Roses – Gardening and Care Tips

Roses have a timeless way of bringing beauty, fragrance, and a sense of romance to the garden, and with the right care they’re far easier to grow than many gardeners think. Whether you’re planting your first shrub or adding to a long-loved collection, understanding a few key basics—like proper light, watering, feeding, and pruning—will set you up for seasons of healthy growth and abundant blooms. In this guide, we’re breaking down the essential tips to help your roses thrive from planting day through every stage of the growing season.

Remember, the first step to a successful rose is when you’re in the store picking it out! Picking the perfect rose, both the healthiest and the closest to your aesthetic, is crucial! 

• Healthy Plant Indicators: Look for deep green foliage, strong and thick canes, no shriveled stems, a firm root ball, and disease-free leaves and flowers.

• What to Avoid: Watch out for powdery mildew (white dusty coating), black spot (black lesions with a yellow halo), wilted canes, and mushy stems or roots.

• Attributes to Match Your Desires: There are so many different varieties of roses with different attributes: color, growth habits, fragrance, and more! When choosing the perfect rose, think about what flower color will match your home or garden. Do you want a shrub rose or a climbing rose? Maybe you want a fragrant flower! Chalet offers numerous fragrant varieties that are sure to fill your garden with the sweetest smells. Here are a few great fragrant roses. 

• Environmental Factors: Make sure you know what sun exposure you have to choose the best variety. Chalet provides some shade tolerant rose varieties that can handle some shade throughout the day, but always remember most roses thrive and bloom in at least 6-8 hours of full sun. Here are some great shade tolerant roses!

Let's talk about the best time to plant in our Chicago Climate, which is classified as zones 5 and 6.

Bare Root Roses: It is best to plant these roses as soon as the ground isn’t frozen. This is typically between March through April. The main goal is to plant them while the roses are still dormant to allow the roots to establish before the warm weather arrives.

Container Roses: These roses are going to do well when planted in mid to late Spring. You want to make sure you wait after the last frost date, which is typically mid-May. You can also plant them in early Fall six weeks before the first hard freeze. 

Soil is a crucial factor to get right from the beginning when planting roses, as a healthy root system means a strong plant.

Soil Requirements: You want to have well-drained soil, a pH of 6.0-7.0, and a nutrient rich blend of organic matter.

Fertilizers and Soil Amendments: Before planting your roses, prepare the soil by adding 50% organic matter, such as compost or manure, and add a slow-release fertilizer. The slow-release will last about 60 days. Avoid adding a high nitrogen fertilizer or high concentrate liquid fertilizer initially, as you could risk the chance of burning your new root system. 

Spring: Prune between mid-March and mid-April to encourage new growth for the new season. Remove any crossing or dead canes to open the center for airflow, especially to prevent diseases from festering.

Summer: Deadhead spent blooms, monitor for pests, water deeply, and apply your light feeding after the first bloom. 

Fall: Stop deadheading in mid-September clean fallen leaves to reduce risk of disease, and reduce watering slightly.

Winter: Mound soil or compost 8-12 inches around the base and avoid heavy pruning until next Spring!

How much and how to apply: Water your roses with 1-2 inches of water per week (roughly 3-6 gallons per week). Apply the water directly to the soil at the base of the plant.

When to water: Be sure to water during hot, dry periods, and typically water 1-2 times per week from Spring to Fall. New roses need to be watered every 2-3 days! Water your roses until before the ground freezes to prevent bone-dry soil into Winter. Hydrated plants are better protected against winter winds.

Signs of water stress: Drooping leaves means they’re under watered, yellow leaves and soggy soils mean they’re overwatered, and bud drop during heat waves means they’re under watered. 

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