How to grow potted roses? A detailed guide to the latest care methods
Most roses are world-famous ornamental plants. They prefer growing in thickets along roadsides, field edges or hilly land, and are widely distributed across the cold-temperate to subtropical regions of Asia, Europe, North Africa and North America. They have extremely high ornamental value, and their cultivation history in our country is very long, making them very suitable for bonsai cultivation. Now let us take a look at how to grow potted roses!
How do roses propagate?
Rose seeds can be used for raising seedlings, but in production, softwood cuttings from the current year's young branches are mostly used, as they root easily. Rare and precious varieties are harder to root from cuttings and can be propagated by layering or grafting. Seedlings from asexual propagation can bloom in the same year. For seedlings used as potted flowers, older branches from superior varieties should be selected and propagated by layering, and attention should also be paid to pruning the main bud and carrying out artificial dwarfing. For seedlings used as cut flowers, varieties that can form flower-bearing mother branches and produce large, brightly colored flowers should be selected for propagation. Roses can also be propagated by tissue culture, water culture, grafting, division and other methods.
How are roses transplanted?
1. Potting soil preparation: When preparing nutrient soil for potted roses, attention should be paid to drainage, ventilation and the balance of various nutrients. The ratio is 5 parts garden soil, 3 parts leaf mold: 2 parts rice husk ash. Repotting, root trimming and soil changing are suitable around overwintering each year, gradually increasing the pot diameter year by year, with clay pots being the best choice.
2. Transplanting time: Potting roses is not restricted by season. As long as the seedling root system is suitably developed or the roots are kept in a soil ball, they can be potted in spring, summer and autumn. For large field-grown roses, potting is best done during the dormant period after leaf fall in early winter or before sprouting in early spring; otherwise normal growth and development will be affected, tree vigor will weaken, and a relatively long time will be needed to restore vigor. For small rose seedlings, potting is not restricted by time; as long as they have been successfully cultivated, they can be potted, to prevent excessive vegetative growth and weakening.
3. Potting method: For small rose seedlings, pick up the seedling and shake it gently so that the roots spread out fully. Large seedlings do not need this. Usually one plant per pot; when pots are limited, two or three plants can be placed in one pot (later, when branches develop, there may not be enough space). Roses grown in large pots have thick stems, green leaves, large flowers, more stamens and bright colors.
Rose cultivation and management
1. Watering: Watering roses varies with the season. During the winter dormant period, keep the soil moist; just do not let it dry out completely. When branches begin to grow in early spring and leaves and stems grow, appropriately increase the amount of water, watering once in the morning and once in the evening each day. During the peak growing season and flowering period, the amount of watering needs to be increased. In summer, with high temperatures, water evaporation increases, and the plant is in a weak semi-dormant state; drying out and dehydration are most taboo, so water once in the morning and once in the evening each day, and avoid exposure to strong sunlight. When watering at high temperatures, a small amount of water should seep from the bottom of the pot each time, indicating that it has been thoroughly watered. When watering, do not splash water on the leaves, to prevent disease.
2. Fertilizing: Roses like fertilizer. Base fertilizer should mainly be slow-release organic fertilizer, such as decomposed cow manure, chicken manure, soybean cake, oil residue, etc. Add liquid fertilizer water once every half month, which can keep the leaves thick, dark green and glossy. Before sprouting in early spring, a relatively concentrated liquid fertilizer can be applied once. Take care not to fertilize during the flowering period. After the flowers fade in June, apply liquid fertilizer once more. In September, when the fourth or fifth axillary buds are about to sprout, apply a medium-strength liquid fertilizer once more. In December during the dormant period, apply decomposed organic fertilizer for overwintering.
3. Pruning: After each season's flowering period ends, comprehensive pruning must be carried out. Generally, light pruning is suitable. Promptly cut off faded flowers and thin, weak, crossing and overlapping branches. Keep robust, young branches, leaving only 3-6 cm from the base, keep outward-facing buds, and prune into a natural open-center shape, making the plant shape attractive and extending the flowering period. In addition, for potted roses, choose varieties that are short, bear many flowers and have a rich fragrance.
4. Disease prevention: Roses are susceptible to many diseases, most of which are caused by fungi, such as powdery mildew, black spot, rust, etc. During usual care, pay attention to pruning branches and leaves to facilitate ventilation and air flow. Before pests and diseases occur, spray liquid medicine for prevention, sterilization and disinfection. If pests and diseases have already occurred, corresponding measures must be taken for treatment, so as not to affect the growth and flowering of the roses.