Green Thumb Corner

Once you’ve decided to include rose bushes in your garden, it’s tempting begin planting right away. However, planning and timing is crucial to the future health and beauty of your rose garden.

While knowing exactly what to do can be confusing, we’ll try to take some of the guesswork out of it to increase your chances of success.

One of the secrets top rose gardeners use is to order their plants directly from a nursery. By doing this, you can leverage off the supplier’s knowledge. They not only know the perfect areas of the county for growing your rose plant of choice, they also know just when you should plant it - and they will ship according to this schedule.

Ordering online makes this especially easy because you’ll be able to view a map with the various areas divided into zones. It’s really as simple as finding the area in which you live and taking note of the zone number. Then, when you browse the rose bush selection you can focus on those that do well in your particular location and climate.

In general, colder climates should concentrate on planting roses during the spring. Because winter temperatures can harm delicate plants, it’s necessary to make sure freezing temperatures are finished for the year.

For those lucky enough to live in warmer areas, fall plantings are possible as well. In fact, in the warmest of climates, rose buses can be planted nearly year-round without the danger associated with a freeze.

Because extreme conditions pose a threat to rose plants, always delay planting if it’s likely there will be excessive cold or hot temperatures. In addition, don’t plant roses during periods of high wind.

As mentioned earlier, much of the planning can be simplified when you order from an online nursery since they simply ship your plants to you when conditions are ideal. A great plant supplier can make you look like a gardening pro - even if you’re just starting out.

Climbing rose vines are an excellent addition to an existing rose garden or to simply add some beauty to your landscape.  And, they can be surprisingly easy to grow and care for. They are strong plants that will survive various conditions and lack of constant care.

However, it’s likely that you will want your climbing roses to thrive rather than simply exist. If you want full and lush foliage and large colorful blooms, you’ll need to give them some attention and proper care. The proper care of roses includes providing adequate climbing space and well as some basic maintenance.

Of course you’ll place the vines in your garden if that is your main objective. But don’t forget about other areas of your landscape which may provide greater space, sun exposure, free-flowing air and good drainage. In addition, by planting colorful flowers in other areas of your property, you’ll get to experience more of their beauty.

Recognize that your climbing plants could grow to be large shrubs if not properly controlled. Pruning will encourage expansion and growth so keep that in mind as you care for your plants. Have an end goal in mind and that will guide you as to how aggressive you become with your maintenance plan. By doing nothing, these hearty plants will eventually reach their growth limit, which may or may not be ideal for your garden.

Keep in mind that although it may be tempting to just let the vines run their course, pruning them on a regular basis will improve their appearance by removing unhealthy branches as well as encouraging new growth. As long as your pruning schedule is consistent, you should not have a problem with your vines becoming too large.

As with any plant, roses are subject to disease and other associated problems. Climbing rose varieties in particular, are subject to both mildew and black spot. A fungicide can remedy these problems in most cases and can be obtained from any garden center or outlet.

Another way to decrease the occurrence of mildew is to ensure your plants have adequate ventilation. Roses growing on buildings or walls are especially susceptible to mildew and fungus problems. As a temporary home remedy, a baking soda solution can be sprayed on the affected areas. However, a fungicide solution will be needed for lasting results.

Need more tips and tricks for having the most beautiful roses in the neighborhood?

Click here to discover the best rose garden secrets around.