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Don’t we all love our gardens?

A garden is a holy therapeutic space that holds great value in our lives, It adds colour and vibrance. It adds freshness and it is a great escape from our daily endeavors. A garden, be it a mini balcony garden or a proper well-maintained garden, is a must in every household. It is a space for creativity, for fresh air, and for change.

Garden does hold a great value but that does not mean it is easy to maintain. The flowers and plants are not always easy to maintain. They require care, and attention. Afterall, plants are also living beings. Once you grow flowers and plants, you become a plant parent. You have to look after your baby plants and nourish them accordingly. It is not impossible to take care of your garden, you just need to follow a routine and cater to the right tips.

You might have many different plants and flowers in your garden – like Lillies, some vegetables and more. Today, we are going to discuss the most universally loved flower – roses. Roses add vibrance to your garden. Their rich color is a visual delight and so is the fragrance. There is no doubt as to why they are a symbol of love and affection. Adding roses in your garden adds the love in your house as well. But, it is not effortless to take care of roses. You have to follow some simple guidelines and particular steps while taking care of roses.

Let’s start with the basics of rose care tips

Roots

If you are starting out, you have to make the decision of how you want the roots of roses. You have two options: Container roses and bare-root roses. Container roses are great for amateurs gardeners because they are easy to plant and take care of. Bare-root roses are easy and cheap to buy. They just need to be soaked overnight before planting. These require more watering as compared to the former.

Types of roses

There are a lot of varieties of roses. Not just ranging in colors but also ranging in different classes like miniatures to grand flowers. Some roses are groundcovers while some are climbers. As per your garden, you must choose the rose variety and plant it accordingly. Ensure to inspect the space, the area of the garden, the soil condition before planting. You may also want to compare the roses in accordance with other plants that you have or are planning to plant in the garden.

Placement of roses

Placement of roses is one of the important rose care tips. If the roses are planted in the right spot, it decreases your workload in taking care of them. The best spot for planting roses is where the roses can receive up to six to eight hours of sunlight. Daily sunlight is essential for the proper growth of roses. The plants also need to be planted in a rich soil high in organic matter.

Another aspect to check here is that roses should not be planted in direct sunlight in hot areas. The sunlight in hot areas is more harmful than helpful. So the overall climate of the area is to be noted too. This is a one-time thought process to wisely plant the roses. Also, if you are placing a bunch of roses, it is advisable to keep some space between them (around 3 feet). This space allows them to grow and mature comfortably.

Timing of planting roses

Although roses are not very sensitive to the time they are planted, there are some time periods more fruitful than others. If you want a blooming garden, it is advisable to consider the timing right. Spring is one of the best times to plant roses, followed by autumn. These seasons allow the roses to get all the nutrients and grow as per their nature.

Regular watering

Water is the elixir of life for humans and plants alike. It is essential to give ample amount of water to roses. The prime consideration here is to check the moisture of the soil. If the soil seems dry, you can use drip irrigation to maintain the moisture levels. You can also directly water the soil – just ensure to use only mild force for the same.

Insect Control

If you are maintaining a garden, then you must be familiar with insect control. You have to regularly use pesticides to control any insects from eating or destroying your plants. You can opt for a systemic pesticide like acephate, or use organic options like neem oil. Synthetic pesticides can deteriorate the quality of your plant but they are generally more efficient as compared to organic ones. If you have ample time to take care of your garden, then you must opt for the organic option. It is always preferred to go for organic options.

Regular Inspections

Alongside regular insect control, you have to conduct regular inspections to detect any unwanted outbreaks. There can be a disease affecting all the plants or any new pests – so you have to be on the lookout for the same. If you suspect anything unusual – be it colour, branches or smell, then you might have to intervene. You can call the gardener, if you have one. Otherwise, you would have to get the specific pest control or treatment for the ailment that has attached itself to the plant. You must act quick here, because as soon as you resolve the issue, as soon as that you could go back to planting your roses. If you are not careful enough, your entire lot of roses can go to waste as well.

Pruning

Pruning is an important part of gardening. Usually pruning is done during early spring and its effects continue throughout the season. The steps for pruning are:

  1. Pull off the leaves of the plant
  2. With the help of pruning shears, trim horizontal canes that might be growing on the plant. This leads to reduced friction of branches and blooms.
  3. Look for dead or diseased branches and blooms. Remove them from the plant.
  4. Make a vertical cane cut – outward facing bud.

Additional Rose Care Tips for a blooming garden:

Following ingredients can be used to nurture roses of your gardens:

Banana Peels

Banana Peels can be used for blooming of roses. Banana peels contain phosphorus that boost rose growth. There are two ways to use banana peels. One is that Banana peels can be chopped off and bried beneath the leaves of roses. The other way is that banana peels can be used to make a mixture (with water). This mixture/solution can be used directly to the soil. Both these ways are proven to boost the growth of roses.

Alfalfa

Alfalfa is a known ingredient used to boost nutrition in many flowers and plants. Roses also benefit from this. Alfalfa can be used in the form of direct pellets or by soaking the meals and adding it to the soil.

Eggshells

Eggshells are another organic option that can aid in blooming gardens. Eggshells are generally considered a waste but they are rich in calcium. This calcium can be used to strengthen the tissue of roses. The shells can be crushed and mixed with the potting soil. If you do not want to mix in soil, you can simply sprinkle the crushed shells on the topmost soil layer. It is necessary to finely crush the shells as this is essential for the release of calcium into the soil.

Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are another ingredients that are easily available in the kitchen. These also can be used to ensure growth of roses. These have nitrogen in them. Nitrogen helps in growth but just a little of it is needed. So, you have to be careful to sprinkle just a little on the soil.

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What is the best thing to feed roses?

Roses also require fertilizers. Roughly three rounds of fertilizer application are needed for an annual rose garden. The time periods of the rounds can be the winter break-out, the mid of June, and July. These time periods ensure that roses grow without any threat from insects or other pollens. In terms of fertilizers, it is advised to use organic fertilizer. Manures and compost can be used for the same. If there is a time crunch, then fertilizers can be purchased from the market as well.

So, roses are not that hard to take care of. Like every other plant, they require the basic soil water and sunlight. Additionally, one has to think of their location and ensure adequate preventive measures in the case of an outbreak. Other than this, roses are a good plant to keep. With the help of our rose care tips, you can grow roses in your garden with no tension. So, take care of your roses. With every new season, keep adding different varieties of roses. You can add more colors that would add more vibrancy to your outdoor spaces.