid the 7 Rose Growing Deadly Sins and Your Garden Will Be Heaven!

So, avoid any of these big mistakes, the “7 deadly sins” when growing roses, and they will thrive in your garden, giving you their enchanting flowers year after year!