Before You Buy Roses
With a multitude of catalogs filling up mail boxes everywhere and garden centers filing up with new roses, I am tempted to go crazy buying.
I must remind myself of a few basic things to consider before buying
and ask myself what i'm looking for in a rose. do I want large blooms on single stems? Lots of color and a multitude of blooms? How large will the rose become fully mature? Is it easy care? Is it no Spray?
I must remind myself of a few basic things to consider before buying
and ask myself what i'm looking for in a rose. do I want large blooms on single stems? Lots of color and a multitude of blooms? How large will the rose become fully mature? Is it easy care? Is it no Spray?
- Doing your homework before you buy will save you some aggravation and disappointment.
- Do I have a sunny well draining spot to plant your rose? Six hours of full sun is good for most roses.
- I love the catalogs and mail order rose providers, but I often find there descriptions of colors, size and vigor are often incorrect for my particular growing zone (i'm in 8a).
- If you like a rose, ask someone who grows roses about the rose. (you can find a local Rosarian on the American Rose Society website: http://www.rose.org). You can also Google the name of the rose and search for gardener reviews from real people who are growing the rose. I wouldn’t be without my American Rose Society Guide For Selecting Roses. This guide is published annually based on ratings as reported from those who are growing that particular variety. I steer clear of roses that rank below 7.5.
- Don’t walk, RUN from “bagged” roses. They are sprayed with paraffin wax and almost always are poor performers.
- Always select roses bare root or potted with at LEAST 3 good canes and a well-developed root system. Anything less will typically yield less than desirable results. If potted, ask yourself if the rose looks healthy. If not, move one.